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...

BOSTON—With the public comment period closing on August 23, only a few steps remain for the approval of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s (MassDEP) proposed commercial food waste ban set to take effect by July 1, 2014. According to Greg Cooper, division director of Business Compliance for MassDEP’s Bureau of Waste Prevention, an initial review of the public comments showed little opposition to the ban. “My hope is that we can move the package fairly quickly and stay on track with our intended schedule of implementation,” Cooper says. The commercial food waste ban initially will impact hotels in...

LOS ANGELES—L’Heure Bleue, the eco-chic resort of Nosy Be, in Madagascar, has been created as a model for sustainable tourism: Everything is designed from the outset, in a spirit of respect for the environment and sustainable development, in harmony with local people. L’Heure Bleue was recently awarded Green Globe certification.“L’Heure Bleue wants to demonstrate that another type of tourism is achievable, based on ethical values and respect,” said Yves Benouaich, general manager. “We would like to prove that responsible tourism brings together pleasure and well-being, without impacting on the quality of services and benefits. We are committed to fight...

ATLANTA—Simmons Bedding Co. and its Hospitality Division (Simmons Hospitality) announced the implementation of a new mattress recycling program. The company recently partnered with Global Sustainability Solutions (GSS) to handle recycling services for hospitality sales. This initiative marks one of the most significant milestones in Simmons’ sustainability efforts.The new Simmons Hospitality/GSS program will provide mattress installation, removal and recycling services, including delivery coordination and installation of the new product, as well as removal and transportation of the old bed sets—including bedframes—to a designated recycling plant.Under this new program, hospitality clientele purchasing new product from Simmons, such as the new Simmons...

ALPHARETTA, CA.—The Refinishing Touch, a leader in on-site, environmentally safe and cost-effective furniture asset management services for private and public organizations, has announced its preferred vendor partnership with Fairmont Raffles Hotels International (FRHI), and its contract to provide furniture asset management services to each of the hotel group’s premier locations. FRHI encompasses three distinct brands—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Raffles Hotels & Resorts, and Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts—and provides travelers with access to luxury, world-class lodging accommodations through its 139 properties worldwide.Through its new relationship with FRHI, The Refinishing Touch is contracted to provide its award-winning furniture asset management solutions...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—On Monday, August 12, 2013, California’s Assembly Natural Resources Committee approved SB 254 (Hancock/Correa) by a 7-0 bipartisan vote. The intent of SB 254 is to create a used mattress recycling program that will keep old mattresses out of landfills, off highways, and out of vacant lots and alleys. Per the authors of the legislation, Senator Loni Hancock representing Berkeley and Senator Lou Correa representing Santa Ana, this type of legislation creates a win-win situation by furthering California’s overall recycling goals.Specifically, SB 254 creates a used mattress recycling program that will have a dedicated funding mechanism, reduce the...

The most effective way to set up viable recycling programs is using a method that I call parallel access. Recycling bins for most commonly-discarded materials should be located next to but be visibly different than the trash bins. The decision the guest makes of whether or not to participate in the recycling program should only take a fraction of an instant and the effort required to do so shouldn’t take much longer. For example, if your guest has a trash bin in their room, but has to walk down the hallway to get to a recycling bin, that is...

TROY, N.Y.—Audubon International announced it has partnered with Clean the World, a nonprofit organization that recycles soap and bottled amenities from the hospitality industry and distributes them in needed areas throughout the world. Audubon International is offering a 10 percent discount on its Green Lodging Program annual membership fee for hospitality properties enrolled in the Clean the World program.“Environmental quality and human health are inherently linked in the context of global sustainability,” said Ryan Aylesworth, president and CEO of Audubon International. “Our organization has a long history of collaborating with diverse partners to advance environmental stewardship and address important...