YACHATS, ORE.—Green Vacation Hub is happy to announce the launch of a new website linking travelers with accommodations that emphasize good health and green practices. The URL is www.GreenVacationHub.com. Lodging establishments can join now for a low introductory rate. Members enjoy full-page feature listings with photos and property details—just in time to capture the interest of summer travelers. What is Green Vacation Hub? Green Vacation Hub is a low-cost, high-impact marketing tool that specifically targets guests who seek lodging that promotes a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. The dynamic website provides properties with high visibility by targeting the...

ALSIP, ILL.—Litetronics International introduces its cold cathode compact fluorescent lamps. They range from 2 to 8 watts and are a direct replacement for incandescent lighting up to 50 watts without any loss of light output. Micro-Brite lamps have an expected life of up to 25,000 hours and can save up to 90 percent in energy costs when compared to incandescent lamps. Due to their extremely long life, Micro-Brite lamps also cut down on maintenance and replacement costs. Micro-Brite lamps can be used indoors or outdoors in extreme heat and cold. They are also flashable and dimmable down to 5...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Hoffmaster as a Green Product Directory partner. Hoffmaster is the maker of Earth Wise, an environmentally responsible line of recycled paper products, including beverage, dinner and dispenser napkins, and guest towels. The products contain no less than 65 percent post-consumer content. Earth Wise is an easy choice for those wishing to convey a positive message of environmental stewardship. A recycled symbol and message is printed on each napkin. Go to Hoffmaster, write to oshkosh.direct.marketing@solocup.com, or call (800)-327-9774 for more information.

CHICAGO—Master-Bilt, manufacturer of a full line of commercial refrigeration systems for over 65 years, announced that it has received the Kitchen Innovations (KI) 2007 Award from the National Restaurant Assn. Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show for its Master Controller with patented Reverse Cycle Defrost for walk-in refrigeration systems. The Master Controller is an electronic control system that regulates an electric expansion valve for precise refrigerant pressure and superheat through the evaporator coil. It also features demand defrost which automatically detects when a defrost is necessary. When combined with Reverse Cycle Defrost, energy savings can reach 27 percent. The award winning...

BENTON HARBOR, MICH.—Maytag Commercial unveils it 304-grade stainless steel top, front and sides, Soft-Mount, High-Speed Extractors. This line of high-speed washer/extractors provides the right size and useful features for on-premises launderers. The expanded breadth of Maytag soft-mount product is available in a variety of sizes to best meet on-premises laundry needs including 25-, 35-, 50-, 80-, 100- and 125-lb. capacities. Every size offers a large cleaning capacity, plus installation flexibility. The soft-mount suspension system eliminates the need for machine bolt-down, so even wooden floor installations are possible. With an inverter drive system, on-premises launderers will notice a decrease...

LAGRANGE, GA.—Characterized by originality and high fashion impulses, Funkygraphic is Milliken’s latest collection of state-of-the art carpet designs for hospitality interiors. The European influenced designs of Funkygraphic divide into five color moods—Jungle Fever, Purple Haze, Color Spot, Duo Tone and Fade to Grey. Each color mood represents a collection of different designs coordinated to make creating innovative interiors simple. Designs represent a graphic retro style, spiced with oblique angles and original perspectives. With over 172 standard options, there is a mood for all environments. Jungle Fever evokes a trendy ecological restaurant where an encounter between nature...

MINNEAPOLIS—Honeywell announced it has been awarded a $4.7 million contract to implement an energy-efficiency program that will significantly reduce electricity use in small hotels and motels throughout the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) service territory in northern and central California. The Cool Control Plus program from Honeywell Utility Solutions, part of Honeywell Building Solutions, will provide lodging owners with free, energy-saving retrofits designed to eliminate wasteful use of air-conditioning and heating units. The two-and-a-half-year program will cut consumption and costs for owners, and help the utility meet state conservation targets. It is expected to save 12 million kilowatt...

LAKE PLACID, FLA.—Every year tens of millions of cans of chafing fuel are burned worldwide, emitting hazardous carbon dioxide; they are then disposed of in landfills or oceans. To address that, Intracoastal Innovations Inc. introduces the Buffet Burner Chafing Dish Heater, an eco-friendly, electric alternative that offers incomparable advantages over canned chafing fuels. Among the features is the “smart” controller which is designed to allow the user to safely and easily adjust the intensity of the temperature. The slim stainless steel profile and patented magnetic design enable this heater to fit most full-size chafing dishes. The Buffet...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—A coalition of energy efficiency advocates last week announced plans for proposed legislative action for a major shift toward incorporating high-efficiency lighting technologies in home and office settings. The call-to-action was introduced by Philips Electronics, Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Congressman Don Manzullo (R.-Ill.), and the Lighting Efficiency Coalition—comprised of the Alliance to Save Energy, American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy, Californians Against Waste, Natural Resources Defense Council and Earth Day Network. The Philips-led coalition is advocating an industrywide initiative that would accelerate the use of existing energy-efficient lighting systems and bulbs as substitutes for less efficient...

SAN FRANCISCO—Walkwire, a leading provider of automated lobby PCs, business centers and boarding pass PCs, announced that it is working with Carbonfund.org to not only offset their own energy consumption but also that of every new PC that the company deploys in its client’s hotel properties. “We’re in the business of providing critical guest amenities,” says Gregor Gomory, Director of Sales and Green Business Initiatives at Walkwire. “Recent studies show that the vast majority of hotel guests want to know that hotels are operating in an environmentally-conscious way. Today’s travelers want to stay connected and they truly appreciate...