The United States and much of the world, for that matter, have had so many pressing issues to deal with that one—possibly the most important one—keeps getting pushed under the carpet, so to speak. That is water. It’s a green issue, a life issue, a business issue—an issue that will impact hotels and hospitality facilities throughout the world and one we are all going to have to deal with eventually. Consider the following: • According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a U.S. think tank, water is a growing concern that is set to become the world economy’s single most...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes USBedBugs.com as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company offers a growing assortment of pesticide-free bed bug protection and prevention products. Solutions include the following: mattress encasements; monitors, traps and barriers; dissolvable laundry bags; the PackTite portable heating unit, used to heat treat non-washable items in an infested guestroom; mattress disposal bags; dry vapor steam cleaners; luggage encasements; bed bug spray; sofa/couch encasements; and bed bug books and information guides. For more information, e-mail info@usbedbugs.com, call (888) 587-2332, or go to www.usbedbugs.com.

WEST CHICAGO, ILL.—Tornado Industries, a leading manufacturer of professional cleaning equipment, has prepared a special bed bug newsletter and white paper to be distributed this month. The newsletter and white paper are designed to help clarify why the bed bug problem has resurfaced in the United States after being dormant for so many years.   More important, the white paper addresses ways cleaning professionals can help eradicate bed bugs, employing ways that have less impact on the environment. It was written by Michael Schaffer, a senior executive with Tacony’s commercial floor care division and president of Tornado Industries. “This is an...

MIAMI—MTech has extended support for the mobile version of its popular HotSOS solution, H2GO, to Android, the new mobile operating system powered by Google. H2GO responds, creates and maintains work orders efficiently and accurately via any Android mobile device. “As the Android platform continues to grow in popularity, we acted quickly to provide options to its user base,” said Luis Segredo, MTech founder and president. “Today, HotSOS has gone mobile and it’s spicing up service across the globe via the most popular wireless platforms.” HotSOS (pronounced Hot Sauce), MTech’s Hotel Service Optimization System, enables lodging and gaming operations to reduce...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—From 2004 to 2009, PURE Solutions installed innovative “PURE allergy-friendly” rooms in 40 top hotels. In 2010, consumer acceptance and business innovation quadrupled these rooms to 5,000 rooms in 200 hotels worldwide. Hyatt, Hilton, Doubletree, Marriott, Wyndham, Fairmont, Westin, Sheraton, Residence Inn, Embassy Suites, NYLO, and Radisson now offer PURE rooms. PURE is available in hotels in 32 U.S. states and internationally in China, Taiwan, India, Australia, Greece, Malaysia, Aruba, Canada, Caribbean and Puerto Rico. PURE Solutions’ aggressive growth in a difficult economy can be attributed to developing a creative way to help hoteliers provide these badly needed rooms...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) updated its guidance on how to properly clean up a broken compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). Included with the guidance is a new consumer brochure with CFL recycling and cleanup tips. EPA encourages Americans to use CFLs for residential lighting to save energy and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury sealed within the glass tubing. When a CFL breaks, some of the mercury is released as vapor and may pose potential health risks. The guidance and brochure will provide simple, user friendly...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—Don Ascione, president and CEO of Continental Chemical USA, recently announced the launch of a new, all-natural product formulated to kill and control beg bug infestations. To facilitate distribution of Mattress Fresh Bed Bug Killer, an exclusive sales representation agreement was signed between CCUSA and Cutting Edge Formulations. The agreement charges CCUSA with complete responsibility for the national launch of Mattress Fresh, an all-natural, non-pesticide product manufactured in Buford, Ga., by Cutting Edge Formulations for the eradication of bed bugs. According to Ascione, Mattress Fresh was specifically formulated by Cutting Edge Formulations in response to the bed bug...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Advance has introduced a line of automatic floor scrubbers with EcoFlex System technology. The system provides flexibility to switch between chemical-free, water-only cleaning or different cleaning intensities at the touch of a button as floor conditions dictate. The line includes a total of seven scrubber models. New machines with the EcoFlex option include the Adfinity, 34RST, Warrior and Condor XL scrubbers, with additional models scheduled to launch in early 2011. EcoFlex technology gives cleaning professionals the flexibility to clean hard floors without compromising any of today’s competing demands: improving environmental sustainability, maintaining high levels of cleanliness and keeping cleaning...

LOS ANGELES—With the holiday season upon us, millions of people across the United States will be on the move, either returning home, visiting friends and family, or enjoying a well-earned vacation. They may also be bringing unwanted travel companions with them, in the form of bed bugs. Media interest in the current bed bug epidemic may have diminished a bit in recent months, but the problem continues to grow and holiday season travelers are likely to help the pests spread farther and wider. “Travel is one of the easiest ways for bed bugs to spread,” says Holly Walker, vice president...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—To help find solutions to the nation’s bed bug problem, the Federal Bed Bug Workgroup is convening a second national summit set for February 1 to 2, 2011, in Washington, D.C. The summit is open to the public and will focus on ways the federal government and others can continue to work together on management and control of these pests. The first federal bed bug summit was held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2009. Since then, EPA has helped organize the Federal Bed Bug Workgroup, which consists of EPA, the Department of Housing and Urban...