SEATTLE—Hotel Theodore, the next addition to Provenance Hotels’ award-winning collection of art-filled, independent lifestyle hotels, is now open and taking reservations for stays in Seattle. The 153-room hotel located at the intersection of Pine and 7th Streets in the heart of downtown pays tribute to the Seattle innovators, past and present, whose ideas revolutionized daily life in ways both big and small with a collection of photography, patent drawings and artifacts curated in collaboration with the city’s Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). Playful amenities and thoughtful programming at Hotel Theodore also reflect attention to the needs and desires of...

CHINO, CALIF.—Lollicup USA Inc. will halt all production on PS (polystyrene) hot cup lids starting the end of this year, and will only produce PP (polypropylene) hot cup lids. This unprecedented decision is based on Lollicup’s move towards producing products that are recyclable, compostable, and eco-friendly. “PP is more heat resistant than PS, more environmentally friendly, and leaves less of a carbon foot print,” said Lollicup’s founder and CEO Alan Yu. This decision could not be timelier, as the world’s largest coffee chain has recently switched their lids from PS to PP, and the PS lids are on the Plastics Ban...

OJAI, CALIF.—Ojai Valley Inn & Spa recently announced the arrival of an on property apiary and launch of an immersive beekeeping experience for guests. In partnership with Ojai Valley Bee Club, the resort’s beekeeping excursion began at the beginning of last month. With each excursion, guests receive an immersive, hands-on beekeeping experience. The outings include an educational journey, tour of the hives, and raw local honey tasting on the patio of the Inn’s new apiary set amidst a lavender and wildflower-studded meadow. “We’re thrilled to introduce this distinctive new program and offer an immersive beekeeping experience to our guests,” said Heather...

PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS, N.J.—Wyndham Worldwide Corp. has announced a global cage-free policy for all of its hotels’ and resorts’ supply chain. This policy is the result of exclusive conversations with The Humane League and members of its global coalition, Open Wing Alliance. The commitment will transition all the company’s 8,100 hotels to source 100 percent cage-free eggs by 2025. The move will impact locations in 66 different countries on six continents. Wyndham explained that in the current egg production system, most egg-laying hens are held in wire cages and given space about the size of an iPad on which to live their...

VISTA, CALIF.—One of the many ways commercial facilities are reducing water consumption is to use greywater. Greywater is referred to as “gently used” water coming from restroom sinks, kitchen sinks, showers, etc. These facilities are often “doubled plumbed,” with greywater going into storage tanks and water from toilets and urinals discharged into sewer systems. While some greywater may look discolored, even “dirty,” it is usually safe, even beneficial to use to irrigate vegetation, even though it should not be used for human consumption. Because facilities that are landscaped often use more water for vegetation than anywhere else, if water can be reused...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Sustainable Gardens 2gether (SG2) as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. SG2 is an innovative design and manufacturing company producing organic food growing systems for individuals, families, restaurants, communities, etc. SG2 recently launched its unique new Chefs Garden or Chefs Choice microgreen growing systems for restaurants. These allow chefs to grow fresh high-quality microgreens in their specialized environmentally controlled cooler right in their own kitchens. The new Herb Tower Garden allows chefs to grow specialty culinary herbs in house. With these systems the chef(s) have their...

I attended the recent Florida Restaurant & Lodging Expo in Orlando. There were about 450 suppliers there. The event has got to be one of the largest state-level hospitality trade shows in the country. Be sure to read my article about the event. Before I continue about the trade show, allow me to backtrack more than five years to when Best Western rolled out its “I Care Clean” program. For those of you who are not familiar with it, it involved the use of UV wands and black lights in the cleaning of guestrooms and common areas. The UV wands...

ORLANDO—The 2017 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Expo wrapped up last week at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Among the 450 suppliers were companies offering new innovations to help you clean better, save energy, reduce waste and grow food more locally. Be sure to follow the links included here to learn more about the entrepreneurs and their inventions. Sustainable Gardens 2gether launched its unique new Chefs Choice and Chefs Garden microgreen growing systems for restaurants. The Chefs Choice system allows chefs to grow fresh high-quality microgreens in a specialized environmentally controlled cooler right in their own kitchens. The new Herb...

GLENVIEW, ILL.—For the 17th consecutive year, ITW Food Equipment Group products have been recognized by foodservice operators, consultants and dealers as the industry’s category leaders. Foodservice Equipment & Supplies (FE&S) magazine’s annual Best in Class Awards once again recognize Hobart, Traulsen and Vulcan for outstanding equipment quality and performance. Winners of Best in Class Awards are acknowledged for manufacturing what industry leaders distinguish as the best food and kitchen equipment products. “Being recognized ‘Best in Class’ by our peers in the foodservice and food retail industry who supply, specify and operate our equipment is an honor,” said Lei Schlitz, Executive Vice...

PHILADELPHIA—As a responsible participant in the world’s seafood supply chain, Aramark, a global provider of dining solutions to businesses, schools, universities, hospitals and stadiums, is making significant progress toward its 2018 commitment to purchase 100 percent of its U.S. contracted seafood from sources that meet Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program recommendations. Today, 90 percent of the company’s frozen finfish and 100 percent of canned tuna purchases meet the Seafood Watch recommendations and by the end of 2018, the company expects to have transitioned all salmon and shrimp products to Seafood Watch “Best Choice” and “Good Alternative” categories. “Responsible and...