EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer, Inc. was recognized as a winner of the 2024 Product Innovation Awards (PIA), published by Architectural Products. The award spotlights colorful, art-covered XLERATOR Hand Dryers with Electrostatic HEPA (eHEPA) Filtration that were installed in the Artists For Humanity (AFH) facility in Boston. “This was such a special project for us,” said Joshua Griffing, Excel Dryer Director of Marketing and International Sales. “We were able to transform a normally utilitarian space into a bright, uplifting showcase for teen art. We’re honored Architectural Products found it worthy of this award.” Architectural Products created the Product Innovation Awards to celebrate the outstanding use...

JACKSON, WYO.—Visitors and staff at Grand Teton National Park now have more ways to recycle—and an easy way to reduce litter, thanks to a collaboration between nonprofit Keep America Beautiful, sustainability solutions innovator TerraCycle, and hospitality provider Grand Teton Lodge Company. With a grant from the National Park Foundation, the group is introducing new recycling infrastructure at the park to make waste disposal simpler, smarter, and more accessible. The centerpiece is a newly installed 20-foot recycling station at the busy Colter Bay Campground, which welcomes up to 4,000 overnight guests a night during peak season. This bear-resistant structure features 12 clearly...

SEATTLE—Populus Hotels, a collection of carbon positive hotels that celebrate and protect the natural world, announced that Populus Seattle has secured two thousand tons of certified carbon credits as a part of its evolving, nature-based sustainability strategy. The certified carbon credits serve to offset the property’s embodied carbon footprint, equating to 1,630 mTCO2e*, making Populus Seattle the second carbon positive hotel in the country by its opening on May 22, 2025, in the city’s storied Pioneer Square. For this latest initiative, Populus Seattle worked with King County’s Forest Carbon Program to acquire high integrity, Verra certified forest carbon credits from King County-based projects whose core impacts include supporting land...

NATIONAL REPORT—As conversations around sustainability grow across industries, hoteliers have to ask: Is this something we should be focusing on? If you’re going for a higher star rating, sustainable operations initiatives may be a lot lower on your priority list than daily room cleanings, providing hair dryers and other star requirements. However, sustainability may be more valuable for your hotel than you realize. It can reduce water and energy consumption and staff workloads, potentially saving you money. Sustainable operations initiatives can also be marketing differentiators, helping you showcase the value of your hotel beyond good star ratings. Below, we look at why sustainable tourism...

EAST LONGMEADOW, MASS.—Excel Dryer, Inc., a family-owned and operated manufacturer of touchless, high-efficiency hand dryers, is benefiting from its longstanding commitment to producing high-quality, American-made products, a strategy that has effectively insulated the company from the impact of import tariffs. “Excel’s mission has always been to design and manufacture quality American-made products that are dependable, and people like to use,” said Executive Vice President and COO William Gagnon. “It’s in our DNA.” XLERATOR Hand Dryers are the only ones with Made in USA certification, built with parts from domestic supplier partners and manufactured in Massachusetts. As most of the top hand...

The hospitality industry is experiencing a period of adjustment. Multiple factors are converging to create a storm of uncertainty. However, a ray of hope is shining through in the form of the growing sustainability movement. The number of visitors from 20 major countries to the U.S. decreased by 10.3 percent this past March when compared to the same time last year. In addition, travel from Western Europe saw a noticeable drop of 17.2 percent, according to data by the U.S. International Trade Administration. This comes at a time when many of our neighbors to the North are also pausing on travel...

SELFOSS, ICELAND—Opened for more than a decade, the ION Adventure Hotel is located just about as far north as one can have a hotel—about an hour outside of Reykjavik, Iceland. The ION Adventure Hotel has many sustainable features and offers front row seating for the majestic Northern Lights. Making it easy to see those lights is the property’s Northern Lights Bar with its 180-degree panoramic windows. The ION Adventure Hotel, which sits on a series of pillars that dramatically jut out of the slopes of Mount Hengill, was once the living residences for the nearby geothermal plant. In 2011, owner...

Green Lodging News reported earlier this week that Choice Hotels International, Inc. had released its 2024 Sustainability Report. The report covers the fiscal year of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2024. Choice is one of the largest lodging franchisors in the world, with over 7,500 hotels representing more than 650,000 rooms in 46 countries and territories. Choice’s sustainability strategy and initiatives, many of which align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), demonstrate its commitment to being a responsible steward for people and the planet. “We are committed to propelling the success of others and building a...

DULUTH, MINN.—Loll Designs, the made-in-the-USA outdoor furniture design manufacturer, received the distinctive GOLD certification under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) rating system. Awarded by Green Business Certification Inc., a leading independent sustainability and health certification body, TRUE helps facilities measure, improve, and maximize zero waste performance through sustainable waste management and reduction practices, contributing to positive environmental and global health impacts. Founded on principles of thoughtful design, the responsible use/reuse of recycled materials, and a deep appreciation for the environment, Loll embodies what it means to be a sustainable product, process, and company. Today, Loll is proud to...

MACAU—Melco Resorts & Entertainment has announced the publication of its sustainability report for the year 2024 (see here). The strategy continues to guide the company to go “Above & Beyond”—to strive to achieve its commitments to restoring the environment, inspiring its people and communities, sustaining its supply chain and empowering its business to impact positive change. As Melco’s strategy, pillar goals and targets evolve in response to shifting environments through wide-reaching efforts as highlighted in the report, the company aims to actively engage stakeholders on its journey towards a climate-fit and equitable future. Lawrence Ho, Chairman and CEO of Melco...