WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Federal Trade Commission announced six enforcement actions, including one that imposes a $450,000 civil penalty and five that for the first time address biodegradable plastic claims, as part of the agency’s ongoing crackdown on false and misleading environmental claims.The plastic cases include a complaint against a company that markets an additive it claims makes plastic products biodegradable and four complaints and proposed consent orders against companies that marketed various plastics with allegedly false and unsupported claims that their products were biodegradable. In the civil penalty case, the FTC filed a complaint and consent order against a company...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. (NRA) recently previewed its revamped Zero Waste Zones program in Atlanta, saying it is excited to help the city’s restaurateurs, foodservice businesses and retailers become more sustainable.The NRA, which acquired the initiative late last year, reintroduced an expanded version of the program October 23 at an official reception at Ted’s Montana Grill in downtown Atlanta. The revamped program will follow the rules of the NRA’s Conserve Sustainability Education Program.“Our members have a strong and growing interest in energy efficiency, recycling and sustainability in general,” said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s executive vice president of policy and...

MCLEAN, VA.—Northern New Jersey’s newest Hilton Hotels & Resorts property, the 427-guestroom Hilton Meadowlands, is now open at Two Meadowlands Plaza in East Rutherford. The property, which recently completed the first phase of a multi-million dollar renovation, was previously a Sheraton. The greenest highlight of the Hilton hotel is its 1.1-megawatt solar photovoltaic installation on its carport. The solar panels are expected to generate 20 percent of the property’s energy.Other green programs include composting of organic waste, meeting space recycling, food donations, elimination of Styrofoam, and energy-efficient digital signage. The hotel participates in Clean the World, a nonprofit, global...

ATLANTA—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Goodwill Industries International announced the establishment of the Goodwill IHG Academy program in the United States and Canada that will offer skills development and employment opportunities to those seeking a career in the hospitality industry. Goodwill IHG Academy participants will have access to job services, resources and real-world work experience in IHG-branded hotels that will help increase opportunities for employment.The IHG Academy program is tailored to meet local job needs around the world through IHG-branded hotels working hand-in-hand with educational and community organizations to fill jobs in hospitality. Goodwill provides job training programs that...

ITHACA, N.Y.—“The Giving Bag,” a concept to save hotels money on lost and left behind items, is the winning concept in the third annual Cornell student sustainability competition, sponsored by Schneider Electric, a partner of the Cornell Center for Hospitality Research. The competition is conducted in conjunction with the annual Sustainability Roundtable at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration (SHA). The roundtable brought nearly three dozen international hotel practitioners and researchers to the school to discuss current sustainability trends and strategies.Creators of “The Giving Bag,” Lilia Karimi and Quinn Cox, both students at SHA, won the first-place prize of...

SINGAPORE—Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a global commitment to plant 22,500 trees worldwide by 2014. The planting will be carried out through a global partnership with Plant It 2020—the nonprofit organization that helps reforest the world’s cities and forests. The partnership is a symbol of Carlson Rezidor’s continued commitment to being a responsible business in the communities in which it operates across Asia Pacific, the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa.“We are marking Carlson’s 75 years of success with the planting of 7,500 trees in Asia Pacific,” said Simon C. Barlow, president, Asia...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a few short weeks, approximately 30,000 people from all over the world will descend upon the historic city of Philadelphia for the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which features three days of extensive educational programming, workshops and showcases of the latest green products and services. Presented by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and owned and produced by Hanley Wood, Greenbuild, which takes place from November 20 to 22, 2013, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.“Philadelphia is the perfect city for Greenbuild—with its rich history and its...

NASHVILLE—A&M Meetings and Incentives recently announced that The Hermitage Hotel is among the five hotels in the nation it invited to participate in its new sustainable events program.“From growing our own vegetables and raising our own beef to restoring and maintaining our historic building and supporting the Land Trust for Tennessee, sustainability is infused in The Hermitage Hotel,” said Janet Kurtz, director of sales and marketing. “We are deeply committed to preserving what is best about the South and southern hospitality, including the lush environment that makes our region so inviting. We are honored to be among the handful...

NATIONAL REPORT—Conservation efforts in the hospitality industry are on the rise. When you consider the rising levels of energy consumption and the related costs—both to the environment and your bottom line—you begin to see how beneficial implementing your own green initiatives can be. Fact: 97 percent of the Earth’s water is non-potable oceanic saltwater. Of the 3 percent remaining freshwater, close to three-quarters of that is confined to icecaps and the poles, which means that less than 1 percent of the water on this planet is accessible and fit for human consumption. At last count, the hospitality industry alone utilized an...

TORONTO—Tourism Toronto has become the first convention and visitors association outside of the United States to reach a new international sustainability standard. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Certification is awarded to destinations that achieve high standards in environmentally sustainable meetings, trade shows, and conferences. Tourism Toronto has been recognized as achieving Level One certification.“Toronto and our partners in convention centers and hotel industry place a high premium on being leaders in sustainable meetings and events,” said David Whitaker, President and CEO of Tourism Toronto. “In a highly competitive market, achieving a prestigious certification like this can...