WINCHESTER, VA.—After months of collecting, bundling and weighing as much discarded plastic film as they could, eco-minded students across the country are reaping the rewards of their recycling efforts as Trex Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of high-performance, low-maintenance composite decking and outdoor living products, announced the winners of its 2022-23 Trex® Plastic Film Recycling Challenge. Twelve schools from across the country were honored during a live ceremony where more than $50,000 in prizes was awarded. Built on eco-friendly values, Trex composite decking is sustainably made from 95 percent recycled materials, including a mix of industrial wood scrap and polyethylene (PE) plastic film upcycled from common...

SOLON, OHIO—Demonstrative of its commitment to sustainability, Tarkett, a leader in innovative and sustainable flooring solutions, has received two GREEN GOOD DESIGN Awards for its Inspired Nature and LinoFloor xf2 & LinoWall xf2 collections. Organized by the Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, GREEN GOOD DESIGN is an international program that recognizes new products, buildings, and construction and planning projects that have forwarded exceptional thinking and inspired greater progress toward a healthier and more sustainable universe. One of Tarkett’s award-winning collections, Inspired Nature, is a carbon-neutral collection of modular carpet...

DUBAI, U.A.E.—Millennium Hotels and Resorts recognizes the travel industry’s significant environmental impact and announced its sustainability vision at the 30th edition of Arabian Travel Market (ATM). Keeping in line with the exhibition’s theme of “Working Towards Net Zero,” the hotel group’s stand is free from paper and single-use plastics as well as features food and beverages from local suppliers. The brand is committed to contributing towards minimizing the impact of travel and will be actively addressing environmental issues related to the use and conservation of energy and water, elimination of single-use plastics, supporting local communities and working towards obtaining ISO14001...

MEMPHIS, TENN.—In the new FedEx 2023 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Report, the company highlights how teams across FedEx are doing their part to further the company’s focus on Our Planet, Our People, and Our Principles. Some highlights from the FedEx 2023 ESG Report include: Decreasing carbon dioxide emissions intensity on a revenue basis by 48.9 percent from Fiscal Year 2009 through Fiscal Year 2022, a period during which average daily package volumes grew by 142 percent. Avoiding 150 million gallons of jet fuel through aircraft modernization efforts, reducing its total FY22 jet fuel consumption by more than 10 percent. Providing...

RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO—The AAA Five Diamond Grand Velas Riviera Maya recently debuted a new bee sanctuary, the Meliponario, to protect the local Maya Melipona Bee. In addition to preserving the species and facilitating their honey production, the resort now offers an experience for guests to learn more about the species with a new eco-tour and honey tasting. For centuries, the Yucatan Peninsula has been home to many native Melipona stingless bees. Considered by the Mayans as sacred, the Melipona bee uniquely harvests the blooms of plants with medicinal properties. Inspired by the pre-Hispanic beekeeping tradition, Grand Velas Riviera Maya rescues...

DENKENDORF, GERMANY—OBJECT CARPET, a company known for cutting-edge research and innovation, has developed a completely new yarn for its very first outdoor carpet. The pile material is 100 percent recycled polyester from industrial and consumer waste. The traditional craft of delicately spinning different yarns transforms the materials in MEDITERRANEO into a contemporary texture. This special treatment and production process gives the carpet collection its unexpected note: Despite its robust and natural appearance that is reminiscent of rattan, the carpet is surprisingly smooth. It becomes distinctly soft with a sensual feel, conveying the lightness of the Mediterranean. The MEDITERRANEO collection includes a variety of 12...

As mentioned previously on Green Lodging News, I attended HD Expo in Las Vegas from May 2-4. Thanks to Covid-19, it had been four years since I last attended this event focused on hospitality design. What was clear immediately to me this time was that the show and conference was as strong as ever and the number of sustainability stories was at a record level. In my article this past week I listed many of the companies in attendance that jumped out at me in one way or another as having something new, unique, or showing evidence of the continuation...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—According to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), wind and solar combined now provide more generating capacity and produce more electricity than coal. The latest issue of EIA’s “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through February 28, 2023) reveals that in the first two months of this year, electrical generation by solar (including small-scale distributed systems) grew by 6.7 percent, compared to the same two-month period in 2022—faster than any other energy source. This was driven in large part by growth...

LAS VEGAS—More than 600 exhibitors displayed their goods and services at last week’s HD Expo at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. More than 80 of those exhibitors identified themselves as sustainable in one way or another. It would be impossible to mention all those companies in this article but below are many examples of what this author considered especially creative and unique. Elkay Manufacturing Co. introduced its ezH2O Liv Pro Filtered Water Dispenser. Unlike other Elkay dispensers, this one features a low-profile design and a more upscale look with its either black or white frame. It fits within 16” OC...

LITTLE ROCK, ARK.—Westrock Coffee Co., a leading integrated coffee, tea, flavors, extracts, and ingredients solutions provider to the retail, foodservice and restaurant, convenience store and travel center, non-commercial, CPG, and hospitality industries, released its 2022 Sustainability Progress Report. The report showcases the company’s commitment to environmentally responsible sourcing, supply chain transparency, and traceable, connected systems that challenge the status quo of the beverage trade. “Westrock Coffee was founded on the belief that fostering honest and equitable relationships in agricultural supply chains could drive the success of our farmer partners, supply chain partners, and our company,” said Matt Smith, Executive Vice...