ORLANDO, FLA.—Clean the World, the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, has expanded to Asia. The organization’s new soap recycling facility in Hong Kong provides an essential service to a region quickly running out of landfill space. It is projected to divert 110 tons of soap from landfills in the first year.This is the first operations center outside North America for Clean the World, a social enterprise committed to saving lives around the world by collecting and recycling soap and shampoo products discarded by the hospitality industry. Nearly 2,000 hotels across North America currently participate in the program. Since...

NORWALK, CONN.—The Department of Energy recognized HEI Hotels & Resorts late last month for its continued success and leadership as a participant in the Better Buildings Challenge, announcing the company is on track to meet goals of reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency. Since baseline year 2008, HEI Hotels & Resorts has reduced energy usage by 9 percent across more than 10 million square feet.The company’s participation in the Better Buildings Challenge underscores the company’s commitment to energy conservation and its leadership in environmental stewardship. “We continue to be proud of our environmental and energy conservation record,” said...

NEWPORT NEWS, VA.—The Magnuson Hotel & Convention Center at Oyster Point, a JSK Motel Management property, celebrated the grand opening of its new restaurant and bar, Green House. It features modern American cuisine with an emphasis on the finest, seasonal ingredients from local farmers. The restaurant supports several local food sources, including Rain or Shine Greenhouse Gardens, Oliver Farms Produce, Whitener Farms, Dave and Dee’s Mushrooms, and Sam Rust Seafood, Inc.“Green House is a great addition to our current hotel model and will fit well with the development initiatives planned for the near future,” said Ray Patel, president, JSK...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed two rules to help protect Americans from exposure to the harmful chemical formaldehyde, consistent with a Federal law unanimously passed by Congress in 2010. These rules ensure that composite wood products produced domestically or imported into the United States meet the formaldehyde emission standards established by Congress. Formaldehyde is used in adhesives to make a wide range of building materials and products. Exposure to formaldehyde can cause adverse public health effects including eye, nose and throat irritation, other respiratory symptoms and, in certain cases, cancer.“The proposed regulations announced today reflect...

OQUNQUIT, MAINE—A year after installing one of Maine’s largest solar thermal projects, The Cliff House Resort & Spa reports saving 20,000 gallons of propane, 82 percent more than originally projected. Owner Kathryn Weare anticipated saving 11,000 gallons of propane based on equipment specifications and is pleased with the nearly double first-year results. Located on a cliff abutting the Atlantic Ocean, the resort’s solar panels productivity benefits from the reflective surface of the water.The installation comprising 2,100 tubes on 70 collectors was initially estimated to provide solar-heated water for the 32 guestrooms in Cliff Spa, the spa building along with...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—The Courtyard Nashville Downtown is anything but a garden-variety hotel. The century-old high-rise in the heart of Music City boasts a completely reimagined lobby with cozy sitting areas and state-of-the-art technology. But what’s on the roof three floors up makes it truly unique among other hotels in downtown Nashville. A new rooftop garden planted in early April is just about ready to bear its first bounty—something that will be music to the ears of diners at The Bistro—Eat. Drink. Connect.General manager Dennis Barber originally pitched the idea of growing basil, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, parsley, jalapeno and cayenne peppers...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—According to a new global analysis led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and other scientists, shark watching is a major economic driver for dozens of countries, generating $314 million annually. Citing the study’s projections that shark-related tourism could more than double within 20 years, generating more than $780 million annually, The Pew Charitable Trusts is calling for greater protections for sharks through the designation of sanctuaries around the world.Shark-related tourism is a growing business worldwide, with established operations in at least 83 locations in 29 countries. Although places such as South Africa, the United States,...

BUFFALO, N.Y.—The 120-suite TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Buffalo, N.Y., is scheduled to open Tuesday, June 11. The TownePlace Suites Buffalo Airport will operate as a Marriott franchise managed by Buffalo Lodging Associates of Buffalo, N.Y. The hotel will be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified for its contributions in making the environment a healthier place by reducing waste and conserving energy and water. It is the latest TownePlace Suites to receive this certification.Located directly across from the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport and 15 minutes from downtown, the Courtyard Buffalo Airport offers guests convenient access to the Walden...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Last week more than 2,000 hotel general managers representing Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, SpringHill Suites by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott convened at the Orlando Marriott World Center. In addition to receiving training and going through team building exercises, all participants volunteered for service projects that have been adopted by each brand. On June 1, the conference keynote speaker was former President Bill Clinton, whose Clinton Global Initiative tackles many of the same global issues addressed by the Marriott brands.“Marriott has a decades-long commitment to serve our world,”...

LONDON—More than 15,000 hotels around the world have so far adopted the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative (HCMI) methodology that allows them, for the first time, to calculate and communicate the carbon footprint of hotel stays and meetings in a consistent and transparent way.This huge achievement is the result of months of hard work by the working group of International Tourism Partnership (ITP), the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and 23 leading global hospitality companies to roll out the methodology to their properties and to communicate the initiative to a wide range of stakeholders—including industry associations, certification bodies and...