WASHINGTON, D.C.—In January 2013, Green Seal announced the publication of GS-51, a new standard designed to address the lifecycle impacts of laundry care products used in institutional and industrial settings.This standard covers more than 20 product categories for conventional laundry and dry cleaning, including detergents, prewash products, spot removers, laundry additives, fabric care products, and more. According to Linda Chipperfield, vice president of marketing and communications for Green Seal, GS-51 represents a comprehensive benchmark for sustainable laundry care products.“It also provides manufacturers the opportunity to be recognized as leaders in the industry, and allows purchasers to identify safer,...

DURHAM, N.C.—Graduate students from the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University have teamed up with the National Restaurant Association to examine how best to deploy a zero-waste program for restaurateurs in Durham, N.C.The students, all enrolled in the university’s public policy master’s degree program, have taken on the assignment as a three-month-long consulting project that calls for analytical research and recommendations on implementation of a zero-waste program. They also will explore the challenges and barriers business operators face regarding adoption of zero-waste initiatives.“The Duke team is helping us review and analyze how best to develop a zero-waste...

MONROE, WIS.—Arthur Bartsch, owner of Wisconsin’s Super 8 of Monroe, has spent the last 15 years trying to figure out how to remove inefficiencies from his 54-room property in Monroe, Wis. He is way past the “low hanging fruit” and well on his way to running one of the greenest lodging establishments in Wisconsin and possibly even the entire United States. The Energy Star rating for the Super 8 of Monroe in 2012, the first year he ran his numbers in the Energy Star Portfolio manager? A 95. That means the hotel, from an energy efficiency standpoint, has been...

CHICAGO—Anthony Bourdain, best known for his Emmy Award-winning series “No Reservations” and new programs “The Taste” (ABC) and “Parts Unknown” (CNN), will play a prominent role at the 2013 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show and International Wine, Spirits & Beer Event (IWSB). He will deliver a special feature presentation, sign his latest books, and host the third annual Restaurants Rock industry celebration, the official after-party of the NRA Show and IWSB. NRA Show 2013 will be held May 18 to 21 at Chicago’s McCormick Place.As the celebrity host of Restaurants Rock, Bourdain will judge the action-packed IWSB Star...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart announced that its new Energy Star qualified Advansys LXeR high-temperature undercounter warewasher is the recipient of a Kitchen Innovations 2013 award presented by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show. The KI Awards recognize and celebrate cutting-edge equipment and supplies that specifically improve the back of the house and benefit foodservice operators.“We designed the Advansys LXeR from the ground up to support best-in-class wash performance with significant energy- and water-saving capabilities,” said Sarah Puls, business unit manager, Hobart Warewash. “The LXeR features Energy Recovery, which not only saves energy but also significantly reduces the amount of...

WETHERSFIELD, CONN.—Waste to Water LLC, manufacturer of the Made in USA Bio-EZ family of food decomposition machines, announced the addition of two new sales representative organizations to their rapidly growing international sales team. Waste to Water now has sale agents deployed in 22 states and four countries. Acosta Cornerstone is now responsible for sales in the states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. Kv41 LLC is managing sales in the states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming.Bio-EZ is a USA manufactured machine that decomposes up to 2,000 pounds...

LAS VEGAS—To promote healthy living among its employees and the communities in which it operates and beyond, MGM Resorts International has introduced a healthy eating mobile application that is free of cost and available to the public. The app, “Healthy Eating. Healthy You,” has already reached a major milestone of 7,500 downloads since being launched in September 2012 and is consistently growing at an average rate of 50 downloads per day.“The healthy eating initiative and app is part of our commitment to being a leading corporate responsible organization and to expand our healthy living initiative beyond MGM Resorts to...

MENOMONEE FALLS, WIS.—After introducing the new 4.10 ESi CT Express Combitherm in May of 2012, Alto-Shaam has re-launched this product with the additional features of an integrated catalytic converter, toasting/finishing element and smoking abilities. The new features were debuted at the 2013 NAFEM Show in Orlando.With the integration of a 4.10 CCi catalytic converter that “scrubs” the airstream of normal grease-laden byproducts, the CT Express now has the versatility to be placed in areas without a hood.Going beyond the usual Combitherm technology, the CT Express can be used as a finishing oven; quickly and efficiently toasting sandwiches, breads and...

SAN LUIS OBISPO—ClearWater Tech has named Skip Mallios the new regional sales manager for the Eastern division. Mallios is a 30-year industry veteran who will be working with ClearWater distributors east of the Mississippi River on direct sales of EcoTex O3 ozone systems to commercial laundry accounts. Based in Columbia, S.C., Mallios began his career in the laundry business as a chemical sales territory manager for EcoLab. The majority of his time was spent with Texchine Inc., where he worked in several sales positions during two separate stints. He also was a regional sales manager for Cissell Dryer Corp., one...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Anyone attending The NAFEM Show from February 7 to 9 with the goal of greening up their kitchen would have found hundreds of ways to do so thanks to the innovations brought to the trade show floor by the more than 500 exhibitors in attendance. The North American Association of Food Equipment Manufacturers event, held every two years, attracted approximately 20,000 foodservice professionals to the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.Companies touted advancements in cooking, ventilation, water filtration, water recycling, water heating, cooking oil management, ice making, warewashing, food waste management, refrigeration, balers, and even vegetable, herb...