According to a press release from Green Century, Choice Hotels International, one of the world’s leading lodging franchisors, has agreed to take the first step in addressing plastic pollution by conducting a program to measure single-use plastic and develop strategies for single-use plastic reduction after engagement by Green Century. For those of you not familiar with Green Century, it provides “mutual funds for individuals and institutions to keep their money out of the most irresponsible industries while using Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria in investment analysis and portfolio construction.” Choice Hotels, which has a diverse portfolio of 22 brands including...

Most of you have probably never heard of Wyboston Lakes Resort. The resort is in the East of England and sits on 380 acres. The resort describes itself as “Northern Europe’s largest independently owned business and leisure destination.” It has an ambitious sustainability program. Wyboston Lakes Resort just announced that it has implemented phase one of its Green Energy Roadmap and embarked on phase two of its path towards self-sufficiency in green energy. A total of 356KWh of solar panels and a 200KWh storage battery installed at The Willows Training Centre are already helping to make the Centre more self-sufficient in...

OJAI, CALIF.—Ojai Valley Inn announced that it is in the inaugural class of resorts to achieve the Responsible Hospitality VERIFIED designation, an industry-leading sustainability standard for luxury hospitality. Responsible Hospitality is recognized by Forbes Travel Guide, the global authority on hospitality excellence, as the official sustainability verification for its community of Star-Rated hotels in more than 80 countries. The comprehensive assessment verifies hotels on best practices to protect the environment and support the well-being of employees, guests, and the community—creating a global standard for the world’s finest hotels and a trusted third-party verification for guests. Designed in partnership with highly respected hotelier Hervé...

RUEIL-MALMAISON, FRANCE—Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced its 2023 sustainability impact performance as part of its full-year financial results. The Schneider Sustainability Impact score for the year exceeded expectations, reaching 6.13 out of 10, and surpassing the year-end target of 6 out of 10. Schneider Electric was also recognized as a top performer by independent environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings throughout the year. Schneider Electric’s strong performance spans what was the hottest year on record—serving to highlight the importance of collective action to decarbonize business operations and value chains to avoid the...

MONTEBELLO, CALIF.—ALLIED Feather + Down (AF+D), global leaders in high performance, ethically sourced, and recycled down, is proud to officially ramp up their one-of-a-kind RENU:TRACE recycled down program with the help of NEMO’s Endless Promise circular product collection. NEMO will be the first brand to utilize ALLIED’s industry leading recycling program to fuel the world’s first fully traceable recycled down insulation. All ALLIED down is 100 percent ethically sourced and traceable back to the region where it was produced and is therefore the ideal down material for their RENU:TRACE program. When NEMO’s Endless Promise down sleeping bags reach the end...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added Multiplast Systems Inc. to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Bio-enhanced Degradable Additives category. MultiPlast Systems Inc. produces and sells Bio-Enhanced Degradable Additive (BEDA®) to plastic manufacturers and distributors worldwide. The look, feel, performance and integrity are not changed when BEDA® is added. BEDA®’s benefits truly begin when product is dumped into a landfill. Since 75.8 percent of plastic ends up in a landfill, this becomes a highly valued and legitimate solution to increase the degradation process in landfills versus products that have no additive. BEDA provides a natural solution to combat this worldwide...

BEAVERTON, ORE.—Two Marriott hotels in Costa Rica, the Costa Rica Marriott Hacienda Belen and Los Suenos Marriott Resort—launched the Leanpath food waste prevention platform last year and have already reduced the value of their food waste by 25 percent. This significant pace of food waste reduction results puts the hotels in line to easily meet Marriott International’s Serve 360 corporate-wide sustainability goal of cutting food waste in half by 2025. “Both hotels are highly focused on sustainability,” said Food and Beverage Cost Supervisor for the two hotels, Jose Venegas. “Preventing food waste reduces our impact on the planet and also makes us more efficient...

XCARET, RIVIERA MAYA—Xcaret announced that Hotel Xcaret Arte, an exclusive award-winning all-inclusive luxury hotel located along the shores of the Mexican Caribbean, has been recognized as a winner in the 2023 Sustainable Luxury Awards. The hotel, which pays homage to Mexican art, invites guests to live art from its creation and immerse themselves in sensorial experiences in sophisticated spaces while promoting a sustainable lifestyle through the innovative All-Fun Inclusive concept. The full list of awards can be found on Sustainable Luxury Awards | Winners. “We are grateful and honored for receiving this prestigious award that recognizes, celebrates, and promotes the most sustainable luxury places...

NEW YORK—The Good Plastic Company, the leading international manufacturer of sustainable surface materials, announced its expansion into North America. Founded by Dr. William Chizhovsky in 2018 to address the scourge of plastic waste, the company is committed to helping brands make a tangible commitment to sustainability and the circular economy. Utilizing its flagship product Polygood, a range of 100 percent recycled, and recyclable plastic panels made from post-consumer and post-industrial waste, the brand has successfully completed over 750 international projects showcasing solutions for furniture, surfacing, and design elements. Its growing roster of more than 400 clients includes Nike, Adidas, IKEA,...

TALLAHASSEE, FLA.—With its Florida Green Lodging Program, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has one of the largest state-level hotel green designation programs in the United States. As of January 10, the Program had 319 designated Florida Green Lodging properties. The program is certainly one of the oldest as well, having launched in 2004. In its assessment of lodging establishments, the points-based Florida Green Lodging Program looks at the following five categories: 1. Communication and education (customers, employees, public). 2. Waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. 3. Water conservation. 4. Energy efficiency. 5. Indoor air quality. Properties can earn one of four designations: One Palm, Two Palm,...