MILWAUKEE—Telkonet, Inc., developer of the EcoSmart energy management platform and a leading provider of Internet services for the hospitality industry, announced that it has established an e-waste Take-Back Recycling program for all of its legacy products to assist its customers with the responsible disposal of used electronics equipment. According to Telkonet, it is committed to promoting sustainability and actively pursues and implements policies, programs and practices designed to minimize and mitigate corporate environmental impact by producing products that are designed and manufactured to meet or exceed the world’s most stringent environmental requirements. Telkonet extends that core value, and attempts to...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Clean the World, a social enterprise committed to saving lives and protecting the planet, today announced a corporate agreement to collect and recycle hotel soaps, shampoos, conditioners, lotions and gels to help fight the global spread of preventable diseases. An estimated 1.6 million pounds of hotel soap may be recycled each year through this partnership. The agreement, potentially involving 500 Starwood hotels in North America, is the first corporate agreement for Clean the World, which now has hospitality partnerships in place with more than 1,000 hotel properties around the globe. Starwood brands...

BARRIE, ONT.—Paper coffee cups are a huge part of our waste stream. In an effort to divert coffee cup waste, Busch Systems is launching its Coffee Cup Recycler to combat this issue. The Coffee Cup Recycler will be making its debut at the 23rd Annual Specialty Coffee Event of the Year Exposition hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) from April 28 to May 1, 2011. Billions of coffee cups make their way into landfills daily. It is clear that if a solution isn’t found to divert coffee cup waste, the negative impact on the environment will be...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.—For the third year in a row, Broward County has selected Valley Forge Fabrics to receive one of the County’s 2010 Emerald Awards in the Recycling category for environmental excellence. The Emerald Award is given annually by the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and Environmental Protection Department to honor businesses for exceptional commitment to protecting the environment. Valley Forge Fabrics, a leader in sustainable textiles and decorative fabrics for hospitality, launched its FRESH initiative more than five years ago. FRESH is an acronym for Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards for Hospitality. The company’s Tencel+Plus Lyocell products are the...

BOSTON—When the 424-room InterContinental Boston opened in November 2006, its recycling rate was just 8 percent. Tim Kirwan, general manager, admits recycling was not a top priority at first. In October 2007, with the assistance of Charlestown, Mass.-based Save That Stuff, everyone at the hotel finally got serious about recycling. By 2008, the rate had increased to 32 percent. In 2009 the rate reached 38 percent. From January through March of this year, the rate, according to Fabienne Eliacin, the hotel’s engineering coordinator, reached 61 percent. The InterContinental Boston’s focus on waste reduction, in addition to its other green initiatives,...

TORONTO—The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) announced the installation of an innovative new carpet system technology that will help to reduce its environmental footprint. It is North America’s first large installation of a system that features firm plastic floor plates with hooks that lock in place, and uses a mechanical hook-and-loop bond that attaches the carpet. With frequent loading and unloading of show equipment, the occasional spill and high visitor traffic, there are certain areas where carpet needs to be replaced. “This initiative is one of many in our green strategy that emphasizes continuous improvement,” said Vince Quattrociocchi, vice president...

MINNETONKA, MINN.—Carlson’s Country Inns & Suites brand, a major player in the limited-service, midscale segment of the lodging industry, is getting serious about reducing the volume of waste produced at its approximately 500 properties worldwide. By October 31 this year, disposable tableware will be eliminated in breakfast areas. About 20 hotels have already taken this step. Steve Mogck, executive vice president and COO, Country Inns & Suites by Carlson, says approximately 200 hotels will make the transition by June 1. Disposable plates, bowls, cups and utensils will be replaced with washable counterparts. Mogck says a large volume of the waste produced in a typical...

NATIONAL REPORT—In recent years, mattress makers have taken steps to extend the life of the mattress—building in removable pillow tops and other replaceable components—but at the end of a mattress’ life there is still a great chance that it will end up in a local landfill. The biggest barrier to mattress (and box spring) recycling, according to Chuck Brickman, owner and president of Willoughby, Ohio-based Ohio Mattress Recovery and Recycling, is hoteliers not knowing there is an option to recycle. Another barrier, although this is slowly beginning to change, is the availability of mattress recycling facilities. The International Sleep...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Protect-A-Bed as a Green Product & Service Directory partner. Protect-A-Bed offers a complete line of protective bedding products designed to preserve mattresses and keep them out of landfills. AllerZip is the world’s first scientifically proven bed bug entry, escape and bite proof mattress encasement featuring the patented BugLock with SecureSeal three-sided zipper system. The products also offer allergy protection, which helps hotels create a healthy and restful sleep environment. Protect-A-Bed also offers mattress pads, pillow protectors and other items. For more information, e-mail Sandra@protectabed.com, call (866) 297-8836, or...

DALTON, GA.—At Yellowstone National Park, another sight that’s as predictable as the park’s famous Old Faithful Geyser are recycling bins stuffed with food wrappers, plastic bottles, and other items generated by the park’s 3.5 million annual visitors. In recent years, Yellowstone Park has been a leader in recycling innovation with programs that have significantly reduced the park’s dependency on area landfills. A new and unique recycling partnership, forged with Universal Textile Technologies, Four Corners Recycling, CPE, Inc. and the United Soybean Board (USB), will reduce and ensure the reuse of the amount of plastic bottles that go into landfills,...