NEW YORK—The Coca-Cola Company announced that it has installed its 1 millionth hydrofluorocarbon (HFC)-free cooler using natural refrigerant in the marketplace, preventing the emission of 5.25 million metric tons of CO2 over 10 years. This milestone marks significant progress in the company’s effort to phase out the use of HFC refrigerant—a well-known contributor to climate change—in Coca-Cola dispensers, vending machines and coolers globally. Together with its bottling partners, the Coca-Cola system has established a goal that all new cold-drink equipment will be HFC-free by 2015. Achieving this goal will prevent the emission of more than 50 million metric tons...

NATIONAL REPORT—Almost exactly a year ago, McDonald’s USA announced it would become the first national restaurant chain to adopt the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue ecolabel on its fish packaging in restaurants in the United States. McDonald’s made a similar commitment in Europe in 2011. McDonald’s decision has had significant impact on the fishing industry; more than 14,000 McDonald’s restaurants across the United States have met the MSC Chain of Custody standard for traceability, which is the ability to track the fish all the way back through the supply chain to the fishery.While what McDonald’s has done with its...

INWOOD, N.Y.—Your laundry staff is a busy bunch. Sorting loads, transferring them from washer to dryer and finally, finishing, folding and getting them shelved. Still, most days they find time to unknowingly dump a bucket of money in the trash. True, the bucket reference may be a bit dramatic, but chances are there is an activity going on in your laundry that is costing the operation money—human error. Managers employ a variety of tactics to help prevent human error. They focus on bringing in quality employees and spend ample time training them. But short of constant supervision, which, let’s face it,...

TAMPA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Tampa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added an Electrolux Professional Laundry Equipment Case Study to its website. The case study details the Hilton Concord’s recent installation of new Electrolux Professional washers and dryers. Roseville, Calif-based A2Z Laundry Systems spearheaded the installation of the equipment at the 329-room hotel. Lead consultant on the Hilton Concord’s overall sustainability efforts is Charles Smith, CEO of Hotel Sustainability Solutions Inc. (HSSI).As HSSI began the task of evaluating options, key factors considered were the efficiency of the equipment, availability of rebates or incentives, distributor/manufacturer service and support, and...

MANKATO, MINN.—All that’s left is the waiting for the official plaque from the U.S. Green Building Council. When it arrives the Courtyard Mankato Minnesota will become the first hotel in the Gopher State to receive LEED certification. Considering all of the property’s green features, the honor will be well deserved. The 93-room property, about a year old, is owned by Mercury Investments L.P. Preston Lougheed is the general manager.“As far as we know we are the first Marriott in the United States to have solar panels,” Lougheed says. “It was a big investment.” The 40 kW, 192 panel system...

TROY, OHIO—The Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS), a nonprofit, industry-wide forum supporting the foodservice industry’s drive for sustainable equipment and design, is currently accepting applications for its annual $5,000 sustainability grant. The 2013 HCFS grant recipient was Duluth Grill in Duluth, Minn. The grant, now in its seventh year, is awarded to the individual or organization judged to have the best-executed foodservice or grocery sustainability project of the year. Applications must be received by 5 p.m. ET on February 28, 2014, and the recipient will be announced in mid-April. The grant application form as well as rules and conditions...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—In celebration of the Fairmont San Jose hotel’s newly renovated on-premise laundry, the hotel’s leadership hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this year, complete with a special cake—a model of one of the new Milnor washer-extractors. Attending the ribbon cutting were the Fairmont’s General Manager, Kelley Cosgrove, Executive Laundry Manager, Jason Lustbader, and Chief Engineer, Larry Wick, along with the hotel’s laundry staff and representatives from the commercial laundry experts, Western State Design (WSD). To cap off the celebration, the hotel’s pastry chef surprised guests with a cake for the ceremony, which was a detailed replica of one...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Planglow USA as a founding sponsor. Planglow USA supplies a range of branded eco food boxes, cups and containers for “grab and go” markets. Along with unique labels and proprietary labeling software “LabelLogic” and “NutriLogic”, clients can personalize their branded product identity.Founded in the United Kingdom, Planglow has been supporting foodservice operators around the globe for more than 25 years. In 2012 the company introduced a plant-based bio laminate to many of its food containers. Planglow is the only company to offer items lined with this material...

VERNON HILLS, ILL.—Scotsman Ice Systems announced the availability of the Essential line of ice machines, a quality compact line manufactured in Scotsman Ice System’s award-winning facility in Fairfax, S.C., to best suit the needs of those in the under-100-lb cuber market.“We are excited to announce the Essential line of undercounter cubers to the marketplace,” says Jeff Biel, director of marketing at Scotsman Ice Systems. “Our customers asked for a basic, under-100-lb cuber to suit lower ice production operations, and we are happy to meet that need.”The dimensions of the line are 15" or 20" wide, 38" tall, 24" deep...

WINTER PARK, FLA.—Ask Executive Chef J. Christopher Windus of Hamilton’s Kitchen at The Alfond Inn to define his culinary style and he’ll use the phrase “refined rustic.”What that means, clarifies Chef Windus, is that, “I'm taking comfort food and trying to refine it a little bit. The dishes may seem simple but there are a lot of things going on to layer the flavors.”His efforts in the kitchen of the three-month-old restaurant have quickly earned him the title of “Best New Chef” in the Silver Spoon Awards from Orlando Magazine. At Hamilton’s Kitchen, Chef Windus works against a dining...