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Waste Management

From the guestroom to the loading dock, waste is a perpetual challenge for hoteliers. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce waste—through intelligent purchasing, packaging, recycling and education. Got a great idea about how to turn green into gold? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Waste Management

Home Waste Management
From the guestroom to the loading dock, waste is a perpetual challenge for hoteliers. Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce waste—through intelligent purchasing, packaging, recycling and education. Got a great idea about how to turn green into gold? Contact Glenn Hasek, editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at: greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.

Green Planet Offering Water Brand in Plant-based Bottle

CHICAGO—Green Planet Bottling has launched a new entry to the $11 billion bottled water market, packaged in an organic, 100 percent plant-based bottle. Unlike the dominant petroleum-based plastic bottles, Green Planet’s are made from 100 percent plants that are toxin free and carbon neutral. They do not leach chemicals into contents, are reusable, completely recyclable and commercially compostable in just 80 days. The water itself is vapor-distilled for purity and taste and when possible sourced within 500 miles of its destination, so it is less environmentally detrimental than brands transported long distances. Green Planet water is currently available in a...

Concept Amenities Introduces Mikey the Microbe

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Consumers today are inundated with green messages that can be confusing to the average person, as they sift through mounds of technical and scientific data to figure out what’s really green and what is or is not easily biodegradable. In an effort to educate consumers, Concept Amenities, an Australian manufacturer of hotel bathroom toiletries, has taken steps to simplify the message that biodegradable products dissolve easily in the environment, without destroying nature, by launching a short 90-second educational video featuring Mikey the Microbe; a green cartoon character who gobbles landfill waste including Concept Amenities’ biodegradable amenity bottles. The video opens...

Nature Inn Opens in Pennsylvania’s Scenic Bald Eagle State Park

HOWARD, PA.—For Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), the 16-room, 18,500-square foot Nature Inn at Bald Eagle is just the first of many more green buildings to come. DCNR has committed to pursue the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the inn and at least LEED certification for all of its future buildings. The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle is green from ground to rooftop and a great start for DCNR. The Nature Inn at Bald Eagle had its grand opening on September 2 earlier this month and innkeeper...

Orlando’s Regal Sun Resort Chooses Hospitality Battery Holder

ORLANDO, FLA.—The Regal Sun Resort, an Official Walt Disney World Hotel, has selected Hospitality Battery Holders’ Electronic Lock Battery Holder to replace its wrap-around battery packs. This will allow the hotel to use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable battery packs, according to Charlie Rodriguez, account manager for Hospitality Battery Holder. The Regal Sun Resort installed the Electronic Lock Battery Holder in its 626 rooms. “The Regal Sun Resort is expected to save more than $8,000 dollars within the next five years,” Rodriguez says. Go to Hospitality Battery Holder.

Mattress Renewal Pro Introduces Mattress Renovation Program

SAINT PAUL, MINN.—Hotel owners have a personal and corporate responsibility to keep nearly a million mattress sets out of landfills each and every year. Mattress Renewal Pro, Saint Paul, Minn., has engineered a system that can eliminate this waste, save 50 percent of the cost of mattress replacement, and provide a sustainable product that will be equal to or surpasses the comfort and quality of the original mattress. Mattress Renewal Pro has been developed by specialists with 45 years of mattress manufacturing knowledge. This program has never been offered before in the lodging industry. The Mattress Renewal Pro system: • The company...

San Diego’s Food Waste Composting Program Adds First Hotel

SAN DIEGO—The city of San Diego is working with businesses that dispose large amounts of food waste to recycle the material and potentially reduce their disposal costs. Businesses participating in the program could save as much as $30 a ton in disposal fees by recycling food scraps at a discount rate. "Here is a program that benefits businesses in these tough economic times," said Chris Gonaver, director of the city's Environmental Services Department. "This program also helps to extend the life of the Miramar Landfill by diverting food waste from disposal," Gonaver said. "Food scraps are turned into rich compost that...

AH&LA’s 2010 Lodging Survey Covers Many Green Subject Areas

NATIONAL REPORT—The American Hotel & Lodging Association is about to release the results of its 2010 Lodging Survey. Green Lodging News was provided with a copy of the survey results prior to the survey’s official release. The survey, which is conducted approximately every two years, was funded by the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Foundation and prepared by Smith Travel Research. A total of 48,954 hotels were polled. The response rate was 18 percent (more than 8,500 participants). The survey report covers 14 green-related areas: Allergy-Free Rooms, Air Purifiers, Liquid Soap Dispensers, Linen/Towel Reuse Program, Energy Management Sensors in...

Concept Amenities Leader to Speak at Plastics Solutions Event

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—Concept Amenities announced that Gary Coward will be a speaker and presenter at the Environmental Plastics Solutions Conference, September 20 to 21, 2010 at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif. The two-day conference, which will feature technology innovators and scientists, will explore the latest developments in plastics sustainability, biodegradation testing, international demand and competition, legislation, developments in biodigestors and plastics of the future. President of sales, and company co-founder at Concept Amenities, Coward will represent the manufacturing sector of the hospitality industry, long considered a sizeable contributor to landfill waste. As a leading supplier of hotel...

ConServe Gloves Now Available at FoodBizSupply.com

NEW YORK—FoodBizSupply.com, an online leader for quality sustainable foodservice supply and to-go packaging, announced the availability of ConServe gloves on the company’s retail site. Manufactured by FoodHandler, the compostable gloves provide foodservice operators and handlers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic, polyethylene and other harmful materials. “The foodservice industry is slowly, yet increasingly becoming more eco-conscious and ConServe gloves is a clear, responsible choice for companies that want to reduce waste, avoid landfills and lessen their carbon footprint,” said Rosetta Mitchell, CEO, FoodBizSupply.com. “Implementing the use of ConServe  gloves in any establishment is an easy, yet significant step toward going...

Jinjiang Inns Introduces Range of New Green Hotel Initiatives

SHANGHAI, CHINA—Jinjiang Inns, a leading Chinese budget hotel chain, recently introduced a range of new green hotel initiatives that aim to reduce disposable item usage, encourage recycling and reward environmental consciousness. One major new initiative is the “6 Small Pieces” plan, which will offer six different toiletry essentials to guests in rooms. These essentials will be recycled into either plastic or aluminum alloy items after usage, rather than going to landfill. Guests at Jinjiang Inns are also encouraged to bring their own toiletries and supplies, and are actually rewarded for doing so. Non-traditional Approach “We realize that our approach is definitely non-traditional for...