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More big brands join the war on plastic

Scott E. Rupp Waste Management & Environmental

The effort against single-use plastic straws has officially become more than a skirmish and is now an all-out war, as several more major brands have decided to do away with them in their businesses. SeaWorld Entertainment, in an effort to protect the environment, has removed all single-use straws and plastic bags from the company’s 12 theme parks. The Orlando-based company made the announcement June 8. SeaWorld, while leading in this effort, is not alone.

A long road ahead for Heathrow expansion, despite optimism

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

If anyone needed convincing on just how full London Heathrow airport is, the month of May saw a staggering 6.7 million travelers pass through, thanks mostly to a royal wedding and the start of the summer tourist season. So, when the U.K. government gave almost unanimous support for expansion on June 5, most of those who have to use the airport gave a sigh of relief. Yet, this 20-years-in-the-making saga has only taken a small step forward, and more agonizing hurdles could still blight the airport’s bid to expand and keep pace with its rivals in continental Europe.

America’s top fossil sites and dinosaur attractions

Dave G. Houser Recreation & Leisure

With "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom" slated to open in theaters on Friday, the fifth installment of the blockbuster film series is certain to expand its already huge fan base of pint-sized paleontologists. Parents can best prepare for the dino-mania by including a few fossil sites and dinosaur attractions in the family’s summer vacation plans. That’s easier to do than you might think: there are dino-digs scattered across the country, along with a number of natural history museums that feature excellent dinosaur exhibits.

McDonald’s opens new HQ; plans to add more self-service kiosks

Linchi Kwok Food & Beverage

McDonald's has moved back to Chicago’s West Loop after 47 years' of operations in the suburb of Oak Brook, Illinois. Now, the company’s brand-new $250 million headquarters is strategically located in an up-and-coming neighborhood known for its trendy restaurants. The move of the company’s headquarters is expected to help McDonald’s cultivate top talent and tap into emerging food crazes and tech trends, according to CEO Steve Easterbrook.

Hidden treasures: 7 secrets of trade show downtime

Wendy Parsley Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Most trade show booth staff will tell you they dread downtime on the show floor. They enjoy being busy and talking with attendees, but when those slow periods hit, they can be awful.Even though you may experience downtime on the trade show floor, there are several things you can do to make the most out of the time (and money) you are spending to be there. Consider it a hidden treasure of your trade show plan. Here are seven secrets we include in every trade show strategy we develop for our clients.

New apps, services move smart business travel forward

Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event Management

Corporate travel is a necessity, but the cost associated with it has become a significant issue. The U.S. Travel Association's latest Travel Trends Index (TTI) shows that domestic business travel grew for a fourth consecutive month in April 2018 and will continue to do so at a brisk pace for the rest of the year. Those in charge of corporate pocketbooks, however, are looking at various ways to cut costs without undermining the comfort of their employees. Meanwhile, employees are looking for less complicated processes that will ease their travel woes.

8 small, unique museums worth the trip

Cindy Belt Recreation & Leisure

Quirky museums can be much more fun than big, impressive museums. Maybe it’s the fact that small museums can be someone’s personal collection. There's also the stories that come with small-town museums. Whatever the case, these museums are well worth the stop. Here are eight museums that I like.

Last impressions usually last, so don’t neglect them

Anne Rose Business Management, Services & Risk Management

You know first impressions count. Your customer makes assumptions about the kind of company you have during its first interactions. Polite? Friendly? Helpful? Accurate? Service-oriented? These kinds of assumptive conclusions are formed within the first few seconds, and the succeeding interactions either confirm or negate those impressions. But what about last impressions? Often overlooked, last impressions are also lasting.

Scandinavian countries top happiness chart: What’s their secret?

Dave G. Houser Civil & Government

For about six months of the year, Finland has only a few hours of light per day and endures temperatures well below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. It also has one of the world’s highest tax rates. Nonetheless, Finns are the happiest people in the world according to the 2018 United Nations’ World Happiness Report — and their Nordic neighbors aren’t far behind in the rankings. By contrast, the United States is in a period of happiness slippage, fading from third place to 18th in the last two years.

The future of Denver International Airport takes shape

Matt Falcus Transportation Technology & Automotive

Groundbreaking has begun on a new project to ease congestion and increase the gate capacity at Denver International by 30 percent. It comes at a time when the airport is handling record numbers of passengers, destinations and achieving awards for its efforts. The project will see an extra 39 gates added to the terminal. These will be split over the three concourses, with 12 added to concourse A — including international arrival gates; 11 to be added to concourse B and 16 to concourse C.

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