HONOLULU—In its ongoing efforts to “go green,” Outrigger Hotels and Resorts collected a total of 750,000 recyclables in 2011 at its owned and operated hotels throughout Waikiki, preventing more than 17.5 tons of recyclable bottles and cans from entering Honolulu’s landfill. Additionally, Outrigger then donated more than $18,000 in Hi5 redemption reimbursements to Parents and Children Together (PACT), a nonprofit organization that offers social services to Hawaii families in need.“Giving back to the community and helping to keep our island home unmarked by pollution are tremendously important to Outrigger Hotels and Resorts,” said Barry Wallace, executive vice president of...

W. CONSHOHOCKEN, PA.—All interested parties are invited to join in the development of a proposed new ASTM International standard that will identify and define sustainable best management practices that are used in commercial laundry facilities to reduce their impact on the environment.  ASTM WK35985, Practice for Sustainable Laundry Best Management Practices, is being developed by Subcommittee D13.40 on Sustainability of Textiles under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee D13 on Textiles.According to Gary D. Gramp, Textile Rental Services Association, and chairman of the task group developing ASTM WK35985, the commercial laundry industry has made a commitment to sustainability. “We...

PHOENIX—With a healthy number of hotel properties worldwide, Best Western International has pledged to leverage its respected brand to protect the planet and help improve global health and hygiene. Best Western International has partnered with Clean the World on an agreement to recycle all guestroom soaps, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and lotions to help stop the spread of fatal, yet preventable, diseases in communities around the world.The Phoenix-based hotel chain has the potential to add more than 2,100 hotel properties in North America to Clean the World’s growing list of more than 1,300 hospitality partners that are participating in...

MINNEAPOLIS—Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group announced the kickoff of World Cleanup 2012, a campaign which aims to cleanup illegal stray garbage and raise people’s awareness. With more than 100 countries participating, World Cleanup 2012 officially began on March 24, and will sweep the globe until September 25. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is the only global partner of World Cleanup 2012 within the hospitality industry. “Doing business in a responsible and sustainable way is of highest importance to our group,” said Thorsten Kirschke, president, Americas. “We have asked our hotels in the Americas to join together in September and do cleanups...

DELAVAN, WIS.—When the husband-and-wife team of Fritz Kreiss and Catherine McQueen learned that a two-lane highway adjacent to their five-acre property in Delavan, Wis. would be expanded to four lanes they could have tried to sell the land with their cottage on it. Instead, they decided to build perhaps North America’s greenest lodging establishment—the 19-suite Green Leaf Inn that will be a net zero energy property. Net zero energy properties generate more energy than they consume. The Green Leaf Inn is scheduled to open in the spring of next year.It is the owners’ intention for the inn to serve...

SAN FRANCISCO—The biennial NEWH Leadership Conference will be held in San Francisco, January 25 to 26 at the Grand Hyatt Union Square. “We chose San Francisco partly because that is where NEWH’s most-recently chartered chapter is located, and we wanted to show off the chapter and allow them an opportunity to show off for the rest of the organization,” explains Mark Huntsinger, NEWH, Inc.’s director of leadership conferences. “They have done a phenomenal job in building a very vibrant and relevant chapter, and that is exciting to experience.” The tagline of the conference is Bridge to Success, linking the location...

TORONTO—Delta Hotels and Resorts will once again shut off lights in support of Earth Hour for the third consecutive year at its 43 properties across the country on Saturday, March 31, at 8:30 p.m. (local time). In addition to going dark, the chain will further demonstrate its commitment to the environment by providing guests with a host of energy-saving service offerings, as part of Delta’s national sustainability program, Delta Greens.“Earth Hour is a great example of how small, simple steps like turning off lights can engage a global community and help create a sustainable future,” said David Bird, senior...

LONDON—Virgin Limited Edition, Sir Richard Branson’s luxury collection of retreats, announced that it will be introducing a new property to its already eclectic portfolio—Mahali Mzuri in Kenya. Mahali Mzuri, meaning “beautiful place” in Swahili, will be a luxury Kenyan Safari Camp due to open in 2013. The camp will consist of 12 sleeper tents and cater to a maximum of 24 guests at any one time. Rates will be fully inclusive of all meals, drinks and daily game drives as well as unlimited access to the Olare Orok and Motorogi Conservancies.Mahali Mzuri will be situated within the Motorogi Conservancy...

CANCUN—Sunset World Resorts & Vacation Experiences announced the official launch of Ethos during a breakfast at the Tourism Tianguis 2012. Ethos, an innovative $3 million agricultural project, is a farm in the Mayan jungle where produce, plants and honey will be organically grown and produced. These items will be used to supply their six hotels, which include nearly 1,000 hotel rooms in Cancun and the Riviera Maya. “Ethos is an example of our values and great commitment to the community, environment and tourism, making us the first hotel chain in southeastern Mexico to produce organic materials and become more...

NATIONAL REPORT—In a 2010 bed bug study, 95 percent of U.S. pest control companies surveyed reported finding at least one bed bug infestation in the past year. Rollins performed more than 8,000 bed bug treatments in the first quarter alone. Bed bugs continue to sweep the news and are on the rise in almost every environment, from the bedroom to the board room. A quick Google search on bed bugs reveals nearly 4,000 news results in 2010, and their search volume is up 450 percent in the past six years. Thought to be introduced with the early colonists, reports of...