PEMBROKE PINES, FLA.—The Chemically Safer Travel Directory, a guide for health-conscious travelers with sensitivities to chemicals, is now available. It features 658 listings (314 of which are new). Each listing represents a less-toxic place to vacation and stay in the United States, Canada and other countries. The “Safer” in Safer Travel Directory was inspired by the 1995 movie “Safe,” in which the main character inexplicably becomes allergic to the 20th century. Twentieth Century Disease (also known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) is a very real disability with no cure. It is brought about by some 60,000 chemicals present in our environment,...

NATIONAL REPORT—If the growth of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC) is any indication of the current level of interest in sustainable furniture manufacturing, you can expect to read a lot more about this trend in the coming months. The Council, which was incorporated in March, already has 100 members. While the majority of all furniture purchased for lodging in the United States is not sustainable, that appears to be changing—albeit slowly. What exactly is sustainable furniture? It most certainly is not furniture that is made with illegally sourced wood, petroleum-based foams, fabrics and other materials, and finishes and glues that...

KEY WEST, FLA.—The Banyan Resort and the Gardens Hotel last week became the Florida Keys’ first certified members of the Green Lodging Program, created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to recognize and reward environmentally conscious lodging facilities in the state. The two Old Town Key West properties were awarded “one palm” certification for their environmental commitment in ceremonies attended by State Representative Ron Saunders, Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson, Stacey Mitchell, director of sales for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and Laura Comer and Gus Rios of the DEP. “These businesses are stepping up to recognize...

NEEDHAM, MASS.—TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel community, announced the results of its smoking survey of more than 1,400 travelers worldwide, revealing that nearly 90 percent of respondents believe hotels and restaurants need to be clearer about whether they are smoking or nonsmoking establishments, and where smoking is permitted and prohibited. Eighty-six percent of travelers surveyed were nonsmokers. While only 14 percent identified themselves as smokers, 23 percent admitted to “social smoking.” Twenty-two percent of travelers said that visiting a city or country where smoking is prohibited is “always” a consideration, while 34 percent said it is “sometimes” a consideration. Whether...

ATLANTA—In today’s marketplace, a green building means an energy efficient, healthy building, but nothing can tarnish that sparkling image faster than indoor mold growth. Lenders and insurers as well as building owners and managers know that when mold takes hold, it can cause deterioration of building materials, which can be expensive and inconvenient to replace. Indoor mold growth also can become a source of indoor air pollutants, which can lead to serious health problems, including allergic reactions and asthma attacks. To help take the guesswork out of selecting building materials that resist mold growth and to support product manufacturers in...

KO OLINA, OAHU, HAWAII—The JW Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa at Ko Olina is the first property in Hawaii and one of the first in the nation to adopt the PURE system which creates an allergy-friendly environment. All of the hotel’s 13 guestrooms and Presidential Suite on its 17th (top) floor have been converted to the system, and indoor meeting facilities and the Ihilani Spa will be converted by the end of the year. The allergy-friendly environment can help ease respiratory problems, asthma and allergies that affect more than 70 million Americans. “By providing PURE allergy-friendly hotel rooms and conference...

THAME, OXON, U.K.—The United Kingdom’s fastest growing budget hotel chain, Travelodge, became the first major hotel mover in the smoking ban debate by declaring that they will be completely smoke free by January 2008. The budget chain will make all public areas in their hotels smoke free by the beginning of July 2007 but go a step further by eradicating smoking from all rooms completely by the turn of the year. Travelodge, serving over 6.5 million each year and operating 318 U.K. hotels, made the move following overwhelming feedback on the subject from both customers and staff. Research by...

CLEARWATER BEACH, FLA.—The Sandpearl Resort, slated to open in August, has been designed to meet Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) certification requirements. JMC Communities, the resort’s developer and owner, is resolute in following the specific LEED requirements, which include elements that preserve the beauty of Clearwater Beach so that it can be shared with generations to come. A prime example is the resort’s salt bromine pool filtration system, which, while costing twice as much as a standard system to install, was a required element of the owner. The Sandpearl resort is passionate about not putting chlorine waste into...

ANNAPOLIS, MD.—In an era of smoke-free spaces, green energy, eco-friendly products and environmental health, Thayer Lodging Group, a privately held real estate investment company with a portfolio of 14 hotels and over 2,800 guest rooms, recently announced it will offer allergy-friendly guest accommodations at 10 of its hotels and 99.9 percent allergenic-free meeting facilities at four of its Executive Meeting Centers (EMC) and Conference Centers. “Thayer Lodging Group has emerged as an industry leader in offering travelers healthy alternatives to meeting and sleeping accommodations,” says Haley Payne, director of wellness for Thayer Lodging. “By offering PURE allergy-friendly hotel...

Motel 6’s announcement last week that it will roll out a fluorescent light bulb and battery recycling program throughout its almost 900 properties was an important step that other companies should emulate. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which offer so many benefits, also include mercury, a hazardous substance. Not disposed of properly, liquid mercury quickly turns into a vapor that can be inhaled. Long-term exposure to it can damage the nervous system, the kidneys, lungs and other organs. Batteries are used throughout a hotel in items such as door locks, TV remotes and myriad other places. They consist of...