LOS ANGELES—Jim Burba, chair of this year’s Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), started the event this week by announcing that the travel of every one of the approximately 3,000 attendees would be offset by a donation to the Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program. That announcement set the tone for this year’s ALIS here at the Hyatt Regency Century City. Throughout the three-day event, green hotel development and operations most definitely were hot topics. At the Hotel Leaders Outlook session, some of lodging’s leading executives were asked to give their take on the sustainability movement and whether or not it is...

DENVER—As part of its ongoing efforts to set the pace in the travel and tourism industry, Xanterra Parks & Resorts has published the third edition of its Environmental Sustainability Report. The report is used to measure the progress of the company’s environmental program—called “Ecologix”—and track the company’s environmental impacts as well as steps toward meeting long-term environmental goals. “We have learned that tracking our performance helps us to better assess where to focus our efforts in the areas of resources and staffing, regulatory compliance and sustainability initiatives,”...

ARCOLA, ILL.—Agri-Fab Holding Company (AFHC) and Bob McElwee announced that they are developing about 100 acres into a green village near Arcola, Ill. This resort, called Green Mill Village (GMV), is set to open in the fall of 2009 and will include a lodge/conference center, spa, restaurants, retail center and education center—all operated on wind power and solar power. “It will be an unprecedented midwestern sustainable project, from both an environmental and an economic standpoint,” McElwee says. The resort lodge, to be called the Green Mill Hotel, will have 200 rooms and guestrooms will feature furniture made locally. McElwee says there...

MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson Hotels Worldwide announced the appointment of Carmen Baker to the newly created role of vice president of Responsible Business. Baker, who served most recently as vice president of diversity for Carlson, will lead the company’s initiatives in the areas of corporate social responsibility including environment sustainability, charitable giving and community relations. The appointment was announced by Jay Witzel, president and CEO of Carlson Hotels Worldwide. “As we strive to build respected brands and admired reputation with all of our stakeholders, this appointment reflects the importance of Responsible Business initiatives in achieving this goal,” Witzel said. “Such areas as environmental...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes NativeEnergy as a sponsor. The Charlotte, Vermont-based company is a provider of traditional renewable energy credits and offsets. These allow its customers to help build market demand for clean energy and other carbon mitigation projects. Some of the projects NativeEnergy is currently supporting include: the Wray School District wind turbine, Brubaker Farms anaerobic digester project, Hillcrest Saylor family dairy farm methane project, and farmer-owned distributed wind. For more information, call (802) 735-0796, e-mail travel@nativeenergy.com, or go to www.nativeenergy.com.

BENTON HARBOR, MICH.—Whirlpool Corp. announced it will increase the company’s commitment to environmentally sound business practices by reducing total greenhouse gas emissions 6.6 percent by 2012. The company will make these global, voluntary reductions while at the same time increasing production by 17 percent. The positive output of this reduction is equivalent to approximately 4.47 million acres of trees, an area larger than the size of Connecticut and Rhode Island combined. Whirlpool Corp. is an industry leader in energy and water efficiency, and the only appliance manufacturer that brings an “across the board” focus to energy and water conservation,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The International Ecotourism Society (TIES), the world’s largest and oldest ecotourism association dedicated to socially, ecologically and economically responsible travel, is partnering with FUNDEMAS to help further establish and strengthen ecotourism and sustainable tourism in El Salvador. FUNDEMAS, the Business Foundation for Social Action, is a foundation that promotes sustainable development through socially responsible business practices, entrepreneurial values and philanthropic initiatives. A strong advocate for sustainable tourism development, FUNDEMAS has been a member and collaborating partner of TIES since August 2006. As an upcoming international and regional tourism destination, El Salvador holds unique cultural and...

MILFORD, MASS.—Travel-related greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) are a recognized contributor to global warming and are expected to grow by 75 percent over the next 10 years unless positive action steps are taken. To help combat this trend, Atlas Travel International just launched their ecoAtlas program to help neutralize this impact. Under the new program, Atlas has partnered with NativeEnergy Travel Offsets to provide Atlas customers with a valuable, cost-effective option to offset travel-generated carbon emissions. “We see this as a way to help clients travel responsibly while also contributing to the overall health of the planet,” says Elaine Osgood, president...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced Archbishop Desmond Tutu as the opening keynote speaker for USGBC’s annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo. Greenbuild will be held November 17-19, 2008, in Boston. Bishop Tutu, a Nobel Peace Laureate, lead a crusade for social justice and racial conciliation in South Africa as then-General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. Today, he is revered worldwide as a “moral voice” seeking to end poverty and human rights abuses. “Bishop Tutu’s life, work, and message demonstrate the power of transformational change,” commented Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chairman of USGBC....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Leaders in sustainable tourism from across North America and beyond will meet in Vancouver, British Columbia, October 27-29, 2008 at the Ecotourism and Sustainable Tourism Conference 2008 (ESTC 2008), The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) announced. Hosted by the British Columbia Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts, the BC Sustainable Tourism Collective and the Council of Tourism Associations of British Columbia, the conference will provide opportunities to gain knowledge of the latest trends in ecotourism and sustainable tourism, learn practical skills, and participate in invaluable networking and knowledge sharing. The ESTC 2008 will be held at the Fairmont Hotel...