COLUMBUS, OHIO—The Ohio Hotel & Lodging Assn. (OH&LA) held its annual conference on Monday, November 19 in Columbus. Approximately 400 attendees met at the Hilton Columbus at Easton to learn about green industry trends and how to simultaneously save energy, water and improve profitability. The theme for the event was “Lodging Forecast: Green” and featured speakers including Joe McInerney, president and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AH&LA), and Chris Lane, v.p. environmental affairs for Xanterra Parks & Resorts. McInerney was the keynote speaker during the luncheon. He commended OH&LA for its focus on environmental issues and...

NEW YORK—The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show may have seen its greenest collection of products in its history, as this year’s collection of exhibitors featured everything from towels with organic cotton and bamboo blends to touch-activated faucet systems that allow one to choose hot, warm or cold water with the touch of a button. Environmental concern was evident in exhibitor booth marketing as well, as vendors used green themes to catch attendees’ attention. The following are just some of the product announcement highlights from the show this past week. HD Supply rolled out its ideallygreen campaign, which emphasizes the environmental...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Hilton Garden Inn, the award-winning mid-priced hotel brand, announced the introduction of the ecotainer, an environmentally friendly coffee cup, in more than 340 locations across North America. Developed by International Paper, the cup is the only all-natural hot beverage paper cup available that is coated with a corn-based plastic that requires less energy and generates less greenhouse gas during manufacturing. The corn-based coating also allows the cups to be composted, rather than landfilled. Features of the ecotainer: • Made from fully renewable resources. • Compostable in municipal and commercial composting systems. • Requires less energy to produce. • Certified by the Biodegradable Products...

RIPON, WISC.—With its new IWF series of washer-extractors, IPSO continues to produce not only high-quality equipment, but machines that take a more environmentally friendly approach to laundry. This new energy- and water-efficient line includes 14-, 18-, 25-, 30-, 40-, 55- and 75-pound models. “We couldn’t be more excited about the IWF series and what it brings to the market,” says Dan Bowe, North American sales manager of IPSO USA. “From high-speed G-force extraction to inverter drives, these IWF models can help on-premises laundries save money. Best of all, laundries that add the washer-extractors are adopting a greener approach to operations.” The...

CHICAGO—For hotel developers in search of everything necessary to build smart, high performance buildings, Greenbuild was the place to be this week. Approximately 850 vendors offering everything from environmentally friendly cinder block to roofing materials to carpeting were on hand. The event, sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, was held here in Chicago at McCormick Place. Here are just a few of the vendor announcement highlights: • As a part of its continued commitment to sustainable practices, Osram Sylvania announced its participation in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program. By participating in Climate Leaders, Sylvania has pledged...

CHICAGO—The Hobart Center for Foodservice Sustainability (HCFS) awarded Dickinson College a $5,000 grant for having the most innovative and best-executed foodservice sustainability project of the year. Dickinson College, a liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pa., was judged as having the best sustainability program from among numerous entrants nationwide, which included educational institutions, foodservice establishments and healthcare facilities. The grant was presented to Keith Martin, Dickinson College’s director of dining services, by the four HCFS fellows during the 2007 Greenbuild Expo in Chicago. “While all of the grant entry submissions showed remarkable sustainability initiatives, Dickinson College stood above the rest...

TRYON, N.C.—Ozone Water Technologies, Inc. announced that its president and founder, Jim Gross, will be participating in an exclusive four-member panel to discuss various green initiative topics. He was invited by The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd., the largest global luxury hotel brand, and Sustainable Travel International (STI), a nonprofit organization specializing in sustainable tourism development, to attend their annual convention in Monte Carlo, Monaco from November 15 to 18. The Leading Hotels of the World, Ltd. and STI recently launched the Leading Green Initiative where guests are able to make a conscious decision toward greener travel by actively...

NEW PORT RICHEY, FLA.—The Foodservice Consultants Society International named Enodis as the Education Provider of the Year during its annual awards ceremony during the North American Foodservice Manufacturers Association (NAFEM) Show in Atlanta. The award was presented to Enodis, a global leader in foodservice equipment manufacturing, for its accredited training program, “Energy Saving Technology in Foodservice,” designed specifically for consultants. The training is offered several times each year at the Enodis Technology Center in Tampa, Fla. Consultants are presented with a one-day overview of the green trends driving kitchen innovation today and the ways in which different categories of equipment...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—SmartCube, the next generation minibar released in 2006, has replaced AutoClassic as the No. 1 fully automated minibar in the U.S. hotel market. Over the past 12 years, Minibar Systems has installed thousands of the AutoClassic line of automated minibars throughout North America. As the co-designer of the AutoClassic, Minibar Systems will continue to support all hotels with AutoClassic for the next several years and advises hotels that have the AutoClassic system to call 1-877-464-6422 for immediate technical, operational and spare parts support. Smartcube, a ground-breaking next-generation product from Minibar Systems, combines cutting edge technology, upgradeability, eco-friendly materials, upscale...

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts Inc. announced it will be providing Good Food on a Grand Scale by serving natural, hormone-free meats and poultry and organic dairy products in casual on-mountain restaurants at its five resorts of Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado and Heavenly in California and Nevada beginning the 2007-2008 ski season. The company believes Vail Resorts will serve more meals made with natural meats and certified organic dairy products each year than any other restaurant operator in North America and that the effort will be the largest undertaking to offer these products in the travel industry. To...