GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, WYO.—Purchasing wind power credits equal to 100 percent of overall energy consumption and maintaining a 50 percent waste-diversion rate by recycling or reusing everything from food waste to horse manure are just a few of Grand Teton Lodge Company’s (GTLC) environmental achievements outlined in the second edition of the company’s Envision Sustainability Report. GTLC celebrated Earth Day by releasing the report in an effort to encourage continuing dialogue within the tourism industry on best practices for reducing environmental impacts. With a mission to preserve, protect and inspire, GTLC runs the equivalent of a small...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—Home2 Suites by Hilton, a new mid-tier, extended-stay hotel concept targeting the savvy, value-wise, extended-stay guest, has a new website with features including a sustainability page and e-tour of the future space. These expanded features were added to help consumers and developers understand the brand identity of Home2 Suites and its “Hip and Humble” approach to hospitality. “The new website features will increase the momentum for our already successful launch of Home2 Suites,” said Bill Duncan, global head, brand management. “Since launching the brand with 10 franchise applications, we have received an additional 20, with the first hotel to...

TORONTO—The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has welcomed Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, a worldwide hotel brand known for its industry-leading environmental efforts, as the newest member of its innovative Climate Savers Program. In recognition of this new partnership, Fairmont has agreed to a brand-wide carbon emissions reduction plan and has pledged to reduce operational CO2 emissions from its existing portfolio of hotels by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2013, while also ensuring that new Fairmont properties strive to reduce their CO2 emissions through the implementation of the brand’s new Energy and Carbon Management program. In addition, Fairmont will: • Finalize a...

GUANGZHOU, CHINA—Mayland Seaside Hotel, a five-star hotel project to be situated along the Zhujiang River, will feature an architecture style focused on sensibility to social responsiveness, energy use, urbanism and ecological awareness. The hotel is currently in the design phase and is due to be completed in 2012-2013, according to Narendra Patel, Patel Architecture, Rancho Mirage, Calif. The design provides for wind turbines on the upper portion of the tower and a massive array of photovoltaic panels covering the entire south façade. In the basement is a provision to incorporate a fuel cell power generator that would run on clean...

EUGENE, ORE.—Sustainable Foodservice Consulting has launched, www.sustainablefoodservice.com, a resource for food service owners and operators interested in adopting sustainable business practices. The website is a free resource promoting environmentally sound food service operations by providing practical information on energy-efficient kitchen equipment, green cleaning products, food waste management, links to private and public sector websites providing technical help, rebates and tax incentives, product information, and energy efficiency information. The “Tools” section offers energy efficiency calculators, energy tracking spreadsheets and a variety of forms and checklists to help implement sustainable business practices. Paul Kuck, the owner and founder of Sustainable Foodservice Consulting,...

LONDON—Mega-resorts are destroying communities and are environmentally unsustainable and lead to widespread alienation and displacement of people from their land, according to a new report from lobby group Tourism Concern. Poor communities in developing countries, which depend heavily upon their natural resources for their livelihoods, are the hardest hit. Huge tracts of public and privately owned land are being “grabbed” and sold off to real estate developers by governments keen to expand tourism in pursuit of economic growth. In reality, little of the profit from internationally managed resorts stays in the local economy, Tourism Concern says. The trickle down of...

LAS VEGAS—Hospitality Design magazine’s 2009 Exposition & Conference will include a Green Day once again. It will be held on May 13, a day before the May 14 to 16 Exposition & Conference, at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas. Green Day is one of the hospitality industry’s leading events focused on education, idea exchange, and marketplace trends related to sustainable design and operations. New this year, Green Day will exceed the annual AIA sustainable design mandatory continuing education requirement. Green Day will include sessions focusing on sustainability strategies, third-party product certification and what some of...

PACIFIC CITY, ORE.—The Craftsman Bed and Breakfast announced that it is offsetting its carbon emissions with Carbonfund.org, a leading nonprofit carbon offset organization. By joining Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree Partner program, The Craftsman B&B has joined a national movement of businesses and organizations that are leading the fight against global warming. Carbonfund.org’s CarbonFree Partner program supports renewable energy, energy efficiency, and reforestation projects in the United States and abroad to reduce CO2 pollution and help hasten the transition to a clean energy future. At The Craftsman B&B, the owners are committed to greener business practices and encourage guests to experience its green ideas....

BURBANK, CALIF.—The Walt Disney Company announced a landmark set of strategic environmental goals and challenging three to five year targets to reduce emissions, waste, electricity and fuel use, and its impact on water and ecosystems. The goals are part of Disney’s 2008 Corporate Responsibility Report, which details the company’s approach to critical corporate responsibility issues ranging from charitable giving to nutrition and from online safety for kids to workplace diversity. “Disney’s enhanced corporate responsibility efforts make our brands and products more attractive, strengthen our bonds with consumers, make the company a more desirable place to work and build goodwill in...

NATIONAL REPORT—Historically, owners of lodging establishments throughout the United States and Canada have ignored the sun as a source of potential energy to heat water. Whether because of concerns about cost or misperceptions about how solar thermal technology works, solar hot water heating systems are rare. That is all beginning to change, however, thanks to improving technologies, tax incentives and rebates, creative financing, better education about solar thermal heating, an increase in the number of developers interested in building to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, and an increase in the number of qualified vendors that sell...