ODESSA, FLA. & SINGAPORE—Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, and Greenview, a leader in advancing hotel sustainability, have released the Green Lodging Trends Report 2016. The report details the results of the first annual Green Lodging Survey conducted earlier this year and is available at no cost by clicking here. The report is based on data from more than 2,000 hotels in 44 countries and covers topics ranging from air quality to energy management to staff involvement. The report includes results of more than 100 questions asked in 11 categories. Supporters of this year’s survey include The Arbor...

MUSANDAM, OMAN—Six Senses Zighy Bay is taking the message of sustainability one step further, with a Farm to Table concept, that allows hotel guests to experience the freshest of produce direct from the resort’s own on-site organic garden and organic farm in nearby Dibba. Proud of its own organic farm and garden, the resort takes an environmentally responsible approach to culinary innovations, which includes bringing fresh ingredients straight to the table, so guests can enjoy a flavorsome epicurean experience from organic, locally grown food. Playing host to over 30 different types of herbs and vegetables, the resort’s culinary and spa...

SAN FRANCISCO—Last week, General Manager Clif Clark of the San Francisco Airport Marriott Waterfront drove a truckload of pumpkins to the San Francisco Zoo for animals to enjoy as a nutritious Thanksgiving treat. Lions, giraffes, grizzly bears, rhinos, hippos and mandrills are just a few of the species that feasted on the pumpkins. Most hotels install their holiday decorations the day before or after Thanksgiving. This practice leads many pumpkins, the former stars of festive fall displays, straight to landfill. In 2013, Clark began the tradition of donating the pumpkins to the San Francisco Zoo in an effort to reduce...

RIPON, WIS.—UniMac, a leading provider of on-premises laundry (OPL) equipment, has named Southeastern Laundry Equipment as its 2015 Distributor of the Year. The Marietta, Ga.-based distributor is being recognized for the support the company provides its customers, strong sales achievements and commitment to educating customers through seminars and training. “Southeastern Laundry Equipment has been a UniMac partner for decades and has proven time and again that the company is dedicated to providing the highest quality service to its customers,” said Bill Brooks, UniMac North American Sales Manager. “This high standard of service has translated directly into an impressive sales performance....

NOONU ATOLL, MALDIVES—The Soneva Jani has opened in the Noonu Atoll, Maldives. The resort is built around the 150-acre island of Medhufaru, and surrounded by four other untouched islands within the lagoon. The resort comprises 18 units of one-bedroom water villas, four two-bedroom water villas, one three-bedroom and one four-bedroom water villa, as well as a four-bedroom island villa. At more than 410 square meters, the one bedroom villas are the largest entry-level villas in the Indian Ocean. While being a luxury resort, Soneva Jani’s eco-credentials strongly reflect the brand’s “intelligent luxury” ethos, with fresh organic produce grown in farms...

LANCASTER, PA.—Somat Co. recently announced the addition of a cold weather option, available on the Somat DH-100 Dehydrator system. Used to reduce the volume and weight of food waste and compostable disposables by a ratio of 8 to 1, the DH-100 Dehydrator can now be located and operated in environments where temperatures can fall as low as 15 degrees Fahrenheit. “Our dehydrators are sold globally to a variety of segments including universities, hospitals, hotels, casinos and correctional facilities,” said Doug Cole, Business Development Manager for Somat Co. “On occasion, operators elect to place our equipment near the loading dock or...

RESTON, VA.—Being environmentally friendly is a growing trend, and the Westin Reston Heights walks the walk, taking home the 2016 Green Travel Leader Award. The award was given by the Commonwealth of Virginia’s travel arm, the Virginia Tourism Corp. Located just outside of Washington, D.C., the hotel is managed by Crescent Hotels & Resorts, an operator of over 100 hotels throughout North America, including 14 in the Washington, D.C. area. “We are so proud to have won this award among the countless hotels in the state of Virginia,” said Don Anderson, Complex General Manager, who oversees the hotel and the adjacent Sheraton...

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—In 2006 when honey bee colonies started disappearing, later dubbed “Colony Collapse Disorder,” beekeepers and non-beekeepers alike became very concerned. After all, one in every three bites of food we eat is courtesy of insect pollination. Equally important, 85 percent of flowering plants and trees rely on pollinators for the survival of their species. While less is known about native bees and other pollinators, we do know that entire species are disappearing at alarming rates as they battle most of the same enemies as honey bees—loss of habitat essential for food and shelter, inappropriate pesticide use, diseases, and...

ITHACA, N.Y.—Food waste is a major issue for hospitality industry purveyors, both in terms of the cost of wasted food and the environmental consequences of tossing out tons of food. By one estimate, about one-quarter of food prepared in the United States is wasted. A new report from the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) is aimed at helping hotels and restaurants control their post-consumer food waste. The tool, “FRESH: A Food-service Sustainability Rating for Hospitality Sector Events,” by Sanaa I. Pirani, Hassan A. Arafat, and Gary M. Thompson, is available from CHR at no charge. It presents six areas where...

NATIONAL REPORT—Paper or cloth? That is the “napkin” question that is answered in restaurant and other foodservice situations millions of times each day around the world. How that question is answered can have a sizeable impact on the environment and the volume of waste exiting a hotel. Not surprisingly, experts come down on both sides of the issue but most give cloth napkins the edge from a “green” standpoint. Also, as has been discovered time and time again by hoteliers, the kind of napkin presented can significantly impact the guest experience. Several years ago, Milliken & Company, a producer of...