HOUSTON—The new strategic alliance between Green Power Offsets, a provider of single-source renewable energy credits (RECs), and impactChoice, a provider of turnkey sustainability solutions, will provide U.S. companies with tools and services needed to set and achieve carbon reduction goals.“Our mission is to make it easy to choose renewable energy, promote sustainable behavior and encourage businesses to make informed choices about how to reduce their carbon footprint,” said Green Power Offsets’ Stephan Blasilli. “Experience has shown us that businesses with sustainability goals are looking for comprehensive solutions. They don’t stop at purchasing renewable energy; instead, they want guidance in...

SAN FRANCISCO—Airbnb, a leading community-driven hospitality company, released a new study quantifying the environmental benefits of home sharing for travelers. Conducted by Cleantech Group (CTG), this study finds that Airbnb promotes a more efficient use of existing resources and is an environmentally sustainable way to travel. Traveling on Airbnb results in significant reduction in energy and water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste, and encourages more sustainable practices among both hosts and guests.“Resource sharing is rapidly growing across a number of sectors including hospitality, consumer goods, and transportation,” said Michael Ellis, EVP Advisory for CTG. “Cleantech Group’s initial analysis...

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA.—The ever-increasing cost of resources and the threat of adverse environmental impacts indicate that the time for sustainable manufacturing processes to emerge is now. A proposed new ASTM International standard will help industry adopt more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices by informing manufacturers how they can incorporate sustainability into their daily operations.ASTM WK35702, Guide for Evaluation of Environmental Aspects of Sustainability of Manufacturing Processes, describes methods to enhance resource efficiency, considering environmental impacts, at the manufacturing process level.“WK35702 will help identify opportunities in operations planning, provide guidelines for collecting data and give insight into how to calculate...

LAS VEGAS—Concept Amenities, recognized globally as a leader in the supply of guest bath amenities, is one of the first companies in the guest amenity industry utilizing sustainable palm oil. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certificate has been presented to Concept Amenities in recognition of manufacturing soap products using only RSPO palm oil. Concept Amenities ensures this by partnering with certified sustainable palm oil growers who adhere to RSPO social and environmental standards. Established in 2004, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a not-for-profit association developed to implement global standards for sustainable palm oil. Their objective...

ORLANDO—Orlando has become the first destination to produce a comprehensive sustainability report focused on the visitor experience. The goal of the report is to tell the sustainability journey of Orlando, allowing it to chronicle progress toward the goal of becoming one of the world’s leading sustainable destinations. The Orlando Destination Sustainability Report is a pillar program of Green Destination Orlando (GDO), and a co-production between GDO, Greenview and the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, along with community volunteers.The report shares Orlando’s vision where visitors have a total sustainable experience, beginning the moment they plan their...

DUMFRIESSHIRE, SCOTLAND—The owners of Three Glens House in Dumfriesshire, Scotland have achieved something rare. They built a stunning carbon-negative property in the middle of a farm and transformed it into a luxurious guest house with a unique style and approach to hospitality.Within less than one year, the property became a Scottish Design Awards 2014 finalist, it was awarded five stars by Visit Scotland and the Rising Star Rural Escape award at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2014.The property is a sustainable, energy efficient, ultra-modern eco farmhouse, guests have access to 360 degree views of breathtaking scenery, fresh produce from the...

LAS VEGAS—ARIA Resort & Casino, LEED Gold and Green Key certified, as well as a TripAdvisor GreenLeader at the Platinum level, will be the site of this fall’s second annual Lodging Green & Sustainability Conference & Expo in Las Vegas. The LODGING Magazine event, with the support of EcoGreen Energy Solutions, will take place October 28 to 30.“This year we anticipate doubling the size of our event in both attendance and exhibit area,” says LODGING magazine Publisher Bill Corsini, who will once again host this annual event. “While still relatively small in only our second year, the conference will...

NATIONAL REPORT—When the NoMad Hotel opened in New York City in 2012, it did so with reclaimed wood flooring in its guestrooms. When the Grain Tasting Bar opened late that same year at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver in British Columbia, it featured doors made from reclaimed wood. When the Heritage Cabins at Pine Bungalows in Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada were completed this year, the knotty pine tongue-in-groove wood installed in the original Pine Bungalows cabins in the 1960s and 1970s was utilized. Reclaimed wood is increasingly being specified and used in lodgings of all types, whether in...

NEW YORK—On May 31, the third annual Futuregreen Hospitality Forum that brings together hotel brands, designers and manufacturers for a day-long think tank, was held at the Crosby Street Hotel in New York. More than 50 industry leaders attended to collectively discuss environmental challenges and discover new solutions for a more sustainable hotel industry.Two keynote speakers addressed the theme: Smaller, Faster, Cheaper. Mitchell Joachim, a TED Fellow and founder of Terreform ONE shared his work on foldable cars and bioengineered homes made from living materials. Los Angeles-based filmmaker Nirvan Mullick—director/producer of the short documentary “Caine’s Arcade”—used his film about...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association has issued “Bright Ideas,” its first-ever sustainability newsletter, which offers tips and tools to restaurant and foodservice operators on eco-friendly practices that save money, resources and help protect the environment. The newsletter, produced by Conserve, the NRA’s sustainability initiative, features a variety of videos, best practices, case studies and personal accounts of chain and independent operators who have achieved success by practicing sustainability at their businesses. “We are pleased to offer this newsletter that we think will go a long way toward helping operators embrace the prospect of sustainability and better understand the financial and environmental impacts...