ORLANDO—Wyndham Vacation Ownership (WVO), the world’s largest vacation ownership company and a member of the Wyndham Worldwide family of companies, announced the launch of the Wyndham Million Trees Project, an initiative to plant one million trees throughout national forests in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees.As part of the Wyndham Green sustainability program to reduce the company’s environmental impact around the globe, owners, guests and associates at more than 150 Club Wyndham and WorldMark by Wyndham resorts and 10 corporate offices are being encouraged to contribute to the cause.“The Wyndham...

SHELBURNE, VERMONT—Using data on 46,000 U.S. hotels provided by Northstar Travel Media, and building energy data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, sustainability technology company Brighter Planet has applied its own lodging model to determine the best and worst performing hotel chains when it comes to energy efficiency and carbon footprints. Brighter Planet’s model predicts natural gas, fuel oil, district heat, and electricity use based on local climate, number of rooms, number of floors, construction year, and air-conditioning coverage, and adjusts for the presence of various amenities such as swimming pools, hot tubs, and minibars.Matt Kling, science analyst for...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) announces the release of their Criteria for Destinations. The criteria are a set of guiding principles and performance indicators designed to lead destination managers, communities, and businesses on a path to sustainability: maximizing social, cultural, economic and environmental benefits while minimizing negative impacts. The Destination Criteria complement the existing GSTC Criteria for Hotels and Tour Operators, which have become a worldwide standard for tourism sustainability.“While many destinations have been impacted by unsustainable development in the past, more and more destinations are now realizing the importance of sustainable tourism and are seeking outside...

ITHACA, N.Y.—A new tool from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration gives hotel operators specific strategies for explaining their sustainability efforts to customers, employees, investors, and other stakeholders. The hospitality industry has taken great strides toward sustainability, but in many cases those initiatives go unnoticed, or (worse) unheeded. The new tool offers a framework for creating a communications strategy to publicize and promote a hotel’s green operations. The tool, “Telling Your Hotel’s ‘Green’ Story: Developing an Effective Communication Strategy to Convey Environmental Values,” co-written by Daphne Jameson and Judi Brownell, contains...

GEORGETOWN, GUYANA—Trinidad and Tobago will host the next Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) conference on Sustainable Tourism Development in 2013, the CTO has announced. In a symbolic passing of the “baton,” Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Trinidad and Tobago Ministry of Tourism, Raye Sandy, received the CTO Sustainable Tourism Mahogany Scroll from Guyana’s Tourism Minister, the Honorable Irfaan Ali at the closing of STC-13 on April 18, confirming Trinidad and Tobago as host of the 14th Annual Caribbean Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development (STC-14). “We are truly honored to host STC-14 in Trinidad and Tobago,” said Raye Sandy. “We look forward...

PARIS—With 40,000 new rooms created every year, Accor intends to combine development with growth that respects the environment and local communities, by involving all of its hotels and customers in a new sustainable development program—PLANET 21. The name is a direct reference to Agenda 21, the environmental action plan signed at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, and reminds one of the urgent concerns that face the planet in the 21st century and the need to change methods of production and consumption patterns to preserve human beings and eco-systems.With PLANET 21, Accor is making 21 commitments and the same...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Reclaimed Wood announced the introduction of  “American Classics,” a new line of reclaimed red oak, white oak and rustic oak solid-plank hardwood flooring, according to Viridian co-owner Joe Mitchoff. Like Viridian’s other flooring lines, the oak is derived from industrial shipping crates. These domestic hardwoods are reclaimed from the southeastern United States and are milled in Portland, Ore.“This red and white oak provides a uniquely sustainable option for classic North American species, with a hint of character to let you know its reclaimed,” Mitchoff said. “And the rustic option provides a vintage look with saw marks, nail...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Valley Forge Fabrics announced that it has implemented UPS’ carbon neutral shipping program. In an effort to continuously reduce its effect on the environment, the company partnered with UPS to reduce its carbon dioxide (C02) impact while further demonstrating its commitment to a healthier planet.Valley Forge, the world’s largest supplier of decorative textiles to the hospitality industry, ships thousands of packages to customers across the globe every year. Shipping is one of the company’s largest emissions sources and makes up 95 percent of all the company’s greenhouse gases. Every package Valley Forge ships will now automatically include...

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM—Employees and corporate clients of all Belgian Carlson Rezidor hotels and the head office of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group have planted more than 1,700 trees in the Sonian forest near Brussels. Eighty volunteers joined the activity organized by Carlson Rezidor’s Responsible Business department.“We were celebrating the 10th year of our annual tree-planting,” said Gaston Gellens, district director Belgium and general manager of the Radisson Blu Royal Hotel Brussels. “It was great to welcome participants of all our Park Inn by Radisson and Radisson Blu hotels in the country.” On a strip prepared by Agentschap Natuur en Bos Vlaanderen...

MIDLAND, MICH.—Building insulation products from Dow Building Solutions have been recertified by the Cradle to Cradle Certified program, a well-known, multi-attribute eco-label that assesses a product’s material content, recyclability and manufacturing characteristics. Originally certified in 2010 and recertified in 2011, after rigorous analysis in 2012, STYROFOAM Brand Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) Foam Insulation recertified at the SILVER level and THERMAX Insulation achieved BASIC recertification.“When evaluating sustainable building materials, Dow advocates taking a ‘holistic’ approach, and we feel the Cradle to Cradle Certified program provides a strong indication of a product’s comparative value when looking at energy efficient solutions and underscores...