LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—It was not long ago that beer and wine bottles at the 97-room Ranch at Laguna Beach left the property in the same shape in which they came—only empty and bound for an off-site recycling center. Today those same types of bottles stay at the property but are pulverized by a GL Sand Machine that turns the glass into sand that can be used to replenish the sand in bunkers on the resort’s golf course or the sand at the nearby beach. Signage on the golf course explains the story behind the new sand. According to General...

NEW YORK—Fil Doux Textiles introduces Arte, a new Vinylife collection that draws from the Spanish word for “craft” or “artistry”. The selection of leather looks are the latest introduction of the company’s Vinylife material, an enhanced biodegradable vinyl with a water-based, stain-resistant finish. Timeless, worn leather looks range from natural beiges and browns to deep and expressive blacks and grays. “We are happy to introduce a 100 percent cruelty-free leather option to the market that has the added benefit of sustainability,” says CEO Leo Novik. “Arte brings Vinylife to the next level with the authentic look of leather and a...

JOHN, USVI—As the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) picks up the pieces from the ravages of two back-to-back Category 5 hurricanes, Island Green Living Assn. is urgently pleading with Governor Mapp and members of the legislature to resist pressure from FEMA and the US Army Corp of Engineers and ban the incineration of hurricane debris. Most of the debris is clean wood from fallen trees, limbs and other vegetation. FEMA and the US Army Corp of Engineers have influenced the governor to reverse his original stance and the potential health and environmental implications of local burning, a process that will...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Cadence Keen Innovations as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Cadence Keen Innovations, dba CKI Solutions, was founded in 1996 by Sam Montross. CKI’s mission is to design and deliver innovative solutions that resolve hotel challenges in many areas. For example, CKI’s waterproof, bed bug proof encasements keep mattresses and pillows out of landfills. The unique designs allow for the fastest installation and, with the zip off top, washing only the top creates savings in energy and detergents. All CKI encasements can be washed in high...

As referenced in last week’s column, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the American Hotel & Lodging Assn. (AHLA), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, recently released results from a set of projects demonstrating innovative strategies aimed at reducing food waste in the hotel industry. I believe it is one of most worthwhile sustainability projects in which AHLA has participated. Based on the results of the project, a website—an online toolkit—was launched. You can find it at www.hotelkitchen.org. Ten hotel properties participated in the 12 weeks of demonstration projects, including a mix of full-service branded hotels and several independent operations across...

BOULDER, COLO.—Eco-Products has earned awards for two of its compostable containers: an innovative snack cup and a take-out container. Eco-Products was the only company to be honored for two separate products in this year's QSR/FPI Foodservice Packaging Awards competition. Eco-Products’ Grip & Dip Snack Cup earned first place in the Innovation in Manufacturing category. Its WorldView Three-Compartment Take-Out Container earned the second-place award for Innovation in Convenience. “We are proud that our products were recognized for making life easier for everyone from stadiums to fans, from restaurants to their guests,” said Sarah Martinez, Director of Marketing for Eco-Products. “We are committed to...

NEW YORK—HX: The Hotel Experience and Boutique Design New York wrapped up earlier this week at the Javits Center in New York. As posted on Green Lodging News, it was announced that HX: The Hotel Experience has transitioned to full ownership under Hospitality Management Group (HMG), a division of ST Media Group. HX was previously co-owned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), the Hotel Association of New York City (HANYC), and the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association (NYSHTA). Also posted on Green Lodging News during the trade shows: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel...

ODESSA, FLA.—Hasek Communications, the Odessa, Fla.-based publisher of Green Lodging News, has added a Protect-A-Bed case study to the Vendor Case Studies section of its website. The case study highlights the Warner Center Marriott Woodland Hills in Woodland Hills, Calif. and its installation of Protect-A-Bed encasements on all mattresses and box springs in the hotel. By choosing an encasement product that is waterproof, bed bug proof, and allergen-free, the hotel was afforded maximum protection. In the two years since installing encasements, replacements of damaged mattresses have been virtually eliminated. “You can clean and shampoo, but if the stain and odor...

SANTA ANA, CALIF.—TechWaste Recycling, an industry leader in electronic recycling and e-waste disposal, has launched a new service line that provides companies with certified and secure product destruction and brand protection. The world of electronics recycling and data destruction goes far beyond certifying correct disposals of monitors and smashing hard-drives. Everything in today’s world has a cord or a battery and virtually all consumer products have some form of electronics or packaging that is part of the product. “If it has a cord or a battery, at some point, that product will need to be responsibly recycled,” says TechWaste CEO,...

NEW YORK—World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, has unveiled results from a set of projects demonstrating innovative strategies aimed at reducing food waste in the hotel industry. Based on the results, WWF, AHLA, and The Rockefeller Foundation are releasing a toolkit with strategies to help hotel properties and brands meet measurable, time-bound goals to reduce food waste. Ten hotel properties participated in the 12 weeks of demonstration projects, including a mix of full-service branded hotels and several independent operations across the country. They tested different waste reduction strategies,...