Since 2007, Marriott International has reduced its energy consumption by 11 percent, reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 10.7 percent, and is on track to meet its aggressive goal of a 25 percent decrease in energy and water consumption per available room by 2017. These results are among those reported to shareholders, customers, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), associates and other stakeholders in the company’s first official Sustainability Report using the guidelines set forth by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), making Marriott the first major U.S.-based hospitality management company to report in accordance with this initiative. J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Marriott International, Inc. said
Category Archives: Environment
UNWTO leaders see greener global ecotourism
Almost 500 tourism ministers, and tourism officials and academics from over 30 countries, who gathered deliberated about the best ways to manage their national tourism industries. The World Tourism Conference, held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia last week, called for a greener global tourism sector.There was a major focus on ecotourism and environmental protection in all the opening speeches and throughout the course of the two-day event many of the tourism ministers present emphasized their country’s green credentials.
Said Malaysia’s deputy prime minister, Hon. Tan Sri Dato’ Haji
Muhyiddin bin Mohd Yassin, in the conference opening speech– “While we want to put tourism at the forefront in terms of generating income for the country, we want to ensure, there is no harm to the environment. That’s why there is a need to establish specific guidelines on how green tourism is to be managed by the government and the various stakeholders,”
The tourism industry is again on a growth path after a bad 2009, due to the global economic crisis. However, attendees heard it is still too soon to count on a return to sustainable, regular increases in tourism arrivals. High unemployment continues to be a major cause of concern and the austerity measures and the rise in taxation implemented in several advanced economies to fight public deficits represent a clear challenge to many leading outbound tourism markets.
Said Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General: “ We are gratified by the take up of sustainable tourism throughout our membership, it has been a major focus for the UNWTO for some years and holds significant benefits for tourism destinations and tourists alike.”On the opportunities for renewed tourism growth, he commented: “It is extremely troubling that certain governments appear to be looking at taxing outbound tourism as a source of revenue. In particular the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany have instituted such taxes.”
“For tourism to deliver its enormous advantages – economic, social, cultural and environmental development – to the full, it needs to benefit from enabling environments. Both tourism facilitation policies and enabling legislative environments have been major factors in tourism’s success.”
ECOTOURISM MALAYSIA
Asia tourism has, however, bucked the negative trend and has been seeing regular consistent growth. Asia, currently the second most visited region in the world, has 181 million annual international tourist arrivals (21% of world total) and saw international tourism receipts of US$ 204 billion (24% of world total) in 2009.The conference, the second World Tourism Conference, was held at the Magellan Sutera, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Mal.
Green Globe University New Sustainability Training
Northface seeks Eco Champions
Outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear maker The North Face, and Polartec, the creators of performance textiles, today announced the launch of their ‘Eco Champion’ program. The campaign, is designed to recognize passionate people improving the environment and will honor an ‘Eco Champion’ with a $15,000 donation made in their name to a chosen green cause and a $1,000 gift certificate to The North Face online store.
“The Eco Champion campaign is a celebration of those individuals who dedicate their lives to making a difference in our world,” stated Nate Simmons, Director of Marketing for Polartec. “Both Polartec and The North Face are committed to reducing their environmental impact through programs like the recycled Polartec fleece in The North Face Denali jacket, and we are thrilled to recognize others who embrace the world we live in.”
The ‘Eco Champion’ program is a two-round campaign. The program invites entrants to submit videos or blogs showcasing people who deserve special recognition for their efforts to improve the environment. Twenty-five finalists, selected by The North Face and Polartec from round one, will advance to round two. Of the twenty-five finalists, one grand prize winner will be selected by The North Face and Polartec from the top ten entries in round two, to receive a $15,000 donation made in their name to a green cause of their choice plus a $1,000 gift certificate to The North Face online store. “The health of our planet and the outdoors is an integral part of The North Face brand,” said Letitia Webster, Director of Corporate Sustainability for The North Face. “We are thrilled to partner with Polartec for the ‘Eco Champion’ campaign to offer such a powerful program in recognition of the individual contributions of committed people and to demonstrate the tremendous collective input we can all have.”
NEW: Online Eco Green WEBINARS
Wells Fargo offers new solar incentive
Financial services company Wells Fargo today announced a new incentive solar program to make it easier for home owners to go solar. As you begin to stack on the federal, state and local incentives adding this additional plan makes installing a system even more attractive. As for Wells Fargo this latest initiative is aimed at helping its customers and the nation take advantage of clean renewable solar energy.
Mary Wetzel Wells Fargo Director of Environmental Affairs said, “As a community-based financial institution, one of the ways we can help is by offering financial solutions that help our customers save not only time and money, but also protect our environment.”“Through everyday actions and being aware of the ways our decisions affect the environment, we can all contribute to environmental protection and regeneration,”
The promotion is for qualified Southern California customers who advance $15,000 or more from a home equity line or line of credit to finance a solar energy system for their home will receive up to $1,000 in incentives. Three solar companies are participating in the incentive – Acro Energy, REC Solar and Verengo Solar. Complete details of the California promotion are available at all Southern California Wells Fargo stores. Working with Colorado solar installers, the company is also presenting its Colorado customers with the $1,000 incentive through the end of the year.
Wells Fargo also provided more than $2 billion in tax equity financing projects around the country. It has installed solar panels in 10 Well Fargo Stores in Denver and supports the Environmental Finance Group, National Cleantech Commercial Banking Group, Clean Technology Investment Banking Group and the Sustainable Public Infrastructure Group; who are dedicated to developing opportunities and supporting businesses and municipalities in the growing clean technology sector.
IBM has eco game
IBM’s new interactive ecosystems game CityOne is an innovative way to create collaboration among all the participants of our cities. Today announced the availability of CityOne, the world’s first Smarter Planet interactive simulation designed to help business and civic leaders discover how to make their cities and industries smarter by solving real-world business, environmental, and logistical problems.
Historically, simulation gaming has been used extensively in the military, by athletes and by scientists to discover effective new strategies and techniques and develop the skills needed to implement them. Businesses have realized the value of this and are deploying their own games to create life-like simulations of real markets, customers and business situations that they deal with every day.
CityOne presents a unique opportunity for business leaders, city planners and government agencies to develop and budget improvements that address the challenges facing today’s global cities. Delivered as a simulation game, players have the opportunity to explore more than 100 real-world scenarios to transform cities through technologies that reduce traffic congestion, save water, streamline supply chains and tap alternative energy sources through a series of crisis scenarios. In all of the missions,
Jerry Brown touches on solar in debate
In the second debate between Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman in California’s governor’s race what talking there was about the environment , Brown did it. In answer to a question about job creation in California that pointed out higher unemployment for Latinos, Brown responded that 1.9 million new jobs developed in California while he was governor. He created the California Conservation Corps, which has since had 100-thousand people pass through its program.
“We can power our factories, we can retrofit our buildings, we can build transmission lines, solar collectors, geothermal, wind machines, California was the leader,” Brown said. “In renewable energy. now we’re behind iowa and texas and china. I believe we can be the leader again.” Brown said some