SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Participating members of FreshStay.com will have a new dress code for Fridays. To promote the benefits of being 100 percent smoke free, the hotel staff will don polo shirts and other clothing with a specially embossed FreshStay.com logo. The FreshStay apparel will be designed and produced by Vermont Clothing Company, which specializes in organic, recycled, Earth-friendly clothing. As an added bonus, a portion of the proceeds from the apparel will donated to the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association. “FreshStay Fridays is a great way for our members to promote themselves as 100 percent smoke free, and...

TARRYTOWN, N.Y.—The Sheraton Tarrytown and its management company, New Castle Hotels & Resorts, have decided to implement the PURE allergen purification process in 10 percent of the property’s hotel rooms, including one on its club level. The process removes up to 98 percent of bacteria, viruses and other airborne particles from the average hotel room. Specially trained hotel staff use PURE Solutions purification techniques to comprehensively treat rooms to remove allergens and irritants from all surfaces, fabrics and air flow. Rooms are cleaned before and after each guest, and PURE fully re-sanitizes rooms every 90 days. Guests have welcomed the...

TOLEDO, OHIO—MTS Seating, a leading manufacturer of hospitality and banquet furniture, announced that its entire line of stack, banquet and restaurant seating has received Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification for being low-emitting, a characteristic which minimizes levels of indoor pollutants. According to MTS, it is the first to pursue and receive this designation in the hospitality seating industry. “This certification shows that when we say we’re working toward making continual environmental improvements in our manufacturing processes, we mean it,” said MTS president Phil Swy. “For us, product innovation is a means to not only provide our customers with the stylish...

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotels cannot escape the fact that asbestos was widely used in construction materials throughout much of the twentieth century. In fact, any hotel built or remodeled before or in the 1980s is likely to contain asbestos-containing materials. The use of asbestos was so widespread that the large majority of materials used for constructing hotels contained the toxic substance. Contractors used asbestos because it was lightweight, durable, an excellent insulator, and provided effective fireproofing. Some common materials that may contain asbestos and have the potential to release toxic fibers include floor tiles, textured paints, walls, ceilings, insulation, and roofing...

SEATTLE—Seattle-based O Ecotextiles will brings its “sensuous yet sustainable” textiles for the first time to West Coast Green’s conference and expo, September 25-27, 2008 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, Calif. One of O Ecotextiles’ new prints also was chosen by EcoFabulous.com to grace the master bedroom of the Showhouse at West Coast Green. For the company, whose line with top British designer Emily Todhunter won a House & Garden magazine award at Decorex 2007 in the U.K., their message is simple, direct and firm: Being an “organic textile,” means not just that a fabric uses organic...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Pineapple Hospitality has launched two free quarterly e-newsletters, bringing together the latest news, data and trends of the hospitality industry. The first newsletter, “Fresh Ideas,” is aimed at anyone in the industry who has or is considering adding a green component to his/her hospitality offerings. Within this rapidly evolving market, tens of millions of environmentally conscious customers are searching for options that will help them bring their eco-minded practices with them on the road and reduce their carbon footprints as they travel. The newsletter outlines the new products and practices that will help a hotel stand out in...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—From lawn mowers and weed trimmers, to personal watercraft and speedboats, gas-powered engines will soon contribute to healthier and cleaner air for Americans. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set strict new standards for gas-powered lawn equipment and marine engines, enhancing public health by substantially reducing the amount of gas fumes, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and smog-forming pollutants emitted from a wide range of engines. The regulations will take effect in 2010 and 2011. “EPA’s new small engine standards will allow Americans to cut air pollution as well as grass,” said EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “These standards help...

ATLANTA— As designers and consumers become more involved in the eco-friendly movement and wish to purchase products that protect the health and well-being of their families and building occupants, one product they focus on is paint. To assist in the purchase decisions, the Greenguard Environmental Institute (GEI) wants to educate consumers on the difference between volatile organic compound (VOC) content and VOC emissions. VOC content is the amount (by weight) of VOCs that are in the formulation of paint, while VOC emissions are the amount of VOCs released into the air following the application of paint. The difference between the...

COUR D’ALENE, IDAHO—Two cleaning agents recently introduced by U.S. Products as part of their new Professional Series line of cleaning chemicals for carpet, upholstery, and hard-surface floors have been green certified by multiple environmental eco-labeling programs. The two products are: • Environmental Carpet Cleaner/Rinse (ECC), for both portable- and truck-mount-extractor use, helps turn soils and residue into free-rinsing soaps for easy removal and has been certified by EcoLogo and Envirodesic. • Environmental Heavy Duty Degreaser, a multiuse cleaner/degreaser for both portable- and truck-mount-extractor use, dissolves heavy soils for removal and has been certified by both EcoLogo and Envirodesic. According to Nick Wiebe,...

ROGERS, ARK.—BioBased 1701s Insulation is the first spray polyurethane foam insulation to meet the stringent GREENGUARD Certification guidelines for indoor air quality. The GREENGUARD Certification Program is an industry-independent, third-party testing program for low-emitting products and materials. The first GREENGUARD Certification was awarded in the fall of 2002. BioBased Insulation’s soy-based, water-blown, closed cell insulation product earned both the GREENGUARD Certification and the GREENGUARD Certification for Children & Schools. “Our company is focused on developing insulation products that are more sustainable than traditional products,” said Mike Muccio, chief operating officer of BioBased Insulation. “We believe that sustainability means more than just...