NATIONAL REPORT—The foodservice sector is putting sustainability on the menu, serving up innovative solutions to help cut waste, use resources more efficiently and change ingrained habits. For a sector that is often portrayed as wasteful it’s not an easy, nor a straightforward task yet as the stats show, change is very much needed. According to a study by the Food Waste Reduction Alliance, for example, almost 85 percent of unused food from U.S. restaurants is thrown away annually. In the United Kingdom, around 920,000 tons of food is wasted at outlets each year, the equivalent of 1.3 billion meals. And this comes with big consequences....

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Alliance to Save Energy released the following statement from President Kateri Callahan regarding a House Appropriations bill report that was to be taken up yesterday that would slash the budget for the Energy Star program by approximately 40 percent: “We appreciate that the committee has rejected the administration’s proposal to eliminate Energy Star, but a 40 percent cut would be crippling as well. I have to wonder where this is coming from. Energy Star is one of the most popular government programs in U.S. history and has enjoyed broad bipartisan support since it was created under President George...

NATIONAL REPORT—When a new Residence Inn by Marriott opened in Denver last month, it did so with fully-equipped guestroom kitchens that each include a radiant electric ceramic cooktop. According to Suzanne Owens, VP, Sales, Kenyon International, Inc.—the company that supplied the cooktops—the hotel’s owners made a wise, green choice because of the energy efficiency of the ceramic cooktops. Compared with gas cooking with average efficiencies of 50 percent, cooking with smooth top ceramic cooktops is 75 to 80 percent efficient. Coil cooktops, still found in many extended-stay hotels, are about 65 percent efficient. While requiring more investment, cool induction...

ST. JOSEPH, MICH.—Maytag Commercial Laundry recently honored Best Wash, Inc., Humble, Texas, with the prestigious Fred Maytag Award at the brand’s 58th Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. As the longest-running award in the commercial laundry industry, this prized accolade recognizes the most deserving commercial laundry provider each year. “Best Wash boasts vast accomplishments throughout 2016; most notably, committing to being an exclusive Maytag Commercial Laundry distributor,” said Trey Northrup, General Manager of Maytag Commercial Laundry. “In addition to this, they pushed their company’s sales record to new heights. They advanced their reach in a competitive market by investing in new...

PHILADELPHIA—Aramark, a global leader in food, facilities and uniforms announced the latest step demonstrating its commitment to environmental sustainability by reducing, reusing and recycling food waste through responsible practices, from the initial purchase to final waste disposal. Aramark’s Food Waste Progress Report highlights recent steps toward its goal to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030. Progress includes: 100 percent of the company’s food locations tracking waste, enabling better decisions about what to purchase and how much to prepare. 500 of its largest accounts using cutting edge waste tracking technology provided by LeanPath, a food waste prevention company. 100,000...

TROY, OHIO—Providing restaurants and food service operations with both productivity and durability, Vulcan introduces the 35-pound, Energy Star certified VEG Series. Rated at 70,000 BTU/hr., the VEG fryer has a production capacity of 56.8 lbs./hr. and a 50 percent cooking efficiency rating. Compared to a standard economy fryer, the VEG cooks 10 lbs. more per hour and reduces operational costs. The VEG meets criteria to be Energy Star certified, making it eligible for rebates at time of purchase in many states (with some as high as $1,900), for an immediate payback on the unit. “With a large demand from dealers...

TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS—Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa has been awarded eco-burner’s very first Carbon Savings Certificate. Beaches Turks and Caicos are the first recipient of this carbon saving award for their dedication to saving the environment and making a difference for future generations. The resort, located on the islands of Turk and Caicos, has been using eco-burner for the last two years, changing from traditional chemical chafing fuel methods to eco-burner’s safer, cleaner and greener solution. In this time they have made the colossal saving of 79 tons of carbon emissions saving the same amount...

Dumping toxic waste. That is what most of our industry has been doing for years with partially used cans of chafing dish fuel gel. I wrote about the problem two and one-half years ago. According to industry experts, that is still happening. Most chafing dish fuel gels found today are made from corn-based ethanol, methanol and other additives to help the product burn hotter. Methanol is added to make it too toxic for consumption. Fuel gel using methanol and other additives is considered hazardous waste and should be treated as such. Methanol gel is poisonous and contains dioxin and...

NATIONAL REPORT—For banquets and other gatherings, the number of eco-friendly portable food heating and warming solutions has grown in recent years. Some use electricity, others use greener versions of the more traditional fuel gels, while at least one company uses what it calls a Chafo that burns natural gas. Green Lodging News has reported on fuel gels in the past. Some are toxic, hazardous in numerous ways, and can even impact the taste and quality of the food being heated. “The traditional alcohol gel is like an aerosol can putting out CFCs,” says David Moreland, “Chief Bottle Washer” at SMART...

SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN—Sixteen good practices in Gastronomy Tourism from different countries are showcased in the 2nd UNWTO Report on Gastronomy Tourism, touching on issues such as seasonality, training and innovation, ICT-related initiatives and wine-related itineraries. The publication stresses that in terms of tourist motivations, experiencing gastronomy is now at a similar level to visiting a museum, enjoying music and admiring the architecture of a destination. In this sense, gastronomy tourism has strong potential to improve destination management, promote cultures and contribute to other sectors such as agriculture and food manufacturing. The commitment of gastronomy tourism towards the principles of sustainability...