Next Sunday, hundreds of millions of people will gather in homes, restaurants and bars to watch the Super Bowl. As a Cleveland Browns fan (egads, it hurts to say that these days), I have little interest in the outcome, although I do admit it would be nice for Peyton Manning to finally win it all. I say that at the risk of forever alienating any Chicago Bears fan who happens to be reading this column. Here is one thing you probably did not know about the big game: The National Football League (NFL) will be planting trees and buying...

ARUBA—American Express has reiterated its unvarying support of the Caribbean hospitality industry through an ongoing calendar of programs and initiatives during 2007. “A strategic partnership is, by definition, mutually beneficial,” says Dianelys Rodríguez, vice president of destination business development, American Express Travel Related Services, at a press conference of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA) during Caribbean Marketplace 2007. “We’re here to underscore that notion with action.” Caribbean Marketplace, presented by CHA with support from American Express, is the single most important tourism marketing event of the Caribbean hotel and tourism industry. It marks the start of the...

ARLINGTON, VA.—Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings Inc. and a supplier of renewable electricity, announced that it has been awarded a contract to supply wind power to the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel in Washington, D.C. The six-month contract calls for Pepco Energy Services to supply the 332-room Willard InterContinental with nearly 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity generated from renewable resources per year. Facilitated by The Loyalton Group, an energy risk management firm in Washington, D.C., the contract stipulates that 10 percent of the energy will come from wind farms. “We at the Willard InterContinental...

LONDON—The tourism industry could do more to help protect the marine and coastal ecosystems on which it relies, according to the January edition of greenhotelier. Exploring the value of natural assets such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, whales, dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, reef fish and other marine organisms, the magazine examines how tourism contributes to the degradation of marine and coastal environments and how its members can help redress the balance. The article, “Protecting Our Coastal and Marine Environments” looks at the vulnerability of our coastal and marine ecosystems to threats such as climate change and tourism-related development....

MILL VALLEY, CALIF.—Opening in June 2007 in Napa Valley, Solage Calistoga will prove that pampering guests and sustainability can go hand in hand. The first property from Auberge Resorts’ fresh new luxury brand will reflect a philosophy of eco-consciousness that focuses not only on environmental stewardship, but also personal health and wellbeing. “Solage Calistoga will give us an exciting opportunity to put our environmental beliefs into action,” says Mark Harmon, CEO and managing partner, Auberge Resorts. “We think it’s possible for a resort to operate sustainably without sacrificing style or luxury. We’re confident that our guests and staff...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Milliken Hospitality as a Green Product Directory partner. Since 1990, Milliken has reduced its environmental footprint by more than 85 percent while setting new benchmarks in green manufacturing. All of the company’s manufacturing plants have recorded zero waste to landfill since 1999. Milliken Hospitality’s numerous product lines reflect the company’s environmental concern. All Milliken Hospitality modular carpet collections are PVC-free, chlorine free, 100 percent renewable, 100 percent recyclable, meet stringent green certifications and reduce packing waste. Bio-based TractionBack adhesive-free installation improves indoor air quality by...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Mirage’s $7 billion City Center project, an 18-million-square-foot development that will encompass 76 acres of the Las Vegas Strip between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts, is moving closer to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification one big bucket of dirt at a time. Construction has been underway for nine months now and foundations have been poured for each of the project’s seven towers. Set to open in late 2009, the mixed-use project will include the following: a soaring 60-story, 4,000-room hotel tower, casino and convention center; a five-star, 400-room Mandarin Oriental; 400-room Harmon...

CARTERSVILLE, GA.—Shaw Contract Group recently introduced EcoWorx Performance Broadloom, the commercial carpet industry’s first fully sustainable, cradle to cradle carpet backing for broadloom carpet products. With broadloom carpet comprising approximately 70 percent of the entire commercial floor covering market, the introduction of EcoWorx Performance Broadloom will play a significant role in reducing the amount of carpet sent to landfills after its useful life, and marks another significant step in Shaw Industries’ ongoing, comprehensive commitment to providing cradle to cradle product and process solutions for its customers. Built on the success of EcoWorx—the carpet industry’s first fully sustainable,...

WINTER PARK, COLO.—Winter Park Resort is stepping up its efforts to ensure good stewardship of natural resources through its new environmental initiative, Connexion. The Connexion program’s goal is to inform, involve and educate resort employees, guests and the community about the environment. Connexion includes energy reduction efforts with the purchase of sustainable wind energy credits, the utilization of single-use items made from renewable resources in the resort’s on-mountain restaurants, and an expanded recycling program. The new Eagle Wind chairlift is the latest beneficiary of wind energy, continuing Winter Park’s commitment to power all future lifts with renewable energy....

MADISON, WISC.—Upon entering the Arbor House—an Environmental Inn, you may want to watch where you step. The door mat is made from recycled truck tires. That is just one of the many ways the eight-room inn lives up to its name. Many of the items found in this historic Madison property were added or kept with the environment in mind. “Arbor House’s mission is to provide the art of hospitality within a model for urban ecology,” the inn’s website says. “Our goal is the wise use of resources and providing guests with an unparalleled combination of natural design, features, fabrics,...