ASHEVILLE, N.C.—One year and two hives later, Renaissance Asheville Hotel’s urban beekeeping project is thriving. In 2006, when honey bee colonies started disappearing, later dubbed “Colony Collapse Disorder,” beekeepers and non-beekeepers alike became very concerned. After all, one in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination. Equally important, 85 percent of flowering plants and trees rely on pollinators for the survival of their species. While less is known about native bees and other pollinators, we do know that entire species are disappearing at alarming rates as they battle most of the same enemies as honey...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Third Annual Green Lodging Trends Report Survey will be launched by Greenview on July 9, 2018. The survey will close on August 10, 2018. You can participate in the survey by clicking here. There is no cost to participate. Tens of thousands of green lodging establishments around the planet are being encouraged to benchmark their sustainability practices by completing this survey which last year saw some 2,100 properties participating from 46 countries. The survey encompasses topics ranging from energy management to communication to Health & Wellness. The Green Lodging Trends Report Survey has the support of Green Lodging...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND—SGS will host a free webinar to help hoteliers learn more about the current risks and sustainability challenges and opportunities facing the travel and hospitality industry. The webinar, “Moving Towards Sustainability: Future-proofing in the Hospitality Sector, will be held on July 25 at 10 a.m. Click here to register. The travel and hospitality industry is faced with a variety of potential risks, including environmental, social and economic. Of the many challenges facing the travel and hospitality industry today, two hold the greatest potential impact on guest experience and profit; risk and sustainability. To help inform hospitality industry professionals, SGS...

BURLINGTON, MASS.—Keurig Green Mountain, Inc., a leader in specialty coffee and innovative single serve brewing, announced meaningful progress against its priority 2020 sustainability commitments. In the company’s newly released 2017 Sustainability Report, Keurig details the continued evolution of its sustainability programs to reduce its environmental footprint, improve the lives of coffee farmers, and positively impact local communities. Keurig’s 2017 Sustainability Report details the significant improvements made in the following key areas: Achieved its 2020 water stewardship target three years ahead of schedule, restoring 6,154 million liters of water; Made significant progress to achieve 100 percent of K-Cup pods are recyclable...

I have written about or posted about the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City numerous times. The Center hosts the annual HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York trade shows. The Center is highly energy efficient and even features a green roof that has been home to honeybees and many different bird species. The New York Times just reported that in 2021 the Javits Center rooftop will be the home of a farm on the roof of the extension currently being built. This farm will certainly be unique and give the Center a competitive...

BETHESDA, MD.—Each year, Marriott International associates around the world dedicate a day to serving their local communities, a day aptly named Spirit to Serve Our Communities Day (STSOC Day). STSOC Day is a global day of service, where associates come together to celebrate Marriott’s long-standing commitment to taking care of the communities where they do business. The 2018 STSOC Day was record breaking—over 2,700 associates volunteered at 51 sites throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia, resulting in 11,000 hours of volunteer time. While this is an annual celebration, 2018 bears more significance as the 20th annual year of...

SPARTANBURG, S.C.—Leading global innovation company with textile, specialty chemical and floor covering manufacturing expertise, Milliken & Company’s Specialty Interiors business, hosted a presentation by Sustainable Furnishings Council Executive (SFC) Director Susan Inglis at its newly-opened High Point showroom at Showtime. The presentation provided an overview of the material choices in home furnishings that are most critical for sustaining a healthy future. Supported by extensive consumer research conducted by SFC, Inglis offered insight into consumer preference for sustainable options and how these preferences have changed in the last five years. Focusing heavily on materiality—what products are made of, how they are...

HONG KONG—Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts announced it has received full Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) seafood Chain of Custody certification (CoC) for all its 53 properties across Mainland China and Hong Kong. As the first hotel group in Asia, the Shangri-La group initiated the certification program as part of its sustainable sourcing strategy and commitment to protect future seafood supplies and make a positive impact on the environment. The MSC runs the only wild-capture fisheries certification and ecolabelling program that meets best practice requirements set by both the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO) and ISEAL, the global membership...

LAS VEGAS—Wynn Resorts announced the appointment of Erik Hansen as the company’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. In this newly-created role, Hansen is responsible for the development of the company’s global sustainability strategy and energy procurement goals. “Erik has proven to be a visionary as we continue to deepen our company’s sustainability strategy and make monumental moves towards taking control of our energy future,” said Kim Sinatra, EVP and General Counsel for Wynn Resorts. “His experience extends across all facets of environmental protection and government regulation, and his understanding of cutting-edge technologies will continue to shape our use of a new...

BEIJING—With a key focus on sustainable destinations, infrastructure, over tourism and water management, EarthCheck, a leading business advisory group for travel and tourism, hosted its signature event, the Inner Circle Forum at Marco Polo Parkside in Beijing. The Forum, now in its seventh year, is an exclusive gathering of global travel and tourism thought leaders who collaborate and investigate sustainability challenges facing the tourism industry. Keynote speaker and internationally renowned Dr. Raj Rajan, Ecolab’s Vice President of Research, Development and Engineering and Global Sustainability Technical Leader, presented Water and Energy Management: Implications for China. “Water is the common thread essential to...