LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands has been recognized by global environmental nonprofit CDP on its 2021 Climate and Water A Lists, marking consecutive appearance on the Climate A List for the seventh year and the Water A List for the fourth year. Inclusion on CDP’s Climate A and Water A Lists puts Sands among 55 companies who received an “A” designation on both lists, out of the 12,000 companies that were scored in 2021. Sands was the only hospitality and gaming company recognized with an “A” designation on both lists, highlighting the company’s leadership in reducing emissions, mitigating climate risk, promoting...

NATIONAL REPORT—Last June, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak signed into law a bill supported by the Southern Nevada Water Authority that requires the removal of “useless,” or purely decorative, grass throughout the Las Vegas Valley by the end of 2026. The Valley has been undergoing a severe drought as indicated by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Useless grass, also known as nonfunctional turf, is found around Southern Nevada business complexes (including hotels and resorts), along streets in HOA communities, and in traffic circles and medians. It is grass that provides no recreational value. The California Air Resources Board has voted to update California’s...

ODESSA, FLA.—Green Lodging News welcomes Grass!365 to the “Grass/Synthetic” category of its Green Product & Service Directory. Grass!365 is the choice of hotels and resorts looking for lawns that stay green 365 days per year. Users of the company’s synthetic grass enjoy low maintenance landscaping, no more mowing, watering, or fertilizing their property’s natural lawn for reduced operating costs and a better guest experience. Grass!365 synthetic grass features revolutionary SealTuft backing, which drains over 1,000 inches per hour (more than 30 times the industry average) and has a stronger bind than standard turf, making it great for pet-friendly resorts, too....

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands and the Clean the World Foundation, a leader in global health dedicated to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and global sustainability, have announced the 2021 Drop by Drop Project grant recipients. The Project will fund work by The University of Saint Joseph Macao (USJ), Institute of Science and Environment to provide nature-based solutions to climate change and by Conservation International Singapore to develop a virtual learning series to engage young children on the importance of protecting the ocean and nature. Sands and Clean the World developed the Drop by Drop Project in 2019 to reinvest capital from Sands’ water stewardship savings into innovative...

The pandemic forced hotels to modify how they operate, pushing safety to the forefront of the hospitality community’s consciousness, and derailing a burgeoning industry trend to make facilities more sustainable. Yet, hoteliers would be wise to make sustainability a priority in 2022. Decreasing a hotel’s impact on the environment, no matter its size or location, attracts guests in the short term and saves money in the long term. When customers choose to spend money on a hotel room, many want to select a place to stay that is kind to the earth. And while you’d be excused for assuming sustainability...

GULF BREEZE, FLA.—Innisfree Hotels’ corporate social responsibility program is called The Hive. Inspired by a line from the company’s namesake poem, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree,” The Hive is a busy place for the Innisfree family to connect with each other—and do good in the world. Since last August Hive activity has picked up thanks to the hiring of Brittney Barnett, Director of Sustainability. “Before I came on, Innisfree declared itself a triple bottom line company, but it was fragmented,” Barnett says. The Gulf Breeze, Fla.-based company, which owns most of the 22 hotels that it manages, participated in some...

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Getaway, the hospitality company that offers mindful escapes to tiny cabins in nature, hired Carlos Becil as its first-ever Chief Experience Officer last July, following a monumental year of growth and $41.7M Series C funding. As the former CMO of Coach and Equinox, and VP of Brand Management for Starwood, Carlos is bringing a dynamic perspective to Getaway, helping take it from a “tiny cabin” rental company to a global hospitality business. Green Lodging News recently interviewed Becil about Getaway and its growth. The following are our questions and Becil’s answers: What do you consider to be your primary responsibilities? You have...

DALTON, GA.—According to The Washington Post, the costly Southwest drought, caused by climate change, isn’t going away and a new report shows how extreme climate conditions have intensified the current drought and are a harbinger of the future. Protecting the planet and conserving natural resources are primary tenets of green building, and artificial grass leader Grass!365 believes synthetic turf solutions are the way of the future, given their ability to save water, while enhancing comfort and efficiency, in our parched country. “Our business has been booming over the past few years,” said CEO of Grass!365, Stan Pennington. “We’ve experienced 25...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Zurn Water Solutions Corporation announced it joined the United Nations Global Compact Initiative—a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices. Joining the initiative aligns with Zurn Water Solutions’ recent transition to a pure-play water solutions company that provides a premier ecosystem of products and solutions that protect human health and the environment. Zurn Water Solutions operates as an inherently sustainable company by providing water solutions to customers while conducting business in a safe way for its employees and communities. “Our participation in the UN Global Compact connects with our core values and our commitment to water,...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Zurn Water Solutions was named by Newsweek as one of America’s Most Responsible Companies 2022. Zurn Water Solutions was one of 500 companies on the list and ranks No. 3 in Wisconsin. “By focusing on water conservation, health and safety, people, and our communities, we are driven every day to make responsible choices that create a lasting positive impact in the world,” said Todd A. Adams, Chairman and CEO of Zurn Water Solutions. “We have long viewed simply doing the right thing as our guiding principle in how we approach all facets of our business.” America’s Most Responsible Companies list focuses on a...