ATLANTA—Georgia-Pacific has been recognized with an Innovation in Sustainability award for Juno Technology. The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) announced its Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 Sustainability Award winners, recognizing exemplary sustainability programs and initiatives in the paper and wood products manufacturing industry. “This is the first year we are presenting awards in alignment with our new Better Practices, Better Planet 2030 sustainability goals and statement of principles on diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock. “It is exciting to see examples of these goals in action.” Juno Technology is Georgia-Pacific’s breakthrough solution to waste...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) today announced Responsible Stay, an industry-wide commitment to make meetings, events and guest experiences in America’s hotels more environmentally and socially responsible. Responsible Stay is focused on prioritizing hotels’ environmental sustainability efforts in four key areas: Energy efficiency: optimizing energy efficiency through operational improvements and adoption of clean energy technologies Waste reduction: investing in waste reduction programs and new, innovative alternatives to reduce, reuse and recycle waste across properties Water conservation: ensuring the reduction of water usage by implementing water-efficient practices in core areas like laundry, food and beverage, and landscaping Responsible sourcing...

New data unveiled by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) show the Travel & Tourism sector is not contributing what it was once thought to be contributing to the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions total. Previous estimates have suggested that the global Travel & Tourism sector was responsible for up to 11 percent of all emissions. However, WTTC’s Environmental & Social Research (ESR) shows that in 2019 the sector’s greenhouse gas emissions totaled just 8.1 percent globally. That 8.1 percent is a big “just” but good news nevertheless—but certainly not reason to slow efforts to improve efficiency. According to WTTC,...

LOS ANGELES—EV Mobility, LLC., the leading all-electric vehicle car-sharing platform and Hotel 1000 Seattle, announced that they have signed an agreement to deploy electric vehicles (EVs) for hotel guests. Hotel 1000 is a gateway to an immersive Seattle experience and is ideally located next to major downtown attractions, including the iconic Pike Place Market, Space Needle, and the newly enhanced waterfront. Smart, modern design in the 120 large guestrooms and suites are enhanced with luxury amenities, which will now include two Model 3 Teslas on-demand at the property. “Having electric vehicles as a hotel amenity, through EV Mobility, adds value to...

NORWALK, CONN.—Booking Holdings, a leading provider of online travel and related services, announced the expansion of its Travel Sustainable program to relevant brands across the Booking Holdings family. The news marks the company’s delivery on its commitment to launch its first-of-its-kind program for accommodations enterprise-wide by the end of 2023. Travel Sustainable provides credible information on impactful sustainability efforts taken by properties worldwide and gives travelers a transparent, consistent and easy-to-understand way to identify a wider range of more sustainable stays, no matter where they want to travel. The aim of the program is to give visibility to accommodations that...

RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has unveiled groundbreaking new data detailing the climate footprint of the global Travel & Tourism sector. The findings were launched at the global tourism body’s 22nd Global Summit in Riyadh by the World Travel & Tourism Council and the Saudi-based Sustainable Global Tourism Center. In a world-first, this comprehensive research covers 185 countries across all regions and will be updated each year with the latest figures. During her opening speech Julia Simpson, President & CEO of WTTC announced the findings of the Environmental & Social Research (ESR). In one of the largest research...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA.—Eco-minded boba tea enthusiasts nationwide are now able to enjoy their favorite beverage without using a straw that harms the environment. WinCup, Inc., the manufacturer of phade, the world’s first marine biodegradable, home and industrial compostable Caribbean blue drinking straw, has released a new bubble tea-sized straw for boba, smoothie and milkshake drinkers. The boba straw’s wider size is more suitable for thicker liquids while incorporating phade’s superior sustainable technology. Made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a meaningful new biopolymer derived from the fermentation of canola oil, phade straws maintain the feel and user experience of traditional plastic straws but will safely...

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—Soul Community Planet (SCP) announced a new partnership with the Boardriders Foundation and SeaTrees as part of its Every Stay Does Good program. Through Every Stay Does Good, SCP’s guests help to make the world a better place through special programs that advance the values of wellness, social good and sustainability. With the announcement, SCP will plant one SeaTree—or kelp—each time a guest stays at the SCP Seven4One Hotel or the Laguna Riviera Hotel. The program will help restore the marine ecosystem along the Southern California Coast and foster positive climate change. “We are honored to partner with Boardriders Foundation...

LONDON—Leading digital travel platform Booking.com announced an array of new product features in celebration of the one-year anniversary of its Travel Sustainable program, introduced in 2021 to provide travelers with transparent and credible information to make more mindful choices for their trips. With the ongoing aim to recognize the efforts of a wide range of property types to operate more sustainably and to provide travelers with consistent and easy-to-understand information, the company is introducing three distinct badge levels to the Travel Sustainable program. The new levels have been designed to clearly demonstrate a broader spectrum of where different accommodations are...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added a REV Energy Ventures case study to its website. The case study details how REV Energy Ventures worked with Host Hotels & Resorts to develop and implement a corporate renewable energy strategy to increase onsite solar PV across Host’s U.S. portfolio. Since 2011, REV performed high level portfolio analysis to identify solar opportunities and in-depth feasibility assessments on over 100 hotel properties. The assessments enabled Host to invest approximately $17M in solar projects in Hawaii, Arizona and Washington, D.C. where REV provided turnkey services managing the whole project development lifecycle. REV continues to identify renewable...