CLEARWATER, FLA.—Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club, Clearwater’s first eco-friendly hotel inspired by the resilient star of the Dolphin Tale movies, Winter the Dolphin, announced the addition of all-new family-friendly amenities and on-site educational opportunities through the hotel’s unique partnership with Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA)—Winter’s home sweet home. Furthering CMA’s mission of marine rescue, rehabilitation, and release, Winter the Dolphin’s Beach Club now proudly offers permanent, on-site educational opportunities through a designated interactive Education Room, featuring a Lego table, Dolphin Tale memorabilia, marine-themed books, and reading area, as well as interactive tablet stations with CMA educational content, Kids’ Activity Guides available at the front desk, and a mock sea turtle nest....

BANGKOK—As part of an ambitious Plastic Free 2022 strategy to remove and avoid all virgin plastic materials from its hotel and spa operations, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is the first hospitality brand to collaborate with the United States Coalition on Sustainability and SustainChain. This follows a partnership with the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative signed in 2020 to work with suppliers to seek safer alternatives and address the root causes of plastic pollution. SustainChain is a change engine to drive unprecedented action and progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Championing the value of collaboration, SustainChain connects the global...

Microfiber pollution awareness is spreading into the mainstream. More than half of consumers (56 percent) already know that washing clothes harms the environment, according to a survey released by PlanetCare as part of World Oceans Day (June 8). Microfibers are tiny plastic particles that synthetic clothes shed during washing. Up to 1,500,000 microfibers are released per wash. Without anything to stop them, microfibers enter wastewater, causing damage to the ecosystems. The growing awareness is also important because we are learning more about the health risks of microfiber ingestion for humans. Polyester and nylon microfibers, for instance, could stunt the ability of the...

UCLUELET, B.C.—At Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, every day is Earth Day. The popular Ucluelet resort is once again raising the sustainability game with its Refillable and Zero Waste programs reducing its ecological footprint and taking a load off the landfill while reducing plastic waste. Spearheaded by Black Rock General Manager Adele Larkin, the initiative is aimed at sourcing 100 percent natural, biodegradable, refillable products for its cleaning needs and guest amenities in 2021. As one of the first resorts in Canada to adopt such a model, Black Rock turned to its own backyard for solutions. Thanks to a partnership with two forward-thinking...

The new Virgin Las Vegas Resort Hotel that opened in March 2021 has a surprising policy in their FAQs. That policy states: Outside food and beverage is not permitted in our guest rooms. Our resort offers an array of restaurant offerings, including pre-stocked in-room minibars and 24-hour room service for your convenience. Hotel properties have long had a complicated relationship with outside food and beverage brought into their properties. With safety and security issues mounting, many properties have become increasingly uncomfortable having outside food delivery people in their hotels. Another big concern, as pointed out by the Las Vegas Virgin, is that...

NATIONAL REPORT—For many businesses, creating an environmentally friendly supply chain is on the “would be nice” list. And others do not take all the necessary steps. Some businesses just think using eco-friendly packaging supplies is enough, but there’s so much more supply chains can do. The goals have long seemed too abstract, too far off and too difficult to achieve. Recent statistics reported in an article from Franchise Help say that consumers are increasingly taking notice of the environmental records of the businesses they buy from: 55 percent of global consumers are willing to pay more for sustainably produced goods. ...

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA.—The phade brand of PHA-based straws manufactured by New WinCup Holdings, Inc. has received the Innovation in FoodService Award for Sustainability Solutions from the National Restaurant Association and SmartBrief. The phade straw is the first mass produced marine biodegradable and home and industrial compostable drinking straw made with PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate), a substrate derived from the fermentation of canola oil. While maintaining the feel and user experience of a traditional plastic straw, the phade straw was recognized for its extraordinary ability to quickly biodegrade in marine and backyard and industrial compost environments. The inaugural FoodService Innovation Awards recognize innovative...

PHILADELPHIA—Element Hotels—part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of 30 leading brands and designed for today’s healthy, active traveler—announced the opening of Element Philadelphia, marking the brand’s debut in the city. Developed by Conshohoken-based Chestlen Development, the hotel will be the newest addition to Philadelphia’s reemerging hospitality scene, with travelers planning an average of 2.7 trips this year, according to a recent Visit Philadelphia report. Designed with a focus on sustainability and well-being, Element is ideal for families, groups and business travelers who want to maintain a balanced lifestyle while on the road. “Bringing the Element brand to Philadelphia was a strategic decision to appeal...

SANTA CRUZ, CALIF.—Steeped Coffee, a Certified B Corp, announced the addition of La Colombe Coffee Roasters to its lineup of top brands available in its single-serve Steeped Brewing Method. La Colombe, a pioneer of third wave and fourth-wave coffee, now offers its signature cafe blends in fully compostable Steeped Packs. The proprietary brewing method is changing the way people view single-serve coffee, delivering all the benefits with none of the barriers. The partnership brings quality touch-free coffee and a sought-after green business solution to hotels, offices, wholesale purchasers, and other consumers nationwide. Steeped Coffee, quickly becoming the new standard in single-serve coffee, is the only fully compostable...

SOLON, OHIO—Tarkett, a worldwide leader in innovative and sustainable flooring and sports surface solutions, has released its 2020 Corporate Social & Environmental Responsibility (CSR) report. Fully audited by an independent third-party organization, KPMG, this report showcases the company’s ongoing sustainability performance. “In the last ten years, we have achieved strong progress in sustainability. In many cases we have exceeded our 2020 objectives, developing circular economy initiatives, reducing our carbon footprint and eco-designing our products with healthy materials,” says CEO Fabrice Barthélemy. “Opening a second chapter in its sustainability strategy, Tarkett is leading the way in its industry. As part of our ‘Change...