VERNON HILLS, ILL.—Eco Promotional Products, Inc. (EPP), an eco-friendly promotional products company, has launched its new, user-friendly e-commerce site to the public. Anytime, day or night, customers now have the option of placing orders without the need to call into the company. EPP customers’ will easily be able to navigate through product categories to make their choices. Once selected, quantity, product colors and sizes, imprint colors and uploading artwork may then be added to their cart. “This new range of features of our site will enable our customers to easily choose environmentally friendly items based on their time schedule,” said...

MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide announced new support for Sundance Institute, a global, nonprofit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences in film and theater. Hilton HHonors, the loyalty program for Hilton Worldwide’s 10 distinct brands, and Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, a part of the Hilton Worldwide luxury portfolio, have been named the official hotel sponsors of the Sundance Film Festival through 2014. In addition, in partnership with the Sundance Institute Documentary Film Program (DFP), the company will launch the Hilton Worldwide LightStay Sustainability Fund & Award. LightStay is Hilton Worldwide’s proprietary system for sustainability...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—Hansgrohe, the kitchen and bath manufacturer and its designer brand Axor, are heading into 2012 with a new, multi-interface website. In addition to a new design, the site offers a “Hansgrohe PRO” portal, which caters to the needs of architects, designers and trade. It will also incorporate helpful and interactive features such as design and trend ideas, planning programs, a “Water Savings Calculator,” an enhanced “Shopfinder,” as well as easy “point and click” access to the company’s social media pages and feeds. “We wanted to make sure that our customers—whether they are consumers, trade or A & D—have a...

TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS—During a recent press conference, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) Tourist Board launched the Sustainable Tourism Environmental Program (STEP) alongside Hugh Cresser, a consultant from the firm Tetra Tech who specializes in sustainable tourism management and planning. Tetra Tech has been contracted by the British Virgin Islands Tourist Board to implement the project. The company specializes in consulting, engineering, program management, construction and technical services, and supports government and commercial clients by providing solutions focused on water, the environment, and energy.“Our environment is the biggest drawing card that we have and everybody has to do their...

COEUR D’ALENE, IDAHO—Six months into its GEM Program for green B&Bs, the Idaho Bed & Breakfast Association (IBBA) now has seven properties participating. The GEM Program consists of a basic Green Lodging Program and an “Inspected GEM” Program. Whereas the basic Green Lodging Program does not include an inspection component, the Inspected GEM Program does. Brian Scott, president of IBBA, who started the association and the GEM Program along with his wife Shar, says the GEM Program is being funded through a state grant that is funded through a 2 percent state bed tax. Nonprofits are eligible to apply...

MERRILLVILLE, IND.—The Courtyard by Marriott in Louisville, Colorado recently became the first hotel in the nation to install a B-cycle bike-rental kiosk on its property. With B-stations located across the country, B-cycle is the first large-scale municipal bike sharing system in the United States. “I am very familiar with the Cherry Creek area of Denver and B-stations have been around there for quite a while,” said White Lodging regional vice president Lucie Manley. “I have seen locals and tourists riding the distinctive red bikes, and my hope is that our hotel guests and nearby residents will take advantage of this...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—Shore Hotel, Santa Monica’s newest hotel, announces a progressive concierge service that makes green living easy and accessible. The Green Concierge is the hotel’s own local expert on all things sustainable and eco-friendly. From activities to services, transportation to nightlife, Shore Hotel’s Green Concierge is an innovative resource for guests going green in Santa Monica. With the creation of the Green Concierge program, Shore Hotel has taken eco-conscious service to the next level. Committed to providing guests with an exemplary experience, while promoting all things eco-friendly and sustainable, the Green Concierge ensures guests can live the good life...

ORLANDO—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), Central Florida Chapter announced the launch of Green Destination Orlando at the closing general session of the Green Lodging and Hospitality conference at the Doubletree Hotel near Universal Orlando.With more than 50 million visitors each year, Orlando is one of the world’s most popular vacation and business travel destinations. The Green Destination Orlando (GDO) program is a plan to make Orlando the leading green destination in the world by creating a total sustainable experience—from the moment a visitor steps off the plane in Orlando, to the transportation to their hotel, their stay at...

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—The meeting industry is one step closer to the introduction of the very first green meetings and event standards. The Convention Industry Council (CIC) announced that eight of the nine APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting standards are complete. “This is a major accomplishment for the collective conventions, meetings, events and exhibitions industry,” stated Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, Chief Executive Officer of the Convention Industry Council. “Sustainability is a strategic concern for planners, suppliers and the organizations they represent. These standards are much anticipated so this is a great moment for the volunteers who put such effort to this project.” The standards...

NATIONAL REPORT—The number of hotels asking guests to pay more for rooms with filtered air is on the rise with the continued growth of PURE Solutions’ PURE Room program and the recent introduction of UV Flu Technology’s ABC “Purity +” Rooms. According to Brian Brault, CEO of PURE Solutions, his PURE Room program is now represented in 250 hotels in North America and should be in close to 300 hotels by the end of the year. Outside of North America, another 20 hotels are represented. By room count, there are now approximately 5,000 PURE Rooms—mostly in the United States...