ORLANDO, FLA.—Ebola cases continue to rise “frighteningly quickly” in parts of Sierra Leone, according to a report from The Africa Governance Initiative (AGI). As transmission accelerates in some areas, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that hand washing frequently with soap and water is one of the best ways to protect against Ebola. Clean the World is supporting infection-control measures in West Africa by shipping 5 million bars of soap to the region.Operation Soap Blitz is a new Clean the World campaign with the goal of reducing the spread of viral diseases both overseas and in North...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation (AH&LEF), the not-for-profit affiliate of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), is awarding 104 hospitality scholarships to minority students. This total represents more than one-third of the 338 scholarships awarded by AH&LEF this year, which distributed approximately $558,000 through all of its scholarship programs. Two of the scholarship funds, offered by Hyatt Hotels and Resorts and JHM Hotels, are earmarked exclusively for minority hospitality students. These scholarship opportunities provide students with the freedom they need to build a brighter future for themselves and their families and to pursue additional career...

NEW YORK—Turks & Caicos has deepened its commitment to advancing renewable energy by joining the Carbon War Room’s Ten Island Challenge. The Premier of Turks and Caicos, The Honorable Doctor Rufus Ewing, and Carbon War Room’s Operations Director, Justin Locke, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, committing to work together to reduce the island’s dependence on fossil fuels through increased renewable energy production and improved energy efficiency.The Ten Island Challenge provides the Government of TCI the opportunity and platform to define and realize its own vision of a clean economy. In order to achieve this vision, the Carbon War Room,...

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—The ultimate holiday viewing experience will come to life at The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte this year, as a brilliantly colorful winter wonderland is set to occupy the entire hotel lobby level beginning Thanksgiving Day. Highlighted by a larger-than-life, often edible series of seven Holiday Sweet Scenes, the vibrantly walkable tour of every child’s holiday fantasies will feature the world’s largest croquembouche pastry tree standing eight feet in edible height; a 12-foot-tall holiday tree made of 8,000 hand-crafted French macarons; a whimsical 10-foot-tall gingerbread house offering its own charming clock tower; two glistening, eight-foot-tall upside-down trees suspended from the lobby...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Provenance Hotels, with six locations in Washington and Oregon, is raising the bar on sustainable travel by partnering with the experts in car sharing services and electric vehicle technology—Zipcar and Tesla Motors—to make it even easier and more affordable for guests to use alternative transportation when visiting the eco-conscious cities of Portland, Seattle and Tacoma.Provenance Hotels’ art-filled hotels are conveniently located downtown within steps of each city’s light rail routes, making them the perfect getaways for those who want to go car free. When guests who are Zipcar members need or want to venture further, Zipcar, the world’s...

ATLANTA—Registration is open for ASHRAE’s 2015 Winter Conference in Chicago where attendees have the chance to discuss and examine the latest topics in the building industry, network, participate in technical tours, attend ASHRAE Learning Institute courses, earn professional credits, and obtain ASHRAE certifications.The ASHRAE Conference will take place January 24 to 28 at the Palmer House Hilton, while the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo will be held January 26 to 28 at McCormick Place. Complete conference information and registration can be found at www.ashrae.org/chicago and Expo information at www.ahrexpo.com.In keeping with ASHRAE’s goal of continuing education, the conference offers over...

BANGKOK—Green tourism has become an important trend in recent years, with travelers and hospitality operators alike all doing their best to minimize the impact that tourism can have on the environment.Centara Grand Beach Resort &Villas Krabi, which is set directly on the beach in a small bay that can only be reached by boat or along a pathway through the national park that surrounds the resort is especially aware of its environmental responsibilities. Last year it was awarded EarthCheck Silver Certification for its environmental management programs.As part of the resort’s ongoing commitment towards environmental responsibilities, Centara Grand Krabi has...

OAKLAND, CALIF.—Toilets may not be a sexy subject, but now that the Oakland Marriott has upgraded its toilets, that upgrade will result in 2.1 million gallons in water savings per year. The water savings can supply the indoor water needs for 29 efficient East Bay households (made up of a family of four) for one year.On average, a hotel uses 100 to 200 gallons per day, per room. The Oakland Marriott is quite extraordinary in that it uses on average about 156 gallons per room, accounting for both the hotel and convention center which receives tens of thousands of...

NEW YORK—The Waldorf Astoria, New York Hilton Midtown, and Carlton hotels have been honored for their environmentally friendly initiatives as recipients of the first ever Sustainability Awards, presented yesterday by the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC) at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show held at the Javits Center.The Hotel Association of NYC’s Sustainability Committee offered awards in three categories: Environmental Protection, awarded to the New York Hilton Midtown for its comprehensive green building efficiency program; Social Responsibility, awarded to the Carlton for its engagement with the community; and Holistic Strategy for Sustainable Hospitality, awarded to the...

NEW YORK—Five exhibitors received Editors’ Choice Awards during the Opening Ceremonies of the 99th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS), Sunday, November 9, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The awards recognize best new products within the categories of kitchen design, green, operations, tabletop and technology. From the five winners, the Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show” Award also was selected.The 2014 Editors’ Choice Award winners are:Kenneth F. Hine “Best of Show”—EcoWalls: Chef’s EcoWall Garden.Green: EcoWalls’ Chef’s EcoWall Garden. This sophisticated design successfully blends form with function with its specifically designed system that controls...