OBERLIN, OHIO—One of the world’s most innovative green hotels—The Hotel at Oberlin—is just one month away from its soft opening in Oberlin, Ohio. The hotel is owned by Oberlin College and eventually will qualify for the rare LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The 70-room Hotel at Oberlin is the first LEED Platinum hotel owned by a college and anchors the Peter B. Lewis Gateway Center, the cornerstone of Oberlin’s Green Arts District, an ongoing development conceived by the city and college to transform Oberlin into a model for environmentally aware economic development based on education...

SPOKANE, WASH.—Ecova, a leading global energy and sustainability management company, announced that it has published its 2015 Corporate Responsibility Report. It details the company’s impact on clients, the environment, employees and communities. The report also shows significant reductions in Ecova’s carbon footprint, important investments in new solutions and improved performance in climate change reporting.2015 marks the third year of Ecova’s Corporate Responsibility Report. During the first two years, Ecova established the structure of the program, developed strategies that aligned with the business and set measurable goals. In 2015 Ecova put key initiatives into action across the organization.“We are in...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.—In honor of its 20th anniversary, the Disney Conservation Fund (DCF) announced a targeted philanthropic strategy to help protect the planet through collaborating with leading nonprofit organizations that will help threatened wildlife and inspire a lifelong love for nature in young people. The new initiative, called “Reverse the Decline, Increase the Time,” is aimed at reversing the decline of 10 threatened species through scientific research, community collaboration, and increasing the time kids spend in nature. “Wildlife and wild places have always been an inspiration to Disney, and we take pride in instilling that same inspiration in...

BANGKOK, THAILAND—Minor Hotel Group (MHG) has moved to cement itself as one of the global leaders in sustainable tourism by implementing the Green Growth 2050 (GG2050) sustainability solution. MHG has committed its 35 resorts and hotels under the Anantara brand to the Green Growth 2050 program, launched in 2015, with many already undergoing certification. A further 35 hotels under different MHG brands are currently implementing the performance measurement solution planned for live operation later in 2016.“In identifying a sustainability partner for the Hotel Group, Minor was looking for a solution that could take our hotels to the next level,”...

DALLAS—ITP (International Tourism Partnership) announced that its employability program the Youth Career Initiative (YCI) has won the People category at the WTTC Tourism 4 Tomorrow Awards in Dallas.Accepting the Award at the WTTC Global Summit, Head of YCI Alberto Canovas said, “On behalf of a very large number of organizations and people across the globe who have made the Youth Career Initiative possible, from hotel partners and nonprofit partners, to our donors and last but not least, our small yet very passionate and dedicated team, I would like to give my sincerest and heartfelt thanks to WTTC and the...

LAS VEGAS—Cruelty free. Paraben free. No animal testing. No artificial colors. No synthetic ingredients. No phthalates, mineral oil and petrol-derived ingredients. These are just some of the phrases one has gotten used to when purchasing amenity products from companies that aim to be as environment and health conscious as possible. Concept Amenities, an amenities company that got its start in Australia and that now also has offices in the United States, Europe and Singapore, is aiming to add another phrase to the mix: “Carbon Neutral.”According to Chris Holmes, Product Development Manager for Concept Amenities, the company is currently offering...

JASPER, IND.—Kimball International, Inc. is recognizing Earth Day and Arbor Day by continuing its traditional “Trees for Tomorrow” program. For 2016, the program involves a $1 donation for every employee to the Arbor Day Foundation which will plant a seedling in forests on behalf of Kimball employees. In prior years, the program has taken many different approaches to foster a philosophy of environmental stewardship, including the distribution of free tree seedlings to Kimball employees and donations to organizations such as the Arbor Day Foundation. Since the program began over 20 years ago, Kimball has donated over 365,000 tree seedlings.Go...

SAN FRANCISCO—In its continued commitment to eco-friendly hospitality management and service, San Francisco based Greystone Hotels announces participation in the 46th annual celebration of Earth Day on April 22. All 11 of Greystone’s California and Oregon based properties will donate a portion of gross room revenues from Earth Day, April 22 to the Nature Conservancy, as well as an organized day of service for all employees. Day of Service local community partners include: SE Bend Park Site Cleanup (Bend, Ore.), Clean Pan Pacific Park (Los Angeles), La Comida de California (Palo Alto), “14th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup” (San...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The Holiday Inn Club Vacations brand, developed and exclusively operated by Orange Lake Holdings, announced a partnership with Clean The World to recycle partially-used soaps and bottled hygiene products from its resorts. This new partnership continues the company’s sustainability efforts through the IHG Green Engage program, which sets standards to reduce the impact its properties have on the environment. An estimated five tons of waste a year will be diverted from local landfills.Clean the World is a social enterprise dedicated to saving millions of lives around the world while simultaneously diverting hotel waste from landfills in North America,...

SYOSSET, N.Y.—Emerald announced its conversion to Penske Truck Leasing compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled trucks. Emerald’s New York based fleet will move to CNG this month, furthering Emerald’s mission of global conservation and mainstreaming sustainability.Each year, Emerald drivers deliver thousands of tons of its alternatively sourced, sustainable products to clients around the country. This conversion will greatly reduce the company’s environmental footprint by lessening the amount of gas emissions released into the air as compared to traditional diesel fueled vehicles.“We are always striving to discover new ways to help the environment and reduce our footprint, and the conversion to...