STOWE, VT.—Stowe Mountain Resort in Vermont has received the Sustainable Community Certification from Audubon International, becoming the first ski resort in the United States to earn this environmental achievement. Members of Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program are eligible for certification, which recognizes dedication to the process of becoming a more sustainable community and beginning to act on a sustainability plan. The plan covers 15 focus areas, and members must choose timelines and measurable goals. Once progress is documented, members become certified. “As the first Private Sector Track member to receive the Audubon International Sustainable Community Certification, Stowe Mountain Resort has...

DES PLAINES, ILL.—Bedding manufacturer United Feather & Down recently made a difference for two Chicagoland homeless shelters, donating much-needed bedding, including pillows and comforters, as part of the United Relief Foundation’s (URF) Project Restoring Hope program. Project Restoring Hope is dedicated to easing the suffering of homeless individuals and families, especially veterans, in America. United Feather & Down’s donation enabled URF to kick off the Project Restoring Hope program sooner than expected. Company co-president Stephen Palmer was on hand to deliver the comforters, which have been given to two Chicago area shelters: the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans in Wheaton,...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP), a leader in innovative, solutions-based products, announces the newest addition to its line of indoor recycling receptacles. New Element Indoor Recycling Stations provide stylish, centralized collection for multi-stream waste and recycling sortation. “Faced with increasing sustainability regulations and the rise of green building, facility managers and building owners need products that not only satisfy corporate and government requirements, but are also an aesthetically pleasing solution to their recycling program needs,” said Victoria Ciupak, senior product manager—Decorative Receptacles at Rubbermaid Commercial Products. “The attractive design of Element Recycling Stations makes them especially suitable for end-users...

ORLANDO, FLA.—RezHub.com has launched its Hotel Green Audit, a fully validated self-auditing system allowing hotels within its system to list and manage their environmentally friendly amenities. The Hotel Green Audit by RezHub.com allows hotels and other properties to list and manage their sustainable and environmentally friendly practices to become a part of the Green Travel Hub’s green hotel directory. “Hotels have a strong desire to be listed as eco-friendly on RezHub.com due to its unique tools and marketing capabilities to the traveling public,” says Erik Folgate, social media and marketing coordinator. RezHub.com was the first online travel agency (OTA) to identify...

CLEARWATER, FLA.—Save Your World L.L.C., the first company in the United States to launch a personal care product line infused with organic yerba maté and organic aloe vera, has announced two new amenity lines of products—“Oasis Fruit,” a citrus delight, and “Rainforest,” a warm berry and spice—both of which are scented with pure essential oils and packaged in recyclable PET bottles with aluminum caps. These are being added to the company’s hotel partnership program, which launched in late 2008 with a line of paper-bottled products designed to reduce after-use waste by more than 92 percent, in response to demand for...

TROY, OHIO—Hobart announced that the patent-pending Energy Star qualified AM Select Ventless warewasher is the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI) Product of the Year for 2010. FCSI presented the award following a tally of votes gathered from professional consultants at its recent annual conference in Minneapolis. FCSI is a prominent, globally recognized organization of more than 1,400 members who design foodservice installations and specify a broad range of equipment ranging from commercial ovens and storage refrigerators to dishwashers and cleaning systems. At its annual conference FCSI members vote on the most innovative products among 10 finalists selected in the...

LAGRANGE, GA.—Milliken & Company, a privately-held, technology-based company serving textile, chemical, and floor covering markets, has been recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2010. Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Milliken secured a spot on the list by implementing upright business practices and initiatives that benefit the company, the community, and that raise the bar for ethical standards within its markets. “Being recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the ‘2010 World’s Most Ethical Companies’ tops a long list of things in which our associates take great...

BURBANK, CALIF.—Steril-Aire, Inc. announces that it has signed an agreement with SANYO North America Corporation to distribute the new SANYO professional Air Washer Plus, an air purification system that uses electrolyzed water technology to suppress airborne bacteria, allergens, particulates, odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Steril-Aire, a leader in providing green, sustainable solutions for indoor air quality and energy efficiency, will initially distribute the product through its extensive network of trained representatives and distributors in the United States and Canada, with plans to roll out the program to Latin America. The professional Air Washer Plus is the first system of its...

HASTINGS, MINN.—The Loyalton Group announced that the Association of Starwood Franchisees & Owners—North America (ASFONA) has chosen The Loyalton Group as an Associate Member, and appointed The Loyalton Group’s director of client services, Scott Kurtz, as an Honorary Board Member. Founded in 1996, The Loyalton Group assists commercial and industrial businesses with identifying and securing deregulated energy sources to include daily invoice and utility expense management, budgeting, facility optimization and sustainability consulting. “Optimizing energy efficiency and lowering energy usage and associated costs is a priority for the hotel industry today,” stated John Shingler, president of ASFONA. “In speaking with Scott,...

HILLSDALE, MICH.—Alsons Corp., a leading manufacturer of distinctively-styled shower products, has partnered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and its WaterSense program. Alsons announced that 40 of its shower head and hand shower SKUs have received the new WaterSense certification. The WaterSense label provides trade professionals and consumers with the assurance that select shower heads and hand showers are at least 20 percent more water-efficient than the current federal standard of 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm), flowing at a pressure of 80 pounds per square inch (psi). To receive the label, qualified shower heads and hand showers must be...