SAN JOSE DEL CABO, MEXICO—Hotel El Ganzo, which has followed a sustainable model since its inception, has put a stronger plan into action to continue advancing its sustainability efforts. The boutique hotel located at the base of the Puerto Los Cabos Marina in Los Cabos, Mexico is known for its chic, laid-back vibe and robust arts program. However, guests will also find an eco-friendly culture in a hotel that prides itself in going a step beyond encouraging guests to reuse towels and sheets. El Ganzo now equips every room with its own branded cantimplora, a reusable, BPA-free water bottle guests can...

FAIRFAX, VA.—Guest Services Inc. announced that the organization will entirely abandon the use of plastic straws at its owned and managed properties by the end of 2018 to significantly reduce its environmental footprint. This multi-faceted campaign, “Skip the Straw,” will be executed in several phases throughout the remainder of the year—ultimately eliminating millions of straws a year while bringing awareness to an important issue for the hospitality industry to address. Over the past several decades, plastic straws have become an expected amenity in purchased beverages and have subsequently grown into a major source of pollution. Straws are often disposed of incorrectly,...

CHICAGO—Great Wolf Resorts announced it will replace plastic straws at all 17 of its indoor water park resorts with more environmentally friendly paper straws. The family-friendly resort company pledged to remove plastic straws from all its food and beverage locations before the end of 2018, saving more than five million plastic straws from entering local landfills annually. “Over the past couple of years we have implemented several programs designed to reduce our environmental impact, ranging from energy-efficient LED lighting, to resort-wide recycling programs and low-flow showerheads,” said Great Wolf Resorts CEO, Murray Hennessy. “We’re excited to further enhance our environmental efforts...

It is survey season. The National Restaurant Assn. (NRA) just released “The State of Restaurant Sustainability 2018.” This past week the Greenview survey for the Green Lodging Trends Report 2018 closed. Be sure to watch for the Report in the coming months. I just learned that the goal for releasing the results of the 2018 Lodging Survey is December. That survey report is produced by the American Hotel & Lodging Assn., American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation, and STR. The 2018 Lodging Survey is focused on much more than sustainability trends. For its report, the NRA surveyed 500 restaurant owners...

The hotel industry can produce a formidable amount of waste. According to a study of Vietnamese hotels published in August 2018’s Journal of Environmental Management, 2.28kg of waste is produced per guest every day. While waste management practices may be better in the United States, it’s likely that the average guest will consume more. With federal and state waste management guidelines varying substantially, it turns to hoteliers themselves to tackle the waste management problem head on. The good news is that there is plenty of inspiration. That’s from hotels themselves and from across the commercial waste management spectrum. The Recycling Question Recycling is, in theory, an...

MIAMI—Karisma Hotels & Resorts, which owns and manages properties in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe, has taken a firm stance on sustainability since its inception in 2000, and most recently announced its decision to eliminate the production and distribution of plastic straws across all of its properties. The ban on plastic straws is the latest effort within Karisma Hotels & Resorts’ overall commitment to the environment. In 2013, Karisma created the Passion for Sustainability Program, which includes initiatives promoting conscious tourism, preserving ecosystems, protecting wild and endangered species, and responsibly using natural resources. As part of its most recent...

CHICAGO—National Restaurant Association research has found that more restaurant and foodservice operators are integrating sustainability practices into their daily business operations. A survey of 500 restaurant owners and operators examined measures taken, challenges faced and opportunities available by operating more sustainably. Here are some highlights: Efficient equipment is now standard in many restaurants. Most restaurants use energy-efficient lighting, and many use U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star-rated kitchen equipment. Water-saving innovations are also gaining ground, from low-flow toilets to efficient pre-rinse spray valves. Those surveyed said: 79 percent use CFL or LED lighting; 46 percent use EPA Energy Star-rated refrigerators;...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Third Annual Green Lodging Trends Report Survey will close on August 17, 2018. You can participate in the survey by clicking here. There is no cost to participate. Tens of thousands of green lodging establishments around the planet are being encouraged to benchmark their sustainability practices by completing this survey which last year saw some 2,100 properties participating from 46 countries. The survey encompasses topics ranging from energy management to communication to Health & Wellness. The Green Lodging Trends Report Survey has the support of Green Lodging News, Green Key, Travelife, Green Key Global, Horwath HTL, Green Seal,...

CHICAGO—Loews Chicago Hotel has joined Shedd Aquarium’s “Shedd The Straw” initiative to reduce the use of single-use plastic straws throughout the hotel. Loews Chicago Hotel is the first hotel to join the initiative aimed at reducing single-use plastic straws to reduce waste and improve marine and freshwater ecosystems. Beginning August 1, beverages served throughout the hotel, including Streeterville Social, ETA Restaurant + Bar, The Lobby Bar, banquets, and in-room dining will not automatically be served with plastic straws. Guests will be provided with biodegradable straws upon request. The initiative is designed to help protect water systems and the animals that live...

NEW YORK—With sustainability as a core value from its inception, a new Corporate Social Responsibility Report (CSR) Report from Humanscale underscores the company’s commitment to achieving a net positive impact and lays out a corporate sustainability roadmap raising the bar for the manufacturing industry. The new CSR report reveals several areas of focus, including material transparency, responsible manufacturing and hand printing, and highlights Humanscale’s progress as it works toward its own ambitious goals. Continuing a decade-long trend of reduction, in the past year alone, the company reduced normalized energy by 10 percent and reduced greenhouse gases by 12 percent...