ROHNERT PARK, CALIF.—World Centric announced Leaf+, the first all-natural, 100 percent plant-based, fully compostable, innovative alternative solution to fluorinated chemicals such as polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in disposable fiber tableware. Combining cutting-edge technology with an all-natural, proprietary application, the World Centric Leaf+ solution is PFAS free, oil-resistant, food-grade, and suitable for hot and cold use, an industry first. “World Centric has been committed to removing PFAS from our products. Creating a solution that doesn’t compromise the performance and excellence of compostable fiber products has been a challenge for the industry,” explains Mark Stephany, World Centric Senior Vice President of Sales. “We’re...

NATIONAL REPORT—Sustainability in hospitality is good for business. In Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report, 73 percent of global travelers indicated their intentions to stay at least once in a green accommodation within the coming year. Booking.com’s report also revealed that over half (55 percent) of travelers are more set on making sustainable travel choices this year and adopt sustainable travel habits, indicating the increasing call for the bed and breakfast owners to get on board. In response, the company has rolled out its sustainability program and reaffirmed its commitment to help properties make sustainable changes. For the bed and breakfast properties listed and...

GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN—In 2017, Scandic and Vasakronan signed an agreement to operate a hotel at the Platinan property in central Gothenburg. Scandic Göteborg Central will open during the second quarter of 2022 just a couple hundred meters from Gothenburg’s central station in the middle of the rapidly-growing Älvstaden area, the largest urban development project in the Nordic region. With its 451 rooms, the hotel will play the largest role in one of Gothenburg’s most spectacular real estate projects. The property will be environmentally certified according to the international LEED system and aims to attain the highest rating, Platinum. This is an important...

CLEARWATER, FLA.—Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club, Clearwater’s first eco-friendly hotel inspired by the resilient star of the Dolphin Tale movies, Winter the Dolphin, announced the addition of all-new family-friendly amenities and on-site educational opportunities through the hotel’s unique partnership with Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA)—Winter’s home sweet home. Furthering CMA’s mission of marine rescue, rehabilitation, and release, Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club now proudly offers permanent, on-site educational opportunities through a designated interactive Education Room, featuring a Lego table, Dolphin Tale memorabilia, marine-themed books, and reading area, as well as interactive tablet stations with CMA educational content, Kids’ Activity Guides available at the front desk, and a mock sea turtle nest....

BANGKOK—As part of an ambitious Plastic Free 2022 strategy to remove and avoid all virgin plastic materials from its hotel and spa operations, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is the first hospitality brand to collaborate with the United States Coalition on Sustainability and SustainChain. This follows a partnership with the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative signed in 2020 to work with suppliers to seek safer alternatives and address the root causes of plastic pollution. SustainChain is a change engine to drive unprecedented action and progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Championing the value of collaboration, SustainChain connects the global...

Microfiber pollution awareness is spreading into the mainstream. More than half of consumers (56 percent) already know that washing clothes harms the environment, according to a survey released by PlanetCare as part of World Oceans Day (June 8). Microfibers are tiny plastic particles that synthetic clothes shed during washing. Up to 1,500,000 microfibers are released per wash. Without anything to stop them, microfibers enter wastewater, causing damage to the ecosystems. The growing awareness is also important because we are learning more about the health risks of microfiber ingestion for humans. Polyester and nylon microfibers, for instance, could stunt the ability of the...

UCLUELET, B.C.—At Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, every day is Earth Day. The popular Ucluelet resort is once again raising the sustainability game with its Refillable and Zero Waste programs reducing its ecological footprint and taking a load off the landfill while reducing plastic waste. Spearheaded by Black Rock General Manager Adele Larkin, the initiative is aimed at sourcing 100 percent natural, biodegradable, refillable products for its cleaning needs and guest amenities in 2021. As one of the first resorts in Canada to adopt such a model, Black Rock turned to its own backyard for solutions. Thanks to a partnership with two forward-thinking...

The new Virgin Las Vegas Resort Hotel that opened in March 2021 has a surprising policy in their FAQs. That policy states: Outside food and beverage is not permitted in our guest rooms. Our resort offers an array of restaurant offerings, including pre-stocked in-room minibars and 24-hour room service for your convenience. Hotel properties have long had a complicated relationship with outside food and beverage brought into their properties. With safety and security issues mounting, many properties have become increasingly uncomfortable having outside food delivery people in their hotels. Another big concern, as pointed out by the Las Vegas Virgin, is that...

NATIONAL REPORT—For many businesses, creating an environmentally friendly supply chain is on the “would be nice” list. And others do not take all the necessary steps. Some businesses just think using eco-friendly packaging supplies is enough, but there’s so much more supply chains can do. The goals have long seemed too abstract, too far off and too difficult to achieve. Recent statistics reported in an article from Franchise Help say that consumers are increasingly taking notice of the environmental records of the businesses they buy from: 55 percent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods. ...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA.—The phade brand of PHA-based straws manufactured by New WinCup Holdings, Inc. has received the Innovation in FoodService Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief. The phade straw is the first mass produced marine biodegradable and home and industrial compostable drinking straw made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a substrate derived from the fermentation of canola oil. While maintaining the feel and user experience of a traditional plastic straw, the phade straw was recognized for its extraordinary ability to quickly biodegrade in marine and backyard and industrial compost environments. The inaugural FoodService Innovation Awards recognize innovative...