WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown will hold its fourth annual Sustainability Fair (formerly Green Fair) on Friday, August 16h from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the hotel’s Colonnade Room. The event will showcases the eco, health and safety efforts of many D.C.-based organizations as well as the hotel’s own sustainability program.The following organizations will be represented: Balance Gym, Better bodies by Bethany, CarsToGo, ChemSearch, Dietztogo, District of Columbia Department of the Environment, District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), Eco-Artware, Fairmont Pittsburgh (LEED Gold Certified), Fairmont Washington, D.C., Georgetown’s Beekeepers, KEYS for the Homeless, KARMA by Erwin...

YARDLEY, PA.—Lodging Media, the publisher of Lodging Magazine, will host the Lodging Green & Sustainability Conference & Expo to educate hotel owners, senior executives, general managers and facility managers on ways to make their hotel operations more sustainable on October 1 to 3, 2013 at the Omni Dallas. A discounted rate of $395 is available for conference attendees who register before August 30, 2013.The conference will host more than 60 distinguished panelists and speakers, including hoteliers, business leaders, consultants, investors, and policymakers. The opening keynote speaker for the event is Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who serves as senior attorney...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Global nonprofit Sustainable Travel International recently announced the launch of its Sustainable Destination Leadership Network (SDLN). The SDLN is the world’s first collaboration of its kind for decision makers from tourism authorities. The network brings together forward-thinking tourism destinations committed to meaningful exchange that advances good tourism, which preserves sense of place and ensures long-term prosperity.“Innovation Norway is proud to support the Sustainable Destination Leadership Network,” said Innovation Norway’s Ingunn Sørnes. “It is a perfect opportunity for destinations to advance the sustainability dialogue, to collaborate with peers on the international stage, and to make a difference. Innovation Norway...

SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA—Karen and John Lewis, the visionary founders of Lapa Rios Ecolodge in Costa Rica, recently celebrated the realization of a conservation dream that will result in the permanent protection of more than 900 acres of virgin rainforest in the Osa Peninsula, one of the most biologically rich regions in Central America.Twenty-plus years ago the two liquidated their assets in Minnesota to finance the purchase and preservation of 1,040 acres of virgin rainforest in Costa Rica and to build a small, supporting ecotourism project. Post university, they had both worked for the U.S. Peace Corps in Kenya,...

BETHESDA, MD.—As Marriott International, Inc. grows beyond its current global footprint of more than 3,800 hotels in more than 70 countries, the company is focusing on development which will provide sustainable economic activity and local employment. In coming years, more than half of Marriott’s new hotels will be located in emerging markets where tourism is a major driver of new jobs and economic development. In its just-released 2013 Sustainability Report Update, which updates the company’s 2011-2012 Sustainability Report, Marriott noted substantial progress in job creation in underserved and emerging markets.Two major sustainable development projects include Marriott’s first hotel in...

SAN FRANCISCO—MindClick Global, a leader in supply chain sustainability performance and sourcing solutions, announced that Marriott International is ahead of its sustainable sourcing goals for 2013. In 2012, Marriott committed to spend 75 percent of its 2013 furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) budget with suppliers who are part of the MindClick Hospitality Index for Sustainable Sourcing (HSP Index). As of June 15, 2013, Marriott has reached 60 percent of its goal.“With over 30 participating suppliers representing 20 product categories ranging from bath fixtures to seating, carpets to casegoods, fabrics to mattresses, lighting to mirrors, and more, we are very...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association has launched a new report focused on sustainability best practices for the foodservice industry. Created by the NRA’s Conserve sustainability program team, the report, “Bright Ideas: Sustainability Tips from Industry Experts,” features tips, trends and real-world advice from industry experts who appeared at this year’s National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago.“For restaurateurs, implementing sustainable best practices into their operations is more popular than ever before,” said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s executive vice president of policy and government affairs. “We want to make that implementation as successful and cost effective as possible, which is...

MANUEL ANTONIO, COSTA RICA—In their ongoing pledge to promote sustainable tourism in Costa Rica, Escape Villas announces the availability of eco tours through their 300-acre tract of Manuel Antonio rainforest that was purchased as a carbon offset project. In 2008, former President Oscar Arias declared his intentions for Costa Rica to become the world’s first carbon-neutral tourist destination by 2021, and since that time, the government has fast-tracked multiple strategies to reach that lofty goal.Escape Villas has adopted a multi-faceted approach to reducing their impact on the country’s natural resources. The company has been offering Costa Rica vacation rentals...

ATLANTA—For five weeks this summer, a group of hospitality students from Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business will intern at three Meliã Hotels International resorts in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Designed for students interested in resort operations, this internship will allow 11 students the opportunity to understand how to integrate sustainable principles into business operations in an international environment.“Within the hospitality and tourism industry we are seeing an increased focus on applying sustainable ‘best practices’ to affect the bottom line,” says Debby Cannon, director of the School of Hospitality. “By examining how to be environmentally responsible and its...

NATIONAL REPORT—Gasoline-powered passenger vans have been the norm for transporting guests for a long time. Unfortunately, these types of vehicles are environmentally inefficient. They consume gasoline, produce air and noise pollution, require oil and transmission fluid for upkeep, and are particularly disadvantageous while idling. While the world’s automakers have been rolling out electric automobiles the last few years—the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf, etc.—few companies are making electric passenger vans.In the past few months, Zenith Electric, through its Zenith Motors, has begun producing an electric shuttle van in Crestview Hills, Kentucky. Zenith is owned by William Yung III, who also...