DALLAS—Voltea, the global leader in electro-desalination water treatment technology, is seeing strong interest from hotels, restaurants and cafes in its new, point-of-use DiUse system for coffee, fountain drink and drinking water applications. With DiUse, incoming water is “tuned” to the ideal salinity to match the application, and remains perfectly tuned even through variations in incoming water characteristics. DiUse is considered point-of-use because the system is installed at the point where the water source is connected to the equipment. “Even municipal water quality varies, so the ability to deliver water that is pure with a consistently tuned taste profile regardless of these...

BANGKOK—Building on the success of the UN’s International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development (IY2017) initiative and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PATA, along with its project partner, Scholars of Sustenance (Thai-SOS) and knowledge partner Futouris, is launching the BUFFET Campaign to raise awareness of food waste in the tourism industry to drive positive change. The BUFFET (Building an Understanding For Food Excess in Tourism) Initiative is about bringing together a coalition of industry partners and PATA members to create and implement a campaign that challenges the industry, particularly the hospitality sector, to reduce food waste to landfill. PATA CEO Dr. Mario...

Name: Laura Abshire Title: Director of Sustainability Policy and Government Affairs Organization/Location: National Restaurant Assn./Washington D.C. Years in Position: 5+ years Primary Responsibilities: “I view my role as someone who is increasing education around sustainability—monitoring everything around the sustainability space and how it impacts our members.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “The NRA has done a lot of work linking sustainability efforts with restaurateurs and their daily operations. Raising awareness and inspiring action has been a very big accomplishment.” Organization’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “There is so much more work to be done to educate members on sustainability. The lack of infrastructure for...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Pürlin to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Linens & Towels category. Through its integrated closed-loop, recycling system Pürlin’s laundry-free linens satisfy the hospitality industry’s need to provide safe clean linens while protecting the environment. Pürlin allows guests to rest comfortably knowing that they’re the only ones to ever sleep on Pürlin’s soft, hypoallergenic, single use sheets. Utilizing the same man-made micro-fiber technology safely used in baby diapers and personal hygiene products for over 30 years, Pürlin simulates cotton without the use of dyes, pesticides,...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes BD Imports to its Green Product & Service Directory in the Coffee/Teas/Single Serve category. BD Imports was founded in 1999 and serves as an award-winning importer and marketer of exceptional quality specialty coffees to the hospitality industry. The company believes in creating global relationships with partners who share in the belief that quality and social responsibility go together. BD Imports works directly with the communities that grows its coffees to ensure quality and sustainability. Call (877) 398-4298 or info@bdimports.com for more information.

ORLANDO, FLA.—Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. continues the fight to end hunger by donating more than 101,000 pounds of food as a result of their global food drive, Harvest for Hunger. From November 1 through 30, non-perishable food items were donated by associates, owners and guests at participating Marriott Vacation Club resorts and at Marriott Vacations Worldwide offices around the world. All donations benefitted local food banks near the resorts and offices. These efforts were in addition to the initiative associates from around the globe came together for back in September to help their fellow associates at Marriott’s Frenchman’s Cove located...

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.—GreenTree Hospitality Group, Inc., one of the world’s largest hotel brands globally, with over 2,600 hotels worldwide, announced its partnership with San Francisco Bay Coffee Company, bringing eco-friendly, compostable coffee pods for in-room use in its GreenTree Inn & Suites properties. In continuing with the GreenTree Inn brand commitment to its sustainability practices within the communities and guests it serves, all GreenTree Inn & Suites hotels will feature the San Francisco Bay Coffee ‘No Waste’ OneCup single-serve pod. Each pod is sealed inside a compostable bag and a recyclable corrugated cardboard box. Both Fog Chaser regular and French Roast...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The National Restaurant Association recently released its annual survey of 700 professional chefs—members of the American Culinary Federation—to predict food and beverage trends at restaurants in the coming year. The annual “What’s Hot” list gives a peak into which food, beverages and culinary concepts will be the new items on restaurant menus that everyone is talking about in 2018. According to the survey, menu trends that will be heating up in 2018 include doughnuts with non-traditional filling, ethnic-inspired kids’ dishes, farm/estate-branded items, and heritage-breed meats. Trends that are cooling down include artisan cheeses, heirloom fruits and vegetables, and house-made charcuterie. Top 20 Food...

SAN FRANCISCO—Argonaut Hotel, an award-winning boutique hotel on San Francisco’s waterfront, announced it has been named an SF Green Business by the San Francisco Department of the Environment, as a result of its year-long efforts to implement comprehensive eco-friendly initiatives at the hotel and its popular Blue Mermaid Restaurant & Bar. Located in the historic Haslett Warehouse in the heart of the San Francisco Maritime National Park, the Argonaut is one of the most iconic San Francisco hotels leading the charge on sustainable hospitality, to preserve and protect the building and its environment. Originally built as a 200,000 square foot...

PUNTA GORDA, BELIZE—California-based Belcampo Inc. has recently re-imagined its eco-resort in Southern Belize as Copal Tree Lodge. As part of the rebranding, the lodge has partnered with a new farm-to-flask initiative: Copal Tree Distillery, located adjacent to the hotel. Copal Tree Distillery is an initiative to support sustainable agriculture causes in Southern Belize via producing and selling premium organic spirits. As part of this re-brand from Belcampo Belize to Copal Tree Lodge, Muy’Ono Hospitality will provide resort management services to the lodge. The intimate resort, situated within the tropical canopy of Punta Gorda, provides luxury accommodations to those seeking a...