WILKES-BARRE, PA.—When King’s College purchased the downtown Ramada Inn in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. in late 2013, the 190-room hotel came with just about everything one would expect to come with a full-service hotel. The kitchen was fully stocked with appliances. The guestrooms still had furniture, linens, etc. Meeting rooms also still included furniture. The previous owner left just about everything for the new owner to remove—more than 4,500 items. King’s College had no intention of running a hotel; it purchased the property in order to convert it into a dormitory and administrative space. King’s College could have called on a...

TEMPE, ARIZ.—Refresh Glass, a Tempe, Ariz.-based company that creates functional wine bottle art made from empties rescued from landfills, is helping restaurants, hotels, and retailers generate revenue while contributing to their 10 Million Bottle Rescue Mission. Hotels and restaurants that use Refresh Glass products get enthusiastic responses from guests who recognize the wine bottles they know and love while increasing engagement with their staff. The repurposed wares also help broaden their sustainability programs that the public increasingly looks for every year. “The FireSky Resort and Spa is a very green conscious resort and we have been using Refresh Glasses in our...

TRAVELERS REST, S.C.—Foodservice plumbing product manufacturer T&S Brass announces a new partnership with Everpure, the world’s largest water treatment equipment manufacturer, that will package popular T&S products with a point-of-use EverPure water filtration system. The bundled solutions will make high quality, great tasting, odor- and contaminant-free high tap water available at the source.“High quality tap water is a major factor in the perceived caliber and cleanliness of restaurants, hospitals, office complexes and, really, any place where people are tasting and judging,” says Richard Fahey, Senior Marketing Product Manager at T&S. “These new filtration packages are the perfect solution for...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—An alliance of food manufacturers, retailers and foodservice operators announced the release of a toolkit to help businesses in the food sector reduce the amount of food waste sent to landfill. The Best Practices and Emerging Solutions Toolkit was produced by the Food Waste Reduction Alliance (FWRA), a cross-sector industry initiative led by the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), the Grocery Manufacturers Assn. (GMA) and the National Restaurant Assn (NRA).“The Food Waste Reduction Alliance has been working to tackle food waste challenges within the food sector since 2011, but we know that there are companies out there that are...

DENVER—As a company, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has always strived to involve employees and guests in the common goal of preserving and protecting the planet. Mirroring this commitment, Four Seasons Hotel Denver announces new sustainability measures at its property.“At Four Seasons, being environmentally responsible is part of who we are,” says Thierry Kennel, General Manager of Four Seasons Hotel Denver. “Our Hotel guests share these same values, so we have launched several new green initiatives, such as biodegradable room keys.”The hotel has enacted the following environmentally friendly offerings: •    Recyclable coffee pods: Hotel guests enjoy Nespresso machines in their...

MILWAUKEE, WIS.—Commercial Zone, a division of retail marketing company DCI-Artform, will launch its newest product line, Leafview, at the 2014 HD Expo in Las Vegas. The event runs from May 14 to 16.Leafview are environmentally friendly trash receptacles with contemporary designs that complement any décor for high-profile areas. The products feature disposal areas on both sides of their stainless steel bodies, and are designed to withstand various weather climates.“The appearance and cleanliness of a facility, such as a hotel, hospital or retail store, is very essential to not only attracting customers, but retaining customers,” said Sandi Dzirbik, Director of...

CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE—The Inn by the Sea’s Sea Glass Chef Mitchell Kaldrovich learned most of what he thinks is important from his grandmother, helping her cook family dinners when a boy in his native Argentina. “Nothing went to waste,” says Kaldrovich. “You bake bread today, tomorrow you make bread pudding. My grandmother respected local farmers and fishermen too much to waste the food they produced.”Early lessons feed the chef’s enthusiasm for the Root to Stalk movement. A long time advocate for farm to fork, trawl to table and fresh seasonal menus, the chef sees the culinary sense of using...

MIRAMAR, FLA.—Granite Transformations, a global full-service home and business remodeling resource known for its resurfacing process, has introduced two new colors—Terra Chiara and Terra di Siena—as part of a new line of porcelain/granite countertops that are unique, durable and universally appealing. These new colors enhance Granite Transformations’ exclusive line of granite, recycled glass countertops and mosaic tile backsplashes.“We are proud to add these new surfaces to our impressive product line, which offers great style and dependability,” said Carl Griffenkranz, VP Marketing. “Granite Transformations continues to meet consumer demand for versatile surfaces that add style and value to residential and...

NATIONAL REPORT—Part of what makes outdoor furniture sustainable is its sturdiness—its ability to last for years without requiring replacement. Another green factor is the materials from which the furniture is made. Fortunately for hoteliers, there is a wide variety of outdoor furniture available that has a strong green materials story. A large percentage of that furniture is made from recycled plastic—primarily high density polyethylene (HDPE) from recycled milk jugs and other containers. Suppliers have their own names for the plastic material that can be used in the construction of furniture items ranging from chairs to tables to towel valets...

IRVINE, CALIF.—About one million partly-used bars of soap are disposed of daily by U.S. hotels. With April 22 serving as Earth Day, this month marks the time of year to think about the ways individuals and companies can be less wasteful and more environmentally friendly.    Pacifica Hotels, the largest owner and operator of boutique hotels on the Pacific Coast, keeps this notion top of mind throughout the year. In a partnership with Clean the World, Pacifica Hotels donates partially or unused bars of soap and bath products to be repurposed and donated to impoverished areas. The initiative, which has...