GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK—Forever Resorts’ Grand Canyon Lodge-North Rim has received an Environmental Achievement Award from the National Park Service for Environmental Stewardship at the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. The award was conferred specifically for the Grand Canyon Lodge-North Rim’s waste reduction program.In 2009, the lodge embarked on a program of daily hand sorting of all solid waste. In 2012 alone, it recycled nearly 55,000 pounds of cardboard, 3,600 pounds of paper, 10,000 pounds of metal, 40,000 pounds of glass and 18,000 pounds of plastic. In addition, 103,000 pounds of food waste was converted to a...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Preserve as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Made with recycled yogurt cups, Preserve’s toothbrushes and razors are a colorful, eco-friendly choice for guests. All of the company’s products are made in the United States from 100 percent recycled plastic, and recyclable through municipal recycling where #5 plastic is accepted or through Preserve’s Gimme 5 retail-based and mail-in recycling program. Learn more by going to www.preserveproducts.com, or contacting sales@preserveproducts.com or (781) 893-2204, ext. 109.

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Neon Technologies introduces Concierge, a guest-facing hotel concierge service with the ability to dramatically decrease hotels’ negative environmental effects. By logging requests digitally, and reducing consumption of high-turnover hotel amenities, NEON provides a software solution that saves hotels money, and reduces degradation of the environment.“Growing up in Oberlin, Ohio, I cultivated an eye for sustainability and improvement of the environment,” said co-founder Nick Chmura. “When I traveled across Europe, and later the United States, I was shocked at the lack of sophistication in hotels regarding waste. I always had too many of the wrong towels, or when...

LONDON—Marriott International has launched a limited edition tote bag with an exclusive print by British luxury accessories brand, Lily and Lionel. The print is featured on a SleepingBags tote bag made in England from 100 percent recycled bed linen provided by U.K. Marriott hotels. This first of its kind bag is available to purchase with Marriott donating a portion from the sale of every bag to The Prince’s Trust.Marriott is the first major hotel company to partner with pioneering British social enterprise, SleepingBags, to transform retired hotel bed linen into items that can be put back into hotels as...

ATLANTA—The Acuity Brands, Inc. Carlisle, Penn. manufacturing and distribution center has achieved zero landfill status, as certified by Link International, a California-based full-service waste and recyclable commodities company. This is the second Acuity Brands manufacturing and distribution site to operate as a zero landfill plant. Waste generated by the Carlisle plant is now recycled or composted.“We are thrilled to implement the zero landfill process at a second site within our plant facilities network,” said Derek Nelson, Vice President, Northeast Operations at Acuity Brands Lighting. “As a manufacturer of products that help reduce energy waste, it is important to us...

ORANJESTAD, ST. EUSTATIUS—The head of the Caribbean region’s tourism development agency has called for legislation to regulate the disposal of waste in Caribbean waters. Delivering the keynote address at the opening of the 2nd Sustainable Conference in St. Eustatius last week, Hugh Riley, the secretary general of the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO), said the Caribbean has a responsibility to protect and preserve its water resources.The two day conference, organized by the St. Eustatius Tourism Development Foundation with support from the CTO, had as its theme, “Tourism and Water: Protecting Our Common Future.”Reflecting on the theme, Riley reminded delegates, including...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Guy Brown as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Guy Brown reengineered printer cartridges perform at the same level as OEM brands. The company’s cartridges are manufactured in North America in ISO 14001/9001 certified facilities and its recycling program guarantees zero landfill deposits with sustainability impact reporting back to the customer. By reusing spent cartridges, Guy Brown keeps bulk plastics and metals out of local landfills and saves precious environmental resources. All Guy Brown products are backed by a 100 percent satisfaction guarantee with a 12-month...

BLOOMINGTON, MINN.—The 500-room Radisson Blu Mall of America was green out of the gate when it opened in March this year just next to the bustling 520-store Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. A highly energy efficient building, typical of all new Radisson Blu properties, it is on its way to be the first hotel in Minnesota to achieve LEED certification.While the hotel is the second Radisson Blu in the United States, all future hotels will strive for LEED certification.“Why would we do it any other way?” says Ted Lorenzi, Senior Director of Technical Services, Americas, Carlson Rezidor Hotel...

SEATTLE—Reducing the amount of food waste that restaurateurs, retailers and manufacturers produce was the main topic of conversation at an August meeting of the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA) in Seattle.The meeting was conducted by the National Restaurant Assn., the Grocery Manufacturers Assn. and the Food Marketing Institute, the three charter members of the FWRA. The meeting, one of three during the year, focused on ways to reduce the amount of food waste that goes to landfills and increase the amount of food that is donated to food banks and other like-minded charitable organizations, said Laura Abshire, the NRA’s...

LAFAYETTE, CALIF.—Aquamenities reports that its dispenser fixture is gaining traction in the marketplace with brand approval and installations in properties including Four Seasons (multiple locations), The Nines (Starwood Luxury Collection), several Kimpton hotels, Destination Resorts, and Affinia properties (New York City), as well as numerous other flag, independent and boutique properties.The properties report that feedback they have received from guests and staff has been overwhelmingly positive. The Aquamenites fixture increases savings, decreases a property’s carbon footprint, and increases the productivity of staff while still providing the level of quality that guests have come to expect from a luxury brand....