NATIONAL REPORT—For guests staying multiple nights at a hotel, the ubiquitous towel/linen reuse program has been an effective way to keep towels out of the laundry. According to the 2018 Lodging Survey, 95 percent of lodging establishments now offer the program. Yet another way to prolong a towel’s trip to the laundry is to offer a heated towel rack in the guestroom bathroom. According to Amba Products, utilized in Europe for decades due to their energy efficiency, heated towel racks use much less energy than a standard dryer (about the same amount of electricity as a few light bulbs)....

LONDON—Winnow, the technology company behind Winnow Vision, the artificial intelligence tool helping chefs cut food waste in half, is announcing the completion of its series B round of funding at a total of $12 million. This follows a recent $8 million loan from The European Investment Bank (EIB), with the help of the Juncker Plan, which focuses on boosting investment to generate jobs and growth. The company, with U.S. offices located in Iowa City, has recently made headlines in the country, having been selected as a food waste innovator and recipient of the Zero Hunger | Zero Waste Kroger Foundation...

SYOSSET, N.Y.—Emerald Brand has created the first USA made Tree-Free hot cup. The technology mimics many of the newest rollouts by Emerald Brand utilizing their newest technology in Tree-Free, non-virgin or recycled traditional tree pulp. Traditional virgin and recycled pulp have and will continue to contribute to the deforestation and climate change epidemic. Not only will deforestation impact the lives of the species that live there, but it is also impacting the lives of humans. Trees are disappearing at an alarming rate due to deforestation. According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, an estimated 18 million acres (7.3...

CHESTNUT RIDGE, N.Y.—BioHiTech Global, Inc., a technology and services company that provides cost-effective and sustainable waste management solutions, announced that it has received orders for 20 of its Revolution Series Digesters for delivery to several leading international hospitality companies, including two new end-customers. The orders consist of several direct sales as well as rental contracts. The company has already shipped six units and expects to complete delivery of the remaining units in the fourth quarter. The digesters will be installed in hotel and hospitality locations in both Europe and the United States. The company sees significant opportunity for additional unit...

HOLLAND, MICH.—Boxed Water Is Better announced the launch of Boxed Matcha in collaboration with mission-driven tea importer Art of Tea. The bundle includes a 24-pack of 500 mL Boxed Water and 24 Art of Tea Matchasticks, an organic ceremonial grade blend of three Japanese green tea varietals. Simply pour, shake and go. For each product sold, Boxed Water and Art of Tea will plant 24 trees in U.S. National Forests with the National Forest Foundation (NFF). “At Boxed Water, we’re always looking for brands who share our Better Planet ethos,” said Boxed Water Chief Marketing Officer Rob Koenen. “With Art of...

SARDÓN DE DUERO, SPAIN—Abadía Retuerta LeDomaine is channeling its historic roots—and providing guests with the ultimate locally sourced, organic and flavorful produce in the property’s restaurants—with the creation of a large vegetable garden adopting the sustainable techniques and methods used by the abbey’s original monk inhabitants in the 12th century. The location between the abbey and the river is not only ideal because of the fertile soil and abundance of water, but is the very spot where the monks had their vegetable garden almost 900 years ago. More than 90 vegetable varieties, including 10 different types of tomato, are currently...

BOULDER, COLO.—​EcoVessel, a leading manufacturer of eco-friendly, reusable drinkware, announced that, as of Oct. 1, 2019, they are now a member of 1% For the Planet. Through this partnership, EcoVessel pledges to donate 1% of all sales to support environmentally focused, nonprofit organizations around the globe. This partnership is a natural fit for the company who, since their inception, have been on a mission to reduce single-use plastics worldwide. This partnership allows them to advance their mission by connecting with the 1% For the Planet’s organizations and partners, all working towards a single cause of bettering the planet. “We are constantly looking...

NEW YORK—HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York (BDNY) are just a month away. Both events will be held concurrently at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City from November 10 to 11. Under the ownership of Emerald Expositions this year, the two shows will together feature hundreds of exhibitors—many of which will be offering products to green up your property’s design and operations. Products available will range from Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee to bicycles to wallcoverings. In addition to the trade shows, HX and BDNY will both offer education sessions. Enhanced by a new partnership...

ORLANDO, FLA.—In conjunction with International Coastal Cleanup Day, Wyndham Destinations, the world’s largest vacation ownership and exchange company, announced it would eliminate plastic straws and other single-use plastic from food and beverage operations at its timeshare resorts around the world. To support the company’s environmental sustainability initiatives, Wyndham Destinations’ vacation club resorts plan to remove single-use plastic straws starting October 1, 2019. The effort will eliminate more than 750,000 single-use plastic straws in North America alone and 1.1 million across the globe. Earlier this year, the company’s Asia Pacific resorts removed disposable straws from 33 managed resorts. “The switch to biodegradable...

LightBlue Environmental Consulting (LBEC) and Travel Without Plastic (TWP) have joined forces to tackle the two single biggest waste streams in hotels—food waste and single use plastic. Led by long-term sustainability professionals, both organizations originally set out with wider objectives in mind but narrowed down their focus into specific problem areas, guaranteeing the most robust possible service for hotels looking to tackle two of this decade’s increasingly important topics. Aware that solving one problem should not cause another, both organizations champion a reduction in overall waste and their respective recommendations to businesses ensure that the wider picture is considered before...