INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Climate change, freshwater depletion, unsustainable use of resources, and biodiversity collapse are some of the most pressing challenges faced by humanity today. As the world’s population increases, so does the pressure on the world’s natural resources and on local communities. While hospitality might on the surface be less damaging than other industries where pollution is more visible (manufacturing, transport, agriculture, etc.), the hospitality service sector and its supply chain are directly affecting and being affected by sustainability matters. Energy and water consumption, working conditions, employment, waste, and carbon emission are among the issues which need to be urgently...

When your bedding and towels have reached the end of their life, what do you do with them? Send them to the landfill? Donate them? If they were made with polyester or nylon, they would have shed plastic microfibers into the environment throughout their lifetime and will continue to do so in a landfill. Certainly, the life of all bedding and towels cannot be extended. I have written about Pürlin’s Zero Laundry—Zero Waste Linens before. These linens are recycled after each use. No guest uses the same linen. At HD Expo in May I learned about CiCLO™, a textile additive...

HONG KONG—With an urgency to curb climate change and help the planet, green packaging solutions company, ChoosePlanetA, has launched a new alternative to single-use paper cups—THE GOOD CUP. The unique and patented paper cup comes with an integrated top flap that easily folds and locks into place which does away with the traditional use of plastic lids. Made from a bio-based, 100 percent certified home compostable paper, it is also free from PE (Polyethylene) coating. One of the key advantages is that it is produced using the same machines as those used for traditional paper cups, and because no plastic lids...

MIAMI—Grupo Piñero announces the opening of Cayo Levantado Resort, an exclusive complex located in one of the most enigmatic destinations in the Dominican Republic. The opening of Cayo Levantado Resort marks Grupo Piñero’s venture into the luxury segment of the hotel industry, redefined through a commitment to sustainable innovation and sophistication. Situated just five kilometers from the Samaná Peninsula, Cayo Levantado Resort officially opened its doors in the presence of Isabel García Lorca, President and Founder of Grupo Piñero, and Encarna Piñero, Executive Vice President, and CEO. This unique resort, nestled on a captivating island, features 218 rooms spread across 10...

BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND—Real estate investor and developer Lamington Group is adding to its pioneering eco hometel brand with the opening of room2 Belfast, the fourth outpost, and first property outside England, set to open later this summer. With the opening just months away, the team are giving a first look at the hometel, which is set to become a hub for the community in the heart of the bustling city, moments away from Belfast’s most popular attractions. The new property will consist of 175 rooms across nine floors as well as a vibrant café, beautifully designed tearoom, meeting and event spaces, a gym,...

SANTA BARBARA, CALIF.—The founders of The KOPU Water Co.—Justin and Mindy Mahy—are taking a different path, a circular one if you will, to the business of providing a high-quality water to the luxury/upscale end of the hotel market. Their water, available as spring water or sparkling water, is sourced from an artesian spring thousands of feet below the dormant volcanoes of Oregon’s Cascade Range. The water is naturally alkaline at 8.0 pH and is filled with minerals including calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It also includes silica, known for its hair, nail and skin enhancing properties. Available in resealable, recyclable aluminum...

HORSHAM, PENN.—Sofidel, a leading global provider of paper for hygienic and domestic use, announced that its Nicky brand, well-known across Europe, is now available to consumers in the United States. Nicky Elite is the first-ever household paper product range produced in the United States to be made with sustainable, paper packaging. “Nicky Elite is the only household paper brand made in the U.S. that uses packaging that is renewable, recyclable and biodegradable,” said Mark Greenberry, Senior Marketing & Sales Director, Sofidel America. “The innovative paper packaging enables consumers to conveniently recycle the packaging using their local curbside recycling scheme. This innovative...

HONG KONG—Driven by a sense of purpose to build a future where people and place enrich one another, Rosewood Hotel Group has announced Rosewood Impacts, a groupwide roadmap for delivering positive impact on all its communities and the planet we call home. With deeper commitments to empowering people across the brand’s entire ecosystem and a sustainability approach that puts circular hospitality at the core of business operations, Rosewood Impacts is both a recognition of the group’s ongoing programs and a strategic roadmap for future efforts. With tangible goals in the fields of sustainability, employment, partnerships and more, the comprehensive...

If you are looking for more good reasons to eliminate plastic beverage bottles, be sure to read Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle. It reveals the health, environmental, and climate threats caused throughout the lifecycle of plastic beverage bottles (made from polyethylene terephthalate or PET)—from the hazardous air emissions released in the petrochemical manufacturing process to the cancer-causing toxic chemicals leaked in the consumption and final waste stages. Making PET requires hundreds of chemicals, including ethylene oxide (EtO), the most potent cancer-causing chemical emitted by chemical manufacturers, and antimony. Antimony is one of at least 150 chemicals that can escape from...

NATIONAL REPORT—They are in your vending machines. They are sold elsewhere on your property—possibly at the front desk or a retail store. Plastic beverage bottles. What is their true impact on the environment? On human health? Defend our Health and the Beyond Petrochemicals campaign recently released a new report, Hidden Hazards: The Chemical Footprint of a Plastic Bottle, unmasking the hazards posed by the plastic bottle. This report reveals the health, environmental, and climate threats caused throughout the lifecycle of common plastic known as polyethylene terephthalate or PET—from the hazardous air emissions released in the petrochemical manufacturing process to the cancer-causing toxic chemicals leaked...