Food waste reduction and donation were top of mind this past week for several reasons. First, MGM Resorts International announced that it has donated five million meals into the community since 2016, marking the achievement of a 2025 social impact and sustainability goal well ahead of schedule. In 2023 alone, the company donated more than 1.2 million meals to feed food insecure people in local communities. The five million meals were donated through the MGM Resorts Feeding Forward program. Many were the result of grants to organizations that focus on hunger relief and funded meals donated to local nonprofit organizations. Other...

NATIONAL REPORT—Green Lodging News recently interviewed Hans P. Vriens, Managing Director and President North America, ADA Cosmetics, to understand the pressures leading to the phasing out of single-use amenity bottles. I understand that California and New York are eliminating single-use mini toiletries from hotels. Help me understand the legislation in each state. Any new shampoo, conditioner, etc. purchased must now be offered as part of an on-the-wall dispenser system? Or can a hotel use large-format bottles not on the wall elsewhere in the bathroom? Does the legislation offer a time window to transition? Or, has that time window now passed?...

ITHACA, N.Y.—Join leading experts from the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration and beyond on May 29 as they unveil the latest results from the 10th annual Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking Index, which tracks energy, water, and carbon emissions of more than 27,000 hotels from over 40 companies. The results explore differences in performance across and within hotel segments and markets as well as the industrywide pathways of decarbonization. While these KPIs have solidified over the past decade, other sustainability indicators are arising and gaining importance. The breadth of climate change and biodiversity impacts continue to be better understood, mapped, and...

DENKENDORF, GERMANY—Following the successful debut of OBJECT CARPET’s first DUO carpet as the red carpet at the Berlinale in February, the journey of this circular sensation continues. By 2026, the entire range of over 1,000 products will be gradually converted to the recyclable DUO technology. This means full design flexibility using only two basic materials: polyamide and polyester. Traditional carpets consist of over 30 different materials on average, which means they pose an ecological challenge after their use—it is not possible to efficiently separate and fully recycle them back into their original components. However, it is essential to recycle these...

Our guest news blogger this week is Jon Strassner. He is the founder of Jon Strassner Consulting LLC. I recently had the good fortune to present at HD Expo in Las Vegas. Along with my good friend and podcast partner, Verda Alexander, we wanted to dive into the idea of reusing furniture in hospitality. Verda and I produce a podcast together called Break Some Dishes, just now embarking on its fifth season. We find people out there doing extraordinary work, quietly, to impact the effects of climate change. The hospitality design industry has notoriously dragged its collective feet when it...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton, a leading hospitality company, and the Hilton Global Foundation, Hilton’s philanthropic arm, announced the latest progress towards their shared goal of creating a better world for travel with the release of the 2023 Hilton Global Foundation Impact Report and the 2023 Hilton Travel with Purpose Report. Hilton’s Travel with Purpose Report outlines the hospitality leader’s progress towards its Travel with Purpose environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategy to drive responsible travel globally. Travel with Purpose outlines Hilton’s 2030 energy, water, and waste reduction targets as well as community engagement and governance goals. Through carbon reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative and...

RACINE, WIS.—Hotel Verdant, the newest hotel built in downtown Racine, Wisconsin in decades, has officially earned a LEED Gold Certification for its outstanding sustainable design and operations, including the use of geothermal, solar and wind technologies. The Gold level of the certification solidifies Hotel Verdant as the most sustainable hotel in the state of Wisconsin. The 80-room boutique property, which is managed by the renowned hospitality group Charlestowne Hotels, is a revitalized adaptive reuse project that prioritizes mindful amenities and a positive environmental impact. Formerly the iconic Zahn’s Department Store, the property boasts two on-site food and beverage outlets, Marguerite,...

GÖTEBERG, SWEDEN—PulPac and Matrix Pack Group announced their strategic partnership aimed at delivering a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional single-use plastic and wooden cutlery. This innovative collaboration involves PulPac, Matrix Pack, and PA Consulting. PulPac and PA Consulting will lead the development of the cutlery, with MatrixPack acting as a co-developer in the industrialization of the post-processing solution. MatrixPack will be the first producer to introduce Dry Molded Fiber Cutlery to the market, with a fully industrialized cutlery set expected to be available by early 2025. “Our goal within this partnership is to develop a consumer-friendly solution that not only meets...

WASHINGTON, IOWA—Aspire Pavers, the innovative and sustainable material solutions brand, announces the launch of its latest products—the Bullnose with Legs, Bullnose Corner, Transition with Legs, and Transition Corner. The innovative products promise to revolutionize the installation process for roofers, landscapers, and DIY enthusiasts. Excellent for rooftop decks, balconies, resurfacing patios, and more, the pavers are made with up to 95 percent recycled rubber and plastics removed from the waste stream, offering a blend of efficiency and aesthetic appeal. The Aspire Bullnose Paver with Legs is designed to integrate with Aspire’s existing line of Resurfacing Pavers, thereby making them more secure....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Under its “Care About Earth” program, Groupe GM, the global leader in sustainable hotel amenities, is enforcing its commitment to environmental stewardship. The company, renowned for its eco-responsible approach, has an ambitious goal of eliminating virgin plastic derived from fossil fuels in favor of more sustainable materials such as recycled or plant-based materials. Groupe GM has introduced several product novelties recently. In a groundbreaking move they have just launched the first cardboard tube for the hospitality sector. This eco-innovative packaging can be customized to meet the specific desires of hoteliers and helps to reduce plastic usage by 99 percent...