PALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN—Iberostar Group, a leader in responsible tourism, unveiled its new roadmap showcasing its commitment to circular economy principles at the 28th edition of the United Nations Conference (COP28) in Dubai, at the UNWTO event: Tourism United for Climate Action—Delivering on the Commitments of the Glasgow Declaration. Its latest report serves as a bold statement of intent, signaling a commitment to drive value and continuous improvement at its destinations. It also outlines Iberostar’s progress on decarbonization, waste management, and reduction of single-use plastics, including learnings from its first approaches. Innovation and collaboration stand as paramount pillars in shaping the value chain, with the report emphasizing their pivotal roles. The collaborative...

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIF.—Yosemite Hospitality, a subsidiary of Aramark and the authorized concessioner of Yosemite National Park, announced significant wins in its effort to remove single-use plastic bottles from its retail and dining establishments. All beverages packaged in single-use plastic bottles have been replaced with alternatives that use glass or aluminum packaging—materials that are far more recyclable and otherwise environmentally preferable than their plastic counterparts. “Starting 2023 without single-use plastic bottles was a huge step forward in our sustainability efforts and delivers on our commitment to be great stewards of this incredible park,” said Weston Spiegl, Vice President of Operations,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A new report highlights the urgent need for reusable beverage packaging as a solution to the global plastic crisis. The report, produced by ocean advocacy group Oceana, shows that just a 10-percentage point increase in reusable beverage packaging by 2030 could eliminate over 1 trillion single-use plastic bottles and cups and prevent up to 153 billion of these containers from entering our world’s oceans and waterways. Stacked on top of each other, the avoided 1 trillion bottles and cups could reach to the moon and back over 300 times. Global beverage leaders, including The Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo, have enormous existing reusable...

MIAMI—Club Med, the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept, announced a variety of new developments including three forthcoming international resorts—the brand’s first resort in South Africa and the first Exclusive Collection (5-Star) resort in South America. These new openings will reinforce Club Med’s shift to exclusively offer 4 and 5-star products and the brand’s ambition to expand its portfolio with three to five openings or renovations per year. Additionally, the brand continues to build on its Happy to Care corporate social responsibility program with a new environmental certification at Club Med Tignes and additional developments in North America. New Beach & Safari Resort: Club Med...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Scandic has reached a sustainability milestone by recertifying all of its previously ecolabeled hotels according to the Nordic Swan Ecolabel’s new, tougher environmental requirements. More than 88 percent of Scandic’s hotels are ecolabeled and the company is continuing its efforts to ensure that all hotels are certified by the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. The Nordic Swan Ecolabel is the official environmental certification in the Nordic countries. It updates its requirements approximately every four years, and the most recent update in 2023 included higher environmental goals. To continue to be certified, Scandic’s ecolabeled hotels have now undergone a rigorous recertification process...

PLYMOUTH, MINN.—A new study reveals that coffee capsules made with Ingeo PLA biopolymer from NatureWorks outperform aluminum, conventional plastics, and other compostable capsules when it comes to sustainability performance. The independent study conducted by Netherlands-based Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, a part of Wageningen University & Research (WUR), assessed the environmental impact and circularity of single-use coffee capsules made from compostable biobased materials, aluminum, and conventional plastics through multiple end-of-life scenarios including industrial composting, recycling, incineration, and landfill. The study also accounted for the fate of the spent coffee grounds within these capsules, finding that compostable capsules keep both the coffee grounds and capsule materials...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News has added ReadyCare Industries to its Green Product & Service Directory in the “Amenities/Dispensers/Toiletries” category. ReadyCare is a leading provider of personal care amenities, supplies & private label solutions to world-class hotels, spas, health clubs & golf clubs. For over 30 years, Denver-based ReadyCare has helped thousands of properties deliver great experiences by ensuring their personal care offering aligns with their brand & their customers. ReadyCare offers many green solutions, from refillable dispensers that reduce traditional in-room bottle waste, along with biodegradable in-room amenities created with new environmentally friendly polymers, to renewable bamboo combs and...

UMLUJ, SAUDI ARABIA—Enveloped by the majestic Arabian desert, The Red Sea Destination blends visionary tourism with sustainability and heritage. This is where Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea has found its home, inviting guests on an out-of-the-ordinary journey of discovery and enrichment. Inspired by the pillars of innovation, adventure, and heritage, the resort embodies the brand’s trademark wellness formula and respect for centuries past. Fredrik Blomqvist, General Manager of Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea said: “Everything we’re doing here reflects our unwavering commitment to sustainability and cultural preservation, while also pushing the boundaries of adventure and wellness. This...

With its LEED Green Building Program, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has certainly changed the way developers and architects approach hotel design and operations. Walking its talk, USGBC has made its new headquarters in Washington, D.C. a standing example of what to strive for. In fact, USGBC just announced that its headquarters has been awarded a prestigious triple Platinum certification in LEED, TRUE, and WELL. This trio of certifications reflects USGBC’s commitment to healthy, productive, sustainable, and responsible work environments. The headquarters, which also houses Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI), reflects the changing office landscape, with a clear emphasis on decarbonization, indoor environmental...

NEW YORK—The Good Cup was recently listed in this year’s TIME Best Inventions in its product design category. According to the publication the cup is one of the “impactful” new products that was selected through the magazine’s editors and correspondents around the world with special attention to growing fields like sustainability, green technology, AI, and many others. “We are honored to be on this very notable and distinguished list of inventions that are changing and shaping our world. Our company, Choose Planet A, strives to bring sustainability to the industry of single-use products. This segment continues to grow, and The...