DALTON, GA.—Zeftron nylon has added new, sustainable and stylish colors to its color line. Zeftron nylon, a premium branded nylon 6 commercial carpet yarn system, now offers more than 100 fashionable colors, all of which are fully recyclable, contain a minimum of 25 percent recycled content, and are MBDC Cradle to Cradle certified. “Color is an essential part of Zeftron nylon’s business,” said Karen Martin CMG, with Beaulieu Commercial. “These new additions bring even more depth to their color bank and more complexity and sophistication to their offerings. As a designer, you can never have too many colors and these...

BELGRADE, SERBIA—The International Hotel & Restaurant Association announced that its 47th Annual Congress will be held January 18 to 20, 2010, at the Continental Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia. With the start of the new decade, IH&RA will host an event that highlights the future of the hospitality industry. Belgrade, Serbia embodies this year’s theme of looking towards the future for opportunities of growth and development. Leaders from all parts of the world representing some 200,000 hotels and six million restaurants will convene to exchange ideas about the major issues of this year: Climate Change and Hospitality, Natural Disaster and Hospitality,...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries Group, Inc. has released its inaugural sustainability report to share the company’s legacy of environmental and corporate social responsibility. The report is reflective of Shaw’s commitment to sustainability leadership through the Shaw Green Edge—a company-wide business platform based on sustainability through innovation. Reflecting Shaw’s long history of investment in sustainable development and initiative-driven progress, the sustainability report outlines the company’s accomplishments and goals. It also reflects the global flooring provider’s vertically integrated organizational footprint, detailing progress according to three pillars of sustainability: • Corporate governance and social responsibility; • Operational and environmental excellence; and • Innovative products and services. The report details...

LONDON—The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) is inviting tourism companies and organizations from around the world that can demonstrate best practices in sustainable tourism development to submit their applications for the 2010 Tourism for Tomorrow Awards. The deadline for applications is December 2, 2009. To quote Jean-Claude Baumgarten, president and CEO of WTTC, “The awards, now in their sixth year under WTTC’s stewardship, exemplify the Council’s multi-stakeholder vision set out in the Blueprint for New Tourism that looks beyond short-term considerations and focuses on benefits not only for the people who travel, but also for people in the communities...

TECATE, MEXICO—The Second Annual Green Spa Network Fall Congress will be held November 1 to 5, 2009, at the historic Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. As the premier spa sustainability event of the year, the four-night, five-day GSN Fall Congress will provide professionals with the opportunity to respond to the planetary imperative for sustainability—while increasing profitability and customer loyalty. Internationally known Paul Hawken will be the keynote speaker. Paul is a leading voice in the world of sustainable business and the search for a whole, nurturing society. He is co-founder of Smith & Hawken and author of “Natural Capitalism:...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—The United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2009 Green Power Purchaser list identified The Legacy Hotel & Meeting Centre as one of only three hotels in the nation as 100 percent powered by green energy resources. In October 2008, The Legacy Hotel & Meeting Centre launched its Turn On program in partnership with Clean Currents and the EPA, integrating greener hotel products, clean energy, and inviting guests to offset the carbon footprint of their stay. “We are very proud of this accomplishment,” says Eric Siegel, executive vice president of Cohen Companies, the owner group of The Legacy Hotel &...

PARADISE, TEXAS—Garrett Creek Ranch Conference Center in Paradise, Texas, has become the first property in Wise County to undertake native grass restoration. Through this effort, more than 100 acres have begun to return to the grasses, such as Big and Little Bluestem, Lometa Indiangrass, Blackwell Switchgrass, Sideoats Grama, Canadian Wildrye, Green Sprangletop and Eastern Gammagrass, which fed the region 100 years ago. The property’s remaining 300 acres will be added to the program over the next two years. Additionally, a complete inventory of plants and wildlife has begun through which more than 450 species of plants have been identified...

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC—In its 2010-2011 election, the Caribbean Hotel & Tourism Association’s (CHTA) environmental arm, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), recently re-elected Sir Royston O. Hopkin, KCMG, owner and chairman of Grenada’s award-winning Spice Island Beach Resort, as chairman of CAST for the fourth consecutive, two-year term. “CHTA is delighted that Sir Royston has been re-elected as the chairman of CAST by the CAST Governing Council,” said Alec Sanguinetti, CD—director general & CEO of CHTA. “Sir Royston has been at the forefront of sustainable tourism issues from the very beginning working tirelessly to ensure the sustainability of the Caribbean...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Washington D.C.’s Willard InterContinental Hotel, a leader in sustainable hospitality, has released its second Sustainability Report. The new report, summarizing its 2008 activities, follows Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC). The report highlights the results of the hotel’s strategy based on the “triple bottom line” of economic prosperity, social responsibility and environmental protection. The report examines the Willard’s environmental and social performance against the previous year’s report of the hotel’s sustainable development initiatives which began in 2005 as “Willard InterContinental, The Next 100 Years.” The new report also benchmarks against the hotel’s first Sustainable Development (SD) Report for...

LOS ANGELES—Commercial carpet manufacturer Bentley Prince Street, Inc. announced that it has received a third-party verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for its broadloom products. This achievement marks the first time a North American broadloom carpet product has received an EPD, the international gold standard for illustrating the various aspects of a product’s performance. “The significance of this EPD verification is the amount of detail and transparency required, providing the most accurate, objective picture available of a product’s true environmental impact,” said Anthony Minite, president of Bentley Prince Street. “This is the best impartial tool available to provide customers with a...