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....

NOTTINGHAM, PA.—Zandur has relaunched its Cork Rubber Flooring under the Sustain brand name. The new color line features extensive options in cool and warm neutrals as well as brighter primaries. This updated pallet coordinates with current trends in wall coverings, fixtures and other flooring materials. Along with the updated color line, Sustain’s best-in-class slip resistance, low intensity maintenance and underfoot comfort make it a natural choice for commercial facilities that are looking for a safer product that is more durable and contains more recycled content than most other resilient products today.  Sustain Cork Rubber is made from more than 65...

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL.—T2 Site Amenities introduces its nature inspired line of recycling receptacles and matching planters. This San Mateo series is designed for indoor or outdoor use. Constructed from fiberglass, this collection will not rust or corrode and is impervious to salty air and the hot sun.“The organic look of the San Mateo series has been welcomed by many hotel properties,” says Lori Tilkin, president of T2. “Having products that work both indoors and outdoors allows for a more cohesive design across the property.”Tilkin also noted that one large hotel property in Hawaii had purchased more than 100 units...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—The Refinishing Touch, a leader in on-site environmentally safe and sustainable furniture refinishing and re-upholstering for private and public organizations, has completed a guestroom desk preservation project across 143 rooms for  the Hilton Garden Inn Columbia/Northeast hotel, in Columbia, S.C. The Refinishing Touch refinished the desks and applied protective edge molding on-site with minimal disruption in room use and environmental impact, and saved the hotel $46,439 compared to buying new assets. As a hotel with a high guest demand, the Hilton Garden Inn saw progressive wear and damage on its frequently used wooden desks, a result of chairs...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—On Thursday, September 12, 2013, the California State Senate voted to approve SB 254 authored by Senator Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley) and Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) by a 31-8 bipartisan vote. SB 254 now moves to the Governor’s desk for review and signature.SB 254 (Hancock/Correa), which has enjoyed bipartisan support throughout the legislative process, creates a used mattress recycling program that will have a dedicated funding mechanism, reduce the impact of illegally dumped mattresses, harness existing infrastructure for transporting used mattresses to recyclers, create jobs, and minimize costs to both government and consumers.“We are very pleased SB 254...

DOWNERS GROVE, ILL.—Jet, a national leader in gift card production and fulfillment, recently released a new sampling of production specialty cards. The new recyclable, fiber-based cards are made with 100 percent wood fiber and offer an alternative to plastic cards. This material allows the use of special inks, foils, and varnishes to produce a final product that cannot be obtained on traditional plastic cards. “Clients repeatedly ask us to help them find ways to make their gift cards stand out from the crowd,” said Greg Nye, vice president of sales at Jet. “With our new specialty cards, clients can...