CHICAGO—AlturaSolutions Communications, a public relations/communications firm serving the professional cleaning, building, health care, and green-related industries, announces the launch of a new blog to its website.The blog, called “Words Change Worlds,” is designed to help visitors learn more about public relations, communications, the power of content marketing, and how it can be used to promote a company and its products or services.“We have been thinking about starting this blog for quite some time, and finally decided to make it happen,” says Robert Kravitz, president of the 12-year-old company, based in Chicago. “It’s a commitment. In order for a blog...

MAUI, HAWAII—Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea has launched a new “going green” limousine service using Motor Trend’s 2013 Car of the Year, the all-electric Tesla S 85 luxury sedan, to transport guests from the Kahului airport to the resort. “From the moment guests step off the plane, they can begin embracing Maui’s lush tropical setting—bedecked with dazzling flowers and fauna—without leaving a carbon footprint,” says Mark Simon, marketing director, Four Seasons Resort Maui. The Tesla S 85 four-door sedan can accommodate three passengers plus the driver and is available for round trip airport service as well as for escorted trips...

DOWNERS GROVE, ILL.—Jet, a national leader in gift card production and fulfillment, recently released a new sampling of production specialty cards. The new recyclable, fiber-based cards are made with 100 percent wood fiber and offer an alternative to plastic cards. This material allows the use of special inks, foils, and varnishes to produce a final product that cannot be obtained on traditional plastic cards. “Clients repeatedly ask us to help them find ways to make their gift cards stand out from the crowd,” said Greg Nye, vice president of sales at Jet. “With our new specialty cards, clients can...

LOS ANGELES—Greenglobemeetings.com will be launched to coincide with Green Globe Certification’s participation at IMEX America 2013, October 15 to 17 in Las Vegas. Greenglobemeetings.com brings together all certified Green Globe members who have proven their sustainability credentials and have the skills and knowledge to assist meeting planners create events that are low carbon, low waste and tuned to the activities and lifestyle of the host destination.The new site is an extension of the sustainable travel and tourism services that Green Globe has pioneered over the last two decades and tailored to meet the specific needs of the meetings, incentives,...

ORLANDO, FLA.—A partnership of Orlando’s leading rental agency, top hotels and major attractions officially launched Drive Electric Orlando (DEO). The effort is a first-of-its-kind electric car rental initiative that gives Orlando visitors another exciting experience to add to their itinerary in the Sunshine State—driving an electric car.“Orlando’s visitors now have an opportunity to try out an exciting technology while saving time, saving money and making a difference,” said Robbie Diamond, president and CEO of the Electrification Coalition, which is leading the Drive Electric Orlando effort. “We see this program as Orlando’s newest and smartest ride, a program that lets...

LAS VEGAS—The meetings complex that includes Sands Expo and the Congress Center at The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas is the first venue in the world to achieve the advanced “level two” industry certification for environmentally sustainable meetings, events, trade shows and conferences.The certification—called Level Two Certification to the ASTM Standard—is a designation of the meeting industry’s comprehensive standards for environmentally sustainable meetings, created through a partnership of the Convention Industry Council’s APEX initiative and ASTM International.“Currently, there are only four venues in the world that are even certified at Level One,” said John Caparella, president and chief...

WATERFORD, N.Y.—Cascades Tissue Group introduced its Cascades Pink hand towels for the Away-from-Home market to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In partnership with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), Cascades aims to help make a difference for women and families affected by this disease.Through December 31, 2013, Cascades is donating $0.50 per case sold while supplies last, with a minimum donation of $5,000, to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. BCRF is dedicated to preventing breast cancer and finding a cure in our lifetime by funding state-of-the-art research worldwide. “Everyone has been touched in some way by this disease, and...

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIF.—Launching throughout San Luis Obispo County, Calif., the country’s first Stewardship Travel program heralds California’s next step in eco-travel. Stewardship Travel embodies ecotourism’s qualities of appreciation for place and culture, adventure, enjoyment and learning, but takes it one step further by also providing clear opportunities to participate in regional conservation and preservation.Five years in development, the program provides curious, active, and caring travelers with a well-defined road map for fun and meaningful vacations in 10 destinations along Highway 1 of the Central California Coast including Ragged Point/San Simeon, Cambria, Cayucos, unincorporated Morro Bay, Los Osos/Baywood Park,...

NEW YORK—This year’s 98th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) will be its greenest ever. For the first time, a section of the trade show floor—Hospitality Green—will be carved out for exhibitors offering eco-friendly products and services. Hospitality Green, presented in partnership with Green Lodging News, is one of five pavilions at this year’s IHMRS. The others include: Operations, Technology, Food & Beverage, and Tabletop. Some of the companies exhibiting in Hospitality Green this year include: Planglow, Ultra Green, Lektron, Xeros, and Verdant Technologies. In addition to Hospitality Green, five green panel discussions, also presented with the...

NEWTON, MASS.—Since the official launch of TripAdvisor’s GreenLeaders/GreenPartners program on Earth Day this year, the number of participants in the program has more than doubled—from 1,000 to more than 2,100. Hotels and B&Bs in the United States are currently eligible to participate. The program’s cost is certainly an attraction—it is free—and exposure of one’s green practices on a website that sees 200 million visitors a month is also a huge incentive to participate. Jenny Rushmore, director of responsible travel at TripAdvisor, told Green Lodging News that as fast as the program has been growing, it has the potential to...