ROCKVILLE, MD—Clean Currents, LLC, a Washington, D.C. area clean energy business, announced that it has successfully brokered an arrangement with the Legacy Hotel and Conference Centre to switch 100 percent of its electricity consumption to wind power in an effort to reduce dangerous greenhouse gas emissions and to encourage energy independence. The hotel will also will participate in Clean Currents’ “Green Your Stay” program that offsets the carbon footprint associated with a night’s stay. In addition to switching to carbon neutral wind power, the hotel is converting its cleaning products and detergents to more organic, biodegradable solutions and...

CORTLAND, N.Y.—Marietta Corporation has announced the launch of a new environmentally-friendly amenity collection in the spring of 2009 that contains natural and organic ingredients and is packaged in the latest environmentally-sensitive materials. Partnering with Sonoma Soap Company, an all-natural product line, Marietta has focused on making the Sonoma Citrus Medley amenities as green as possible without sacrificing style, quality, competitive cost or performance. Sonoma formulations use both natural fragrance and colorants while eliminating commonly used chemicals potentially harmful to humans or the environment, such as parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and synthetic preservatives. The Sonoma collection is also cruelty free—not tested...

ADAIRSVILLE, GA.—Beaulieu Commercial has become the first carpet manufacturer to certify products with NSF to a new, sustainability-focused certification standard, NSF/ANSI 140-2007. The new sustainable carpet assessment standard—the only one of its kind for the floor covering industry—establishes performance requirements for public health and the environment, and addresses the critical economic, environmental and social requirements that can help create a path to a more sustainable carpet product. The standard also provides benchmarks for continual improvement and innovation within the building industry. “From a sustainability standpoint, NSF 140-2007 is one of the more important initiatives for the floor covering industry,” said...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—EcoRooms & EcoSuites, a leading certification and marketing resource for green hotels in the United States and abroad, has unveiled a newly-redesigned logo and website. The new look highlights the growing role of sustainability in the hospitality industry while also offering travelers a more user-friendly online experience, helping them more quickly and easily locate the greenest hotels on the planet. “We expect 2009 to be a huge year for EcoRooms & EcoSuites, and in the growth of consumer awareness regarding green lodging options,” says Ray Burger, president of Pineapple Hospitality and founder of EcoRooms & EcoSuites. “As consumers...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Dyson as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company’s Airblade hand dryer wipes hands dry with a 400 mph sheet of air in just 12 seconds. It removes 99.9 percent of bacteria from the air used to dry hands. The Airblade contributes to LEED accreditation and is the recipient of the Green Excellence Award for North American hand dryers. When compared to paper towels, the Dyson Airblade offers operating cost savings of nearly 98 percent. It uses up to 80 percent less energy than other hand...

LAFAYETTE, COLO.—Benjamin West, a leading global hospitality procurement firm, announced that the Velocity program has been refreshed and upgraded to reflect today’s design trends while using environmentally-conscious products. The updated program will be marketed as Velocity 2.0G (Green) and maintains the high standards of the initial program in design, quality, and value pricing. First developed in 2003 and introduced to the market in 2004, the Velocity program has been installed in more than 12,000 rooms, including flags such as Crowne Plaza, Doubletree, Embassy Suites, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Radisson, Ramada, Renaissance, Sheraton, Westin, Wyndham, and independent properties. The Velocity 2.0G program...

NORTH OLMSTED, OHIO—Moen Inc. introduced a new sustainability-focused section to its website. The new section, which launched in January 2009, is another example of Moen’s commitment to sustainability, providing detailed information on its water-efficient product portfolio. The new section also provides the trade, consumers and the media with additional green resources and information on current industry programs. Moen’s new sustainability section explains all of the company’s corporate waste-reduction and recycling initiatives and allows site visitors to download materials such as a video, literature and green product information. “Going green is not just a fad—it’s a priority that consumers...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes DryFast B2B as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. The company is the lodging industry’s No. 1 supplier of the DryFast Energy Saving Dryer Blanket. Inserted into the laundry dryer, the blanket can save 15 to 25 percent on energy costs and time drying laundry. Other benefits include: reduced wear on dryers and linen, faster linen turnaround, lower labor costs, and a smaller environmental footprint. For additional information, call (800) 713-3892, e-mail dryfastb2b@verizon.net, or go to www.dryfastb2b.com.

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes VASKA as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. VASKA offers an “EPA Design for the Environment” approved laundry care product system. VASKA’s high-performance botanical solutions for laundry and housekeeping are all-natural, plant-based formulas and are used in LEED certified resorts and spas. VASKA has been formulating and testing botanical laundry solutions since 1999, working alongside commercial laundries, environmental chemists and technicians committed to protect individuals and their environment from chemical damage. VASKA saves money by eliminating unnecessary chemicals and by protecting fabrics. VASKA cleans in both cold...

SAINT PETERSBURG, FLA.—Go Green Planters, Inc., Saint Petersburg, Fla., announced that it has been named a Qualified Vendor by Choice Hotels International, Inc., for the purpose of promoting its Green Room program to Choice franchisees. The program involves the installation of one or more lush tropical plants in each and every guestroom of a hotel. It creates a new profit center, a valuable new guest amenity, and other benefits for franchisees without any capital investment or any cost at all for maintenance. “What’s most appealing about this entrepreneurial concept is that Go Green Planters, Inc. assumes all capital and operating expenses...