VANCOUVER, B.C.—The hospitality industry has a new resource at its disposal. Eden Textile, one of the country’s leading hospitality suppliers, has launched a unique textile-recycling program aimed at reducing vast amounts of the industry’s post-consumer waste. Now Eden Textile’s clients can take advantage of this recycling program while also alleviating the suffering of families in Africa. Through a nonprofit partnership with the organization Africa We Care, textiles will be diverted from the landfill and donated to a worthy cause each year. The donation of products like bedding, towels, pillows, drapes and duvets to Africa We Care will not only...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Hilton Hotels Corp. announced short and long term goals and objectives towards building sustainability into the core fabric of its businesses worldwide. Christopher J. Nassetta, President & CEO, outlined directional targets for improvement in the company’s sustainability performance throughout the next five years within systemwide hotels globally. By 2014, goals for the Hilton Family of Hotels are to: • Reduce energy consumption from direct operations by 20 percent; • Reduce Co2 emissions by 20 percent; • Reduce output of waste by 20 percent; and • Reduce water consumption by 10 percent. “Upon becoming a truly global company with the acquisition of Hilton International and following the...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Assn. launched “Conserve: Solutions for Sustainability”, an initiative designed to support the United States’ nearly one million restaurant and foodservice locations as they become more eco-friendly, at the Association’s recent Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show in Chicago. The Conserve website will educate restaurateurs on how taking small steps over time—or bigger steps for those who choose to do so—can make a difference for the future of our planet, as well as be positive for business. “We are launching Conserve to raise awareness and provide resources and information about eco-friendly practices to the entire restaurant and foodservice community,” said...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As part of its Dean’s Leadership Series, the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration will hold a “Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry” panel discussion on Thursday, June 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. A reception will follow from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will be held at the Willard InterContinental Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The cost is $50 per person. Sponsors for the meeting include: Cornell Center for a Sustainable Future, Cornell Center for Hospitality Research, Courtesy Products, Leland C. and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospitality Entrepreneurship, Parasol Marketing Group, and the Willard...

LOS ANGELES—JL Furnishings (JLF)/lone meadow, a producer of fully sustainable hospitality seating, has partnered with ForrestPerkins, a renowned hospitality design firm, to create a chic new seating collection—ForrestPerkins for lone meadow. As with all JLF/lone meadow furnishings, the collection exemplifies the firm’s commitment to bringing sustainable practices and progressive designs to the hospitality industry. With 20 pieces, ranging from side chairs to sofas, the new line will offer designers and hoteliers a wide assortment of elegant, custom seating options to suit most every design concept while providing peace of mind through the knowledge that each piece was thoughtfully designed and...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries, Inc. was named Large Recycler of the Year by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), a joint industry-government initiative to promote carpet recycling, reuse and waste reduction of post consumer carpet. Shaw leads the carpet industry with its cradle-to-cradle recycling program that has recycled 100 million pounds of post consumer carpet to date through its Evergreen Nylon Recycling Facility. Shaw president Randy Merritt says that the company’s commercial and residential carpet products embody the carpet-to-carpet design as a means to reduce landfill waste and virgin raw material usage. The company’s efforts have lead to increased amounts...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Green Lodging News has added its eighth case study to its Vendor Case Studies section. The case study focuses on the Lied Lodge & Conference Center in Nebraska City, Neb., and its selection of Milliken & Co. to replace its 13-year-old carpeting in its guestrooms and public areas, including the focal-point grand staircase. Milliken broadloom met the green building criteria with a custom carpet that modifies and updates the original design elements. Michelle Galvin of Galvin Design Studios sought to complement the rustic feel of the interior. The acorn-and-leaf motif chosen for the carpet uses earth tones and greens....

LISBON, PORTUGAL—The speed of technological innovation, growing realities of environmental sustainability and more demanding, value conscious customers are some of the most key near-term decision drivers for the hotel electronic distribution industry. These challenges and their various impacts were examined and debated during the final day of HEDNA’s recent 2008 EMEA Conference, held at the Corinthia Lisboa Hotel. The next 18 months will be some of the most challenging for the hotel business since 2001 due predominantly to economic concerns and the rapidity of technological evolution, said Dr. Lalia Rach, renowned dean of New York University’s Tisch Center for Hospitality,...

KNOXVILLE, TENN.—The Great Smoky Mountains Sustainable Tourism Summit, designed to kick off and honor the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, recently brought together more than 500 community leaders and tourism professionals for two days of “green” discussions. Governor Phil Bredesen provided key remarks during the opening session, which included the participation of Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Tennessee Congressman John Duncan, North Carolina Congressman Heath Shuler, Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker and Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam. “Across the state, we have made land conservation a priority,” Bredesen said. “We are blessed with some of the most beautiful...

LONDON—VisitBritain aims to encourage a rapid, widespread and significant increase in the adoption of sustainable tourism principles, while avoiding the burden of too much bureaucracy and, as part of a three-month pilot, is waiving the usual $48 cost for the first 500 businesses to register for the program. Participation in Green Start provides tourism managers and operators with a stepping stone towards accreditation by a validated sustainable accreditation scheme. “VisitBritain is committed to encouraging sustainable businesses,” said Jason Freezer, VisitBritain’s sustainable tourism project manager. “However, nearly two-thirds tell us they need more guidance on developing their business in that...