NATIONAL REPORT—Nearly 20 million mattresses and foundations find their way into landfills every year. When you consider the large size of a mattress, the fact that it doesn’t compact well, and that it’s likely to clog the compacting machinery, the importance of keeping mattresses out of landfills increases. You can make a difference by reading mattress labels, looking for certifications, and making smart purchasing decisions the next time you buy a mattress. Go ‘Green’ But Know What That Means It’s easy to get caught in the trap of seeing a label that says “green,” “organic,” or “all-natural” and buying without knowing...

Marriott joined a growing list of companies pledging to eliminate the use of disposable plastic straws this past week. Other companies that have promised the same: MGM Resorts International, Hyatt Hotels Corp., Delaware North, Meliá Hotels International, Iberostar Group, The Travel Corp., Scandic Hotels, Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, Sudima Hotels & Resorts, Xanterra Parks & Resorts, The Hong Kong & Shanghai Hotels, and The Red Carnation Hotel Collection. In Marriott’s case they will also be eliminating plastic stirrers. The plastic straw initiative will take full effect at both managed and franchised properties by July 2019. Why will it take...

STEVENSON, WASH.—Skamania Lodge, A Destination Hotel, is helping lead the charge in food waste management and sustainability practices, as they recently released “Managing Food Waste: Best Practices,” a how-to iBook on food waste management. The book serves as a best practices guide for resorts, hotels and restaurants for how to implement changes that reduce waste, boost sustainability and—at the same time—help increase sales. “We’re incredibly proud of our team and what we’re doing here,” said General Manager Ken Daugherty. “We want to help others reduce food waste across the globe. This has been a long time in the making, but sustainability...

LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced that single-use plastic straws will only be served upon request at company operated restaurants in the United States. As one of the world’s top five largest non-chain restaurant operators in the world, MGM Resorts and its employees understand their responsibility in protecting the planet and helping reduce their carbon footprint. This initiative, which began rolling out in May 2018, aims to eventually remove more than 250,000 straws a day from landfills and waterways—that’s 100 million straws each year. “MGM is one of the largest multi-concept restaurant operators in the world,” said Cindy Ortega, Senior Vice...

BROCKTON, MASS.—The Food Freshness Card won at the 2018 United Fresh Show with the new Industrial Size. “We are thrilled and honored to have received this award voted on by the industry professionals and attendees for a second consecutive year,” said Rick Hassler, Director of Natures Natural Solutions, developer of the Food Freshness Card. “This award, which comes at the same time as the award the Food Freshness Card received from Food Logistics for Top Green Provider 2018, makes us humbly proud, and more determined than ever to expand in the food industry and cut the global problem of $400...

BETHESDA, MD.—Marriott International today announced that it has adopted a plan to remove disposable plastic straws and plastic stirrers from its more than 6,500 properties across 30 brands around the world. Once fully implemented in one year, the company could eliminate the use of more than 1 billion plastic straws per year and about a quarter billion stirrers. A single plastic straw—which might be used for about 15 minutes—will never fully decompose. “We are proud to be among the first large U.S. companies to announce that we’re eliminating plastic straws in our properties worldwide,” said Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of...

MONTEREY, CALIF.—Portola Hotel & Spa has said #byebyeplastic by introducing an infinitely recyclable water bottle alternative to encourage an ocean-friendly way of reducing the use of plastic at the hotel. Millions of un-recycled bottles end up in the ocean, polluting the water and threatening sea life at places like the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. If further calls to action are not executed soon, by 2050, there will be more plastic water bottles than fish in the ocean. The bottles are $5 each and provided as a service to guests. If opened, a charge will be billed to the room....

Every time an article comes out touting the “green” countertop options available on the market, it is woefully inaccurate. Often listing the same material multiple times in different formats, or completely misunderstanding the green claims of others, the lists just don’t stand up to reality. So here is a real list of the countertop options and the manufacturers whose true mission and goal is to create healthier surfaces, more durable surfaces, and divert waste from the oceans and landfills, creating something beautiful that you can feel good about. Why not have your surface tell a story of its own? And...

SANTA FE, N.M.—The historic La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel has been named 2018 “Green Business of the Year” in the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Awards. The program honors outstanding businesses and business practices. This year, more than 80 local businesses were nominated and competed in six different categories. “We are thrilled to be recognized for our dedication to sustainable operations, which goes hand-in-hand with our mission of historical preservation and community-building,” said La Fonda Chairman of the Board Jennifer Lea Kimball. “As a caretaker of Santa Fe traditions, we are responsible for protecting the beauty and...

SOUTHAMPTON, BERMUDA—Nurture Hospitality Group (NHG), a U.S. based amenities company, has launched with a strong social WE CARE message. Unique to the company is its reuse of ocean bound plastics in its 1 oz. and 2 oz. amenities containers and caps. “To the best of our knowledge, nobody is doing this in the hotel industry,” says NHG’s Gary Coward. According to NHG, its nOcean (NO OCEAN) plastics manufactured by NHG have the potential to create a paradigm shift within the guest amenity industry; an industry that produces billions of portion size hotel bottles and tubes that are used and often...