PORTLAND, ORE.—The Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference will take place February 6-8 at the Doubletree Hotel and Executive Meeting Center—Lloyd Center, Portland, Ore. The event is being organized by the Green Meeting Industry Council, which is based in Portland. The event is geared toward meeting planners who have been implementing green practices or those interested in starting such programs. The conference will include exhibits, educational sessions and networking opportunities. Industry leaders will be on hand to share their insights on industry issues and environmentally responsible approaches to processes such as registration, site location, marketing, and exhibiting. The...

NEW YORK—Last week’s International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, which drew more than 35,000 people, was packed with innovative products to help hoteliers clean naturally, save energy and water, and minimize waste generation. Also on hand were vendors offering everything from environmentally friendly wall coverings to nontoxic tub refinishing. Here are a just a few highlights from the 1,250 companies who exhibited at the lodging industry’s No. 1 trade event. Action Comax Environmental Inc., Newark, N.J., introduced its BioX high-volume organic waste decomposition system. Inside of a large steel container, food waste is broken down to liquid through biological decompostion. It...

NATIONAL REPORT—Most everyone has heard of green cleaning, but not everyone is familiar with green floor care. Floor care costs can account for up to 30 percent of the hotel housekeeping budget. Considering the cost and impact floor care has on appearance, safety, indoor air quality, and staff/guest health, it should not be overlooked when implementing a green cleaning program. Green floor care involves the use of preventive measures, more environmentally protective or green certified chemicals, and more advanced floor care equipment. It also includes cleaning processes that help reduce the need and frequency of more hazardous and time-consuming restoration...

SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco’s Orchard and new Orchard Garden Hotel are offering holiday revelers a way to make the world a little greener this holiday season with their “Plant A Tree” package. The package includes a one-night stay in either of the boutique hotels and the choice of taking home a boxed Colorado Spruce tree seedling or joining the hotels’ partnership with Friends of the Urban Forest to plant a tree. The recently opened Orchard Garden Hotel is California’s only hotel to be ecologically sustainable from the inside-out and is registered to become the state’s first hotel to earn...

NEW YORK—How can eco-savvy travelers trek through the myriad of websites listing vacation options in Latin America and the Caribbean to make choices they know will be environmentally and socially responsible? A free online tool developed by the Rainforest Alliance can help. The Eco-Index of Sustainable Tourism offers users a database of sustainable tourism businesses—including hotels, inns, lodges and more—that conserve biodiversity and help local communities. This lets responsible travelers choose destinations that are not only beautiful but also beneficial to the areas they visit. The Eco-Index of Sustainable Tourism is the only website with a searchable...

DENVER—With the Rocky Mountains and more than 12,000 professionals from all industry and market sectors convening for the U.S. Green Building Council’s GreenBuild Conference as the backdrop, the forming of the Green Cleaning Network was announced. “We are excited to be part of the launch of this important initiative,” says Doug Gatlin, the U.S. Green Building Council’s program manager for LEED for Existing Buildings. “The Green Cleaning Network will play an important role in advancing the green building movement.” “The rapid growth of the green cleaning movement over the past decade has created an urgent need for...

NATIONAL REPORT—To add ambiance to a restaurant, bar or other area of a hotel, sometimes all that’s needed is a little candlelight. Whether fueled by wax and wick or liquid fuel, candles encourage a relaxing, stress-free atmosphere. As common and accepted as traditional candles are, few hoteliers may realize their true costs—from both a financial and environmental perspective. When wax candles burn down, they typically are thrown away and add to waste disposal costs—from the hotel to the landfill. Just like automobiles burning gasoline, candles using liquid fuel strain the environment. Energy is consumed through processes used to generate the...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has announced the latest accolade for its industry leading environmental program. On November 9, during the annual Hospitality Awards ceremony in Paris, France, Fairmont received a Best Corporate Social Responsibility Program award for its Green Partnership program. The award recognizes the best example of environmental and humanitarian activity, sustainable development, and the involvement of local populations by hotel groups throughout the world. The Worldwide Hospitality Awards were presented by the MKG Group, an organization associated with HTR Magazine. Jeff Senior, Fairmont’s senior vice president marketing & sales, accepted the award on the company’s behalf....

HONG KONG—Accor Hotels has a strong track record as a trend setter, not a trend follower, in matters relating to the environment. Its first formal groupwide environmental management directive was issued in 1994, long before most hotel companies. The group created a full Environmental Charter in 1998, and increased the number of elements being managed from 15 to 65 in 2006. With all-important support and commitment of its owners, the Novotel Century Hong Kong, the first Accor-managed hotel in Hong Kong, already moved to live up to this tradition when, earlier this year, it became one of the...

ITHACA, N.Y.—The student board of directors of the 82nd Annual Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC) has announced the theme for next year’s student-run event. It is “Sustainability Through Innovation.” The event will be held at the Cornell Hotel School April 12-15. The weekend will feature a delicate blend of education and leisure. Industry leaders attend HEC in order to mingle with students, learn cutting-edge business concepts, and enjoy a feast of culinary delights. What will make HEC 82 different than the 81 preceding HECs is the theme. It originated from the question: What must innovative hospitality organizations do in...