SHANGHAI, CHINA—An act of salvation has taken place in China. Historic trees and traditional Chinese constructions were in jeopardy of being erased before Chinese businessman Ma Dadong decided to uproot both the trees and buildings and move them to just outside the prominent city of Shanghai. Dadong has managed to preserve nearly 80 percent of 10,000 trees that were in danger of being felled to make way for a new reservoir, along with 50 Ming and Qing dynasty houses spread over 30 ancient villages 800km from Shanghai. He has spent over 10 years on this amazing conservation project, and...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—The 2017 Global Citizenship Report (GCR) is now available at csr.fedex.com. The report showcases how FedEx connects people, businesses and communities in ways that advance social and economic progress and environmental sustainability. Citizenship is a core part of the FedEx mission and business strategy, and the report updates the FY16 strategies, goals, programs and progress across the enterprise in three key areas: Economy, Environment and People. Highlights from the report include: Economy The global reach of FedEx—connecting more than 99 percent of global GDP—provides a unique opportunity to deliver a positive impact around the world, empowering individuals, communities and businesses large...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Informa Exhibitions U.S. and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the release of the 2016 Greenbuild Sustainability Report, highlighting valuable metrics and key benchmarks regarding the impact on energy use and waste management at the 2016 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held last October at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. “Each year, we celebrate our victories with the release of this report and set the bar a little higher for the next year, to continue positively impacting the events industry with environmentally responsible management in the planning, operations and execution of Greenbuild,” said Lindsay Roberts,...

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND—Providing unobstructed views from every direction, New Zealand’s PurePods are free-standing glass accommodations designed for up-close and uninterrupted encounters with nature. Set in an open clearing on private farm land, the four PurePods provide a singular boutique hotel experience, a one-room home that offers comfort, luxury and dramatic vistas without neighbors. Due to their setting and location, complete privacy is ensured. The PurePod stay is part of a New Zealand itinerary arranged by New Zealand travel experts New Zealand In Depth. The PurePod concept is all about the view. Constructed almost entirely from glass with no carpet, curtains...

JASPER, IND.—Furniture maker Jasper Group announced a new addition to its corporate facility. Photovoltaic solar panels now line the southwest corner of the property and will reduce the company’s carbon footprint. Jasper Group collaborated with the City of Jasper’s Net Metering Program to ensure the maximum allowed usage of the solar panels. The company plans to continue bringing solar power to its six additional facilities across Dubois and Orange counties. The solar energy project is an important step in Jasper Group’s ongoing effort to protect and preserve the environment for future generations. Since opening their doors in 1929, Jasper Group has...

BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS—The Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) has added a new category to its 2017 Sustainable Tourism Awards. The Agro-Tourism Award was developed to reflect the CTO Year of Adventure and as part of the ongoing partnership between the CTO and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), where collaborative efforts have been ongoing to advance the integration of agriculture and tourism. “When a tourist goes on a farm or community tour, or eats our signature foods prepared by local chefs, everyone benefits,” says Ena Harvey, IICA representative in Barbados. “Land remains in agriculture, farm incomes increase, business and employment...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Launched in 2015, the National Geographic Unique Lodges of the World is a collection of 55 world-class hotels spanning 30 countries and six continents that offer guests rare experiences with parts of the world that not many get to know. Each lodge is deeply rooted in its community and dedicated to protecting surrounding ecosystems and cultures—and harnesses their vitality to safeguard them for the future. On March 27, National Geographic released the first Sustainable Tourism Impact Report, compiled from data from each of the member lodges that measures the impact of their practices, from use of renewable energy...

PORTLAND, ORE.—MeetGreen is launching the MeetGreen Calculator 2.0 for Sustainable Events updated to align with today’s standards, track green meeting initiatives and provide state-of-the-art reporting with a newly-designed user-friendly interface. The MeetGreen Calculator 2.0 is a comprehensive tool designed to measure sustainable event management practices by assessing the environmental impact of conference activities in 14 key areas allowing event organizers to benchmark their achievements and compare against other events. Here are just a few of the upgrades: We Meet You Where You Are, Introducing Two Options: We believe everyone should be able to measure the green practices of an event and you...

MACAO—Sands China Ltd. used the month of March to shine an additional spotlight on environmental sustainability, focusing the attention of the public and its team members on two events addressing the ever-important topic of climate change—Earth Hour and an in-house Climate Week. On Saturday, March 25, the company participated in Earth Hour for the 9th consecutive year, turning off lights at all its properties. Beginning at 8:30 p.m., exterior lights and non-essential indoor lights were turned off for one hour at Sands Macao; The Venetian Macao; The Plaza Macao featuring Four Seasons; Sands Cotai Central featuring St. Regis, Conrad, Sheraton,...

NATIONAL REPORT—In the United States, sales of electric vehicles soared in 2016, showing a 70 percent year-over-year increase in monthly sales. For consumers, the choice is bigger than ever; by the end of 2016, automakers were offering about 30 electric models to choose from, such as the Tesla Model S, Chevy Volt, and Nissan Leaf. And even more are on the way, with Ford’s plans to create 13 EV models by 2020, Mercedes saying it will produce 10 by 2025, and Volkswagen, which is at work on 30 different models. What’s more, EV batteries are becoming cheaper and longer-lasting, which...