DENVER—The Westin Denver Downtown was recently honored by Host Hotels & Resorts with a sustainability award recognizing the hotel for a tradition of commitment to environmental responsibility. The hotel’s associates have made numerous commitments to reducing impact to the environment such as partnering with a company on a compost program; establishing an online in-room dining menu and guest directory; moving from Styrofoam and plastics to soy or corn-based packaging for to-go/box meals; and recycling in all 430 guestrooms, public and back-of-the-house space. The latest sustainability initiative is providing biodegradable wooden key cards to all hotel guests. “As climate change has...

HEALDSBURG, CALIF.—h2hotel, a progressively-designed hotel located just off the historic town plaza in Healdsburg, announced that it has been awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification and is the first LEED Gold certified hotel in Sonoma County. “Green design was a necessity and a natural progression for us,” said managing partner Paolo Petrone, who also co-owns Hotel Healdsburg. “Designed to use 27.8 percent less energy than the standard hotel in California, we have created an environmentally-conscious hotel without sacrificing comfort and style. h2hotel is a hotel that Healdsburg can be proud of. We continuously strive to be...

NEW YORK—Mexico was recognized by the Rainforest Alliance recently at a gala dinner and awards ceremony in New York on May 11. Mexico was recognized for its achievements in sustainable tourism in the Mayakoba region and for the forestry practices of the Mexican government. “We would like to congratulate Mayakoba Tourism Development and its three hotels for the recognition they have received from the Rainforest Alliance,” said Gloria Guevara Manzo, the Secretary of Tourism for Mexico. “Mayakoba is the first tourist area to be recognized by the Rainforest Alliance for achievements in sustainable tourism. Mexico is very proud to have...

SAN DIEGO—Graham Downes Architecture, a Southern Californian design firm, announces completion of preliminary design for The Royal Beach Resort, a 25-acre seaside resort in the Eguafo District, on the Cape Coast Central Region of Ghana. The Royal Beach Resort is Central Africa’s very first luxury eco-resort and will offer the latest leisure standards based on the most current principles of sustainable development. The boutique property provides unique entertainment and relaxation programs—it is a health-oriented, recreational retreat that will attract both continental and overseas visitors; appealing to business, recreation and also family guests. Lodging accommodations comprise 120 suites where the accent is...

TORONTO—Delta Hotels and Resorts, Canada’s largest independent hotel chain, today announced the launch of Delta Greens, an environmental sustainability program. Delta’s commitment is chain-wide—every one of its more than 8,000 employees at its 46 properties is tasked with changing the way they work in order to reach the targets set out in the program. What’s more, Delta will track the chain’s progress against targets online, so that Canadians can follow Delta’s progress in achieving its goals.  Delta Greens touches on every aspect of the hotel business—from guest services to construction to how Delta operates and maintains its properties to...

SALEM, ORE.—Travel Oregon has launched two new programs that will develop tourism while preserving and protecting Oregon. Under the umbrella brand, “Travel Oregon Forever,” the new Sustainable Business Challenge will incentivize businesses to implement sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. The Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund will give businesses and travelers opportunity to contribute to projects that enhance Oregon’s destinations. Travel Oregon, in partnership with Sustainable Travel International, recently introduced “Travel Oregon Forever” to tourism businesses at an event hosted by Travel Portland. Sustainable tourism is a growing market that Oregon is well positioned to capture. In 2009, nearly 85 percent of...

ATLANTA—Interface, Inc., a worldwide leader in design, production and sales of environmentally responsible modular carpet, recently revealed highlights made over the past year in reducing its negative impacts on the earth to demonstrate ways other companies can achieve progress toward sustainability. Among the top accomplishments heralded by Interface president and CEO Dan Hendrix: advancements in recycling and diverting used products from landfills; cumulative reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; committing to greater transparency in the form of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs); and educating employees and other stakeholders about the benefits of sustainability.  “Sustainability as a destination is an infectious goal...

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), which serves as the purchasing arm of the U.S. government and oversees more than $60 billion in purchased goods and services annually, now requires Gold Level certification to NSF/ANSI 140 Sustainability Assessment for Carpet for all broadloom (wall-to-wall) carpet and carpet tile purchased through the GSA. Current GSA carpet suppliers have until January 1, 2012, to certify their products to NSF/ANSI 140 Gold Level in order for their carpets to be considered for purchase through the GSA. NSF International, an independent organization committed to protecting human health and the environment,...

QUARRY BAY, HONG KONG—Shangri-La Asia Limited released its first sustainability report outlining the company’s progress in the areas of environment, health and safety, employees, supply chain and stakeholder relations for 2010. The report will be issued every two years to track improvements in its corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. Titled “Enhance, Enrich, Embrace,” the report shows Shangri-La’s commitment to environmental protection and resource management, a focus on social development through investments made in the welfare of colleagues and business partners and Shangri La’s Care for People Project committing each hotel to education and health projects in local children’s organizations over...

DENVER—Xanterra Parks & Resorts has completed its fourth Environmental Sustainability Report detailing both its environmental challenges and accomplishments. The report also outlines the company’s future goals for serving its clients while providing high-quality services to visitors of its properties in the most sustainable ways possible.  The report, which follows the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)’s reporting guidelines to the extent possible, is a comprehensive, 52-page publication detailing the company’s environmental initiatives across all the properties and their related operations. GRI is a network-based organization that pioneered the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework. The company’s award-winning environmental program, Ecologix, was developed...