The CEO of UK-based InterContinental Hotels Group says the company's recent move to eliminate personalized, single-use plastic containers for toiletries will be a game-changer in the industry.
The decision, announced last week, will impact about 5,600 hotels and 850,000 guest rooms, according to IHG, which operates 17 hotel brands, including Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza.
"By 2021, we can retrofit all of our hotel rooms around the world to move to bulk amenities, and stop putting 200 million small pieces of plastic into the environment," IHG CEO Keith Barr told Cheddar. "We're really excited about it, but it's just a first step."
The decision comes as the hotel industry faces growing pressure to lessen their environmental impact. Eliminating extra plastics could be a good place to look.
More than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced since the 1950s, according to the United Nations. The international organization also reports that global plastic production has increasingly trended toward single-use products.
Historically, just 9 percent of plastic has been recycled.
"We have to do more around supply chain, how we supply hotels, how we renovate hotels, to make sure our industry is more sustainable," said Barr. He said that IHG also works with bedding made from recycled materials and works with nonprofits to donate furniture the company no longer uses.
"Around the world, we're recognizing that tourism needs to be more sustainable," said Barr. "I'm excited that we're the first mover on this, but I would expect my peers and other companies to follow suit in good time."
Last year, IHG, Marriott International, and Hilton Hotels, among other brands, committed to eliminate their use of plastic straws.
The stunning indictment that led to the arrest of more than 30 people — including Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and other NBA figures — has drawn new scrutiny of the booming business of sports betting in the U.S. The multibillion-dollar industry has made it easy for sports fans — and even some players — to wager on everything from the outcome of games to that of a single play with just a few taps of a cellphone. But regulating the rapidly-growing industry has proven to be a challenge. Professional sports leagues’ own role in promoting gambling has also raised eyebrows.
Tesla, the car company run by Elon Musk, reported Wednesday that it sold more vehicles in the past three months after boycotts hit hard earlier this year, but profits still fell sharply. Third-quarter earnings fell to $1.4 billion, from $2.2 billion a year earlier. Excluding charges, per share profit of 50 cents came in below analysts' estimate. Tesla shares fell 3.5% in after-hours trading. Musk said the company's robotaxi service, which is available in Austin, Texas, and San Francisco, will roll out to as many as 10 other metro areas by the end of the year.
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