Are you unhappy with the rate of employee participation in the green initiatives at your property? You have done everything you can to make the programs work but are just not getting enough buy-in? Too many don’t recycle? Too many room attendants replace towels and linens even when guests say it is O.K. not to? You may want to try what the green team at the Hyatt Regency Cambridge is doing. As part of an ongoing educational effort to make all current and new employees aware of the many green programs under way at the property, employees are asked to...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. announced the recipients of its prestigious Kitchen Innovations (KI) Award for 2009. This year’s awardees will give the restaurant and hospitality industry new, state-of-the-art solutions to enhancing productivity, saving energy and water, speeding up prep and cooking times, and maximizing space and functionality in the back-of-the-house. All the KI products will be showcased in an interactive demonstration area at the 2009 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show at Chicago’s McCormick Place, May 16 to 19. “Cost-saving, fast, multi-functional, flexible, efficient—these are all adjectives we look for when choosing new equipment and they describe each of this...

PALM BEACH GARDENS, FLA.—The Doubletree Hotel Palm Beach Gardens announced that it has become an official member of the Florida Green Lodging Program. This voluntary state initiative by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) provides the lodging industry with technical assistance encouraging hotels to adopt cost-saving “green” practices that reduce waste and conserve natural resources. To become a designated member of the Florida Green Lodging Program, hotels must implement a series of sustainable practices. These practices include, but are not limited to, water conservation measures through low flow plumbing fixtures, a linen reuse program, and energy efficiency achieved by...

BETHESDA, MD.—In a move to help improve the climate, Marriott International, Inc. is launching a new way for guests to “green” their hotel stays. Now, when guests book rooms on Marriott’s website, they can offset the carbon generated during their stay for as little as $10, or $1/day for 10 days. As part of Spirit To Preserve, Marriott’s five-point environmental strategy, guests can contribute to a Brazilian rainforest preservation fund already supported with a $2 million commitment by the company. “Conserving rainforests—the lungs of the Earth—is one of the most important things we can do to improve the climate,” says...

DALLAS—Motel 6 recently announced the opening of its 1000th Motel 6/Studio 6 property and the first corporately-built and owned location to feature the new “Phoenix” room design. The property in Biloxi, Miss., showcases the chain’s room of the future, with a modern, European boutique-style design. This event also represents a rebirth for Motel 6 in Biloxi, as the original location was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In addition to its modern styling, the Phoenix design also incorporates a number of green and environmentally friendly features, such as wood-effect laminate flooring made of 80 percent pre-consumer recycled material, as well...

TORONTO—The Delta Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto was selected as the winner of the 2008 Energy & Environment Award by the Hotel Association of Canada. This award is given to a lodging property that has developed a culture towards integrating environmental management practices that improve everyday operations and the bottom line, while maintaining quality service and meeting guest expectations. The Delta Chelsea has been at the forefront of hotel waste management through its strong partnership with Turtle Island Recycling. It has exceeded both industry standards and municipal targets in landfill diversion. While the City of Toronto set a target of...

MCLEAN, VA.—The demand for affordable meetings is increasing, especially with continued budget cuts due to the current recession. Today planners are dependent on reliable and affordable partners as they are still tasked to produce high-quality events while often working with a smaller budget. Planners will find these partners and other affordable solutions at the Ninth Annual HSMAI’s Affordable Meetings Mid-America at Chicago’s Navy Pier, April 1 to 2, 2009. Affordable Meetings offers attendees the opportunity to choose from 24 educational seminars and workshops designed to offer in-depth coverage of important industry topics including sustainability, budgeting, contracts, event planning, and...

SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FLA.—Put a Trump International Beach Resort hat on a walking planet and what have you got? Globie, the resort’s new mascot who is helping to lead the property’s Planet Kids and Planet Little Kids programs. Unlike some mascots who do not talk, Globie is a speaking mascot and helps educate the resort’s young visitors about environment-related issues ranging from recycling to pollution to non-native plants. Along with Planet Kids counselors, Globie participates in skits and there are plans to send the mascot to area schools, events and camps. Tom Card, director of recreation at the resort in...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has confirmed its participation in Earth Hour 2009, a global environmental awareness event organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). On Saturday, March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., all 56 of Fairmont’s world-class hotels and resorts from Dallas to Dubai will go dark by turning off their lights for one hour—Earth Hour—and in doing so will reinforce the company’s pioneering commitment to operational sustainability and help draw further attention to one of the world’s single largest environmental issues: climate change. In addition to switching off principal lighting, a number of Fairmont’s properties will also mark this...

NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF.—The 2009 Green Travel Summit, “The Business of Responsible Travel,” will be held March 23 to 24 at the Fairmont Hotel in Newport Beach, Calif. The summit will focus on exploring green travel strategies and the impact on business travel and meetings. Experts on green travel will share information, best practices and case studies in an interactive conference format. Keynote speakers will include David Refkin, former director of sustainable development, Time, Inc.; Olivia Zaleski, host, “Business of Green,” CNN; and Auden Schendler, executive director, sustainability, Aspen Skiing Company. Also speaking will be Harry Lewis, attorney advisor, U.S....