BENSENVILLE, ILL.—Earthwise Environmental, Inc., Bensenville, Ill., introduces its “e solution,” a patent pending program that completely eliminates hazardous chemical treatments and dramatically reduces cooling tower discharge by up to 75 percent compared to most cooling tower programs. “This technology provides the solution to a safer environment,” says Bob Miller, founder and president. “It uses far less water, reuses it to conserve waste, and eliminates chemicals, providing truly economical and healthful applications in all types of public venues.” Earthwise designs and implements water management solutions for hospitals, schools, hotels, food processing plants, and light industrial and commercial buildings. The majority of today’s...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Dyson as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company’s Airblade hand dryer wipes hands dry with a 400 mph sheet of air in just 12 seconds. It removes 99.9 percent of bacteria from the air used to dry hands. The Airblade contributes to LEED accreditation and is the recipient of the Green Excellence Award for North American hand dryers. When compared to paper towels, the Dyson Airblade offers operating cost savings of nearly 98 percent. It uses up to 80 percent less energy than other hand...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes VASKA as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. VASKA offers an “EPA Design for the Environment” approved laundry care product system. VASKA’s high-performance botanical solutions for laundry and housekeeping are all-natural, plant-based formulas and are used in LEED certified resorts and spas. VASKA has been formulating and testing botanical laundry solutions since 1999, working alongside commercial laundries, environmental chemists and technicians committed to protect individuals and their environment from chemical damage. VASKA saves money by eliminating unnecessary chemicals and by protecting fabrics. VASKA cleans in both cold...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has added a new case study to its Vendor Case Studies section. The case study focuses on the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C., and how Sonitec’s Vortisand filter was able to solve its cooling tower sludge problem. Massive amounts of the nasty stuff were detected in the chiller tubes, and the 12-inch system feeder pipe as well. The filtering apparatus on line proved ineffective at combating the problem, prompting management to seek out expert consultation. Patrick Payne of Boland Trane teamed up with Denny Alexander of Armstrong Filtration (provider of cost-effective filtration solutions based in Winchester, Va.)...

CAMARILLO, CALIF.—Hygiena introduces SystemSURE Plus, a convenient system that hotel management and staff can use to regularly verify the thoroughness of cleaning performed throughout the hotel. Hotels around the world are using the SystemSURE Plus to monitor food preparation surfaces in kitchens on a daily basis, high touch-point areas and to teach employees the cleaning standard of the hotel. With SystemSURE Plus in place, quality assurance becomes a daily, verifiable routine that can easily be implemented in a hotel or across multiple properties. The hand-held SystemSURE Plus from Hygiena monitors adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—a biochemical found in all living organisms and...

ATLANTA—Kimberly-Clark Filtration has introduced a new filtration media that delivers MERV 13 performance for LEED Certified buildings. The media was developed in response to the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) standards for ASHRAE 52.2, MERV 13 filtration performance in LEED new construction and major renovation projects. The new media, Intrepid 513H, can be used in 2-inch and 4-inch pleated filters that are suited for virtually any commercial HVAC system. Before this new media was introduced, most 2-inch and 4-inch pleated filters were limited to MERV 8 or MERV 11 performance, which provides less efficient capture of airborne particles than MERV...

OURAY, COLO.—Box Canyon Lodge & Hot Springs, an independently-owned resort in Ouray, Colo., has replaced all of its bedding encasements with CleanBrands’ CleanRest line of products. With a spate of recent bedbug outbreaks in the rocky mountain region, Box Canyon’s owners decided it was in their guests’ best interest to create as inhospitable an atmosphere as possible for the bugs. Karen Avery, co-owner of Box Canyon, began researching different products after reading about hotels in the region battling infestations. “We felt it was not only necessary for our guests,” said Avery, “but was also a legitimate business expense. If...

BOSTON—The Seaport Hotel announced the implementation of an innovative, chlorine-reducing water treatment system to its indoor pool, making Seaport the first hotel in the United States to utilize this green technology. “At Seaport, we believe in providing guests with a safe and healthy, luxury experience while minimizing our impact on the environment,” said Matthew V. Moore, Seaport director of rooms and environmental programs. “With that in mind, the latest addition to our property’s extensive green program will reduce our use of chemicals and provide a superior pool experience.” Indoor pools, such as Seaport’s, especially benefit from this system provided by Grander...

DAVIE, FLA.—With both the environment and the economy weighing heavily on most hotel owner/operators today, the timing is ideal for the introduction of a new air-conditioning process that not only eliminates wasted energy usage but also results in better indoor air quality. This treatment process is being introduced by ChemTron, an industry leader in providing energy efficiency. One of the best ideas for quick cost savings is cleaning and maintaining air conditioners. Air-conditioning represents 50 to 70 percent of a hotel’s total utility bill. ChemTron has been working for 20 years to perfect a cleaning process that makes money for...

NATIONAL REPORT—Here’s a riddle for you: They are hitchhikers you would never want to pick up. To them, we look like Big Macs on stilts. If they reproduced as fast as rabbits, we would all be better off. What are they? Bedbugs. They are spreading like wildfire across the country, with hot spots in New York City and states such as Florida, Texas and Ohio. They are also living large in the Southwest. One motel owner in New Mexico is paying $63,000 to get rid of them. How bad is it in New York? Last year, there were almost...