DALTON, GA.—Universal Textile Technologies (UTT) announced a new initiative to incorporate bottles collected from Grand Teton National Park into its manufacturing process. UTT converts the plastic bottles into a non-woven fleece material used to manufacture high-performance environmentally friendly backing for carpet and synthetic turf products. Now termed the PET Park Project, UTT is working in partnership with The Grand Teton National Park, Teton County Solid Waste and Recycling, CPE, Inc., and the United Soybean Board (USB). Americans generate an enormous amount of waste material every day. In the Grand Teton park millions of annual visitors are educated on the positive...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Travel Oregon, in partnership with Sustainable Travel International, has introduced the Oregon Travel Philanthropy Fund. The first statewide program of its kind, this fund will support sustainable tourism development in Oregon by connecting businesses and travelers to projects that improve the environment, support local culture and enhance the destination for future visitors. Participating businesses throughout the state can raise funds for projects via an optional $1 donation from customers. All projects selected as beneficiaries of the fund protect Oregon’s natural assets and/or support communities in a way that improves their appeal as a destination. “Oregonians have a rich history of...

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J.—LG Electronics USA announced it will voluntarily reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 percent by the end of 2020, compared with a 2007 baseline. Like most companies, LG’s energy use represents the vast majority of its GHG emissions. LG Electronics USA, the principal North American subsidiary of global leader LG Electronics, has operations in a dozen states with facilities using about 19.4 million kilowatt hours annually. “LG Electronics has long been proud of how our highly efficient Energy Star qualified products help consumers reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Wayne Park, president and CEO of LG Electronics...

CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—There is no shortage of literary bunny tales, or pop culture characters inspired by our natural fondness for rabbits. Who doesn’t love Winnie the Pooh’s practical friend “Rabbit,” Beatrix Potter’s mischievous “Peter,” Bambi’s loyal mentor “Thumper,” or the Velveteen, energizer and seasonally indispensable Cadbury bunnies? But, like Alice in Wonderland’s white rabbit who vanished into a fanciful rabbit hole, New England’s native Cottontail is also on the verge of vanishing—forever, and from the real world.In an effort to stop  from vanishing in Maine, Inn by the Sea, the Maine Department of Conservation, and Bureau of Parks and...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Viridian Wood Products announced the introduction of a new line of 4’x 8’ architectural-grade veneered panels milled from reclaimed North American wood, according to Viridian co-owner Joe Mitchoff. Viridian’s sliced veneers—derived from old-growth redwood previously used in wine tanks, Oregon black walnut reclaimed from urban salvage, and old-growth Douglas fir from warehouse deconstruction—are produced domestically and laid-up on urea formaldehyde-free, FSC-certified medium density fiberboard (MDF) in a variety of thicknesses, including fire-rated cores. Mitchoff said more species are being sourced for launch in the future. “These are distinctive, beautiful and rich in history, a befitting use of some amazing wood,”...

NOTTINGHAM, PA.—Zandur, a green manufacturer dedicated to developing the world’s most environmentally sensitive flooring products, announces the launch of a new tile size in their “True Green” line of natural Cork Rubber Flooring. The 12" x 24" tile addition creates extensive opportunity for designers to discover their own unique patterns by mixing and matching square or plank cut tile in nearly limitless combination. Zandur’s high performance material is available in 48 standard colors.    Zandur’s Cork Rubber Flooring is made from more than 65 percent recycled and renewable cork and 35 percent rubber and meets the requirements of numerous...

BANGKOK—Six Senses Resorts & Spas, a globally recognized leader in the field of sustainable tourism, is to create one of the largest reforestation projects in South East Asia as part of its commitment to the fight against climate change. The company has partnered with the PATT Foundation to plant more than 200,000 trees per year in the Chiang Mai region of northern Thailand. The project represents a multimillion dollar commitment by Six Senses over the next decade and beyond. The project will mitigate an estimated 160,000 tons of CO2 annually by replanting 200 acres of forest every 12 months. Between...

NEW YORK—Sustainability consultancy MindClick SGM, founder and leader of the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium, is working with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to advance the shared mission of a sustainable future for hospitality.  The rapidly growing Consortium, comprised of more than 25 global companies, is creating a scorecard rating system to measure the sustainability performance of suppliers of hotel furnishings and supplies. The scorecard, known as the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSP Index), measures corporate social responsibility, product, and environmental sustainability performance. Consortium members are currently evaluating the HSP Index to ensure that it meets the information and measurement...

NEW YORK—The Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Consortium announced that Ramsey Purchasing has joined the Consortium as a Contributing Member. Ramsey’s membership furthers the Consortium’s goals of establishing the Hospitality Sustainable Purchasing Index (HSP Index) as the de facto performance measurement solution for industry suppliers. With more than 4.5 million hotel rooms in the United States, FF&E is a major investment for all hotels, brands and owners—and it has a substantial impact on the guest experience and the environmental footprint of a hotel. “The HSP Index enables us to compare the sustainability performance of suppliers and the products they sell, so we in...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Global Sustainable Tourism Council announced the launch of two initiatives this week that reflect the organization’s efforts of the past two years: The GSTC Process and Destination Level Criteria Development.The GSTC Process for recognizing and rewarding genuine practitioners of sustainable tourism is defined in three stages: GSTC-Recognized, GSTC-Approved and GSTC-Accredited. In the initial stage, sustainable tourism standards apply to become GSTC-Recognized. Once recognized, these standards are considered equivalent to the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria. The Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria are the worldwide minimum requirements for tourism businesses of all size to approach sustainability.In stage 2, certification programs...