CHICAGO—Roughly two-thirds of the nation’s restaurateurs have recycling programs as part of their sustainability efforts, according to a new study conducted by the National Restaurant Association in partnership with Georgia-Pacific Professional. The research results, released at the 2011 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, also shows that three out of five consumers prefer to visit restaurants that have recycling practices in place. The study provides a comprehensive overview of restaurant recycling practices that will help restaurant operators meet consumer needs, enhance their environmental programs, and be more profitable.  “Sustainability is more than a fad, it’s the new way of...

LAGRANGE, GA.—InterfaceFLOR, LLC officially rolled out its Interface Hospitality division at HD Expo in Las Vegas. Dozens of new designs have been added to the initial library of modular carpet tile patterns that specifiers will be able to access when composing a floor covering for their hospitality projects.  “Whether it’s for guestrooms, corridors or public spaces, Interface Hospitality is ready with a solution that’s equally attractive as it is practical,” said Charley Knight, vice president of Interface Hospitality. “DYF—design your floor— is the Interface Hospitality mantra, because what we’re offering is an extensive selection of patterns that can be...

ORLANDO, FLA.—Clean the World Global LLC, an Orlando-based social enterprise and the largest global recycler of hotel amenities, is planning a celebration in November to draw attention to the power of soap as an aid to promoting hygiene health. Some of the biggest names in the hospitality industry, the private sector and philanthropic endeavors are attending, including executives from The Walt Disney World Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Starwood Worldwide, and many more. The First Annual Clean the World Gala will take place Saturday, November 5 at The Peabody Orlando. The luxury hotel was one of Clean the World’s first of more...

ORLANDO, FLA.—The Hilton Inn at Penn has installed Intelity ICE (Interactive Customer Experience) Touch on iPad in each one of its 238 guestrooms. This in-room guest feature, part of a $10 million renovation project designed to make this savvy, new hotel more eco-friendly, will allow guests to order up to 30 guest services from the convenience of an iPad. The benefit? The Hilton Inn at Penn provides guests with luxury service while reducing its printing costs by up to 90 percent. During their stay, guests at The Hilton Inn at Penn will be able to use Intelity’s ICE Touch on...

AURORA, ONT.—CleanRiver Recycling Solutions, a division of Midpoint International, has introduced a waste and recycling station that is easily configured—and reconfigured—to meet current and future requirements. CleanSort Transition Series Recycling Stations use stream-specific, interchangeable openings and internal dividers to accept multiple types of waste and recyclables in a single unit. Ideal for offices, these modular and configurable units easily adapt to waste stream changes thereby extending their life cycle and contributing to the ROI of the recycling program. The units may first go into service as single-stream trash receptacles. As recycling programs are implemented, the trash opening in each unit...

DALLAS—The Omni Dallas Hotel, located in the heart of downtown Dallas, has outlined its sustainability plan which will lead to the property’s LEED Silver New Construction (NC) certification upon opening. The plan includes use of recycled and regionally-sourced materials, reduced construction pollution and water conservation initiatives. “Earning the LEED Silver New Construction status will be a tremendous accomplishment—one made possible by the tremendous efforts of the City, Matthews Southwest, Balfour/Russell/Pegasus, 5Gstudio_collaborative, BOKA Powell, Vivian-Nichols Associates and every team member who has a hand in keeping the project focused on sustainability,” said Nils Stolzlechner, general manager of the Omni Dallas Hotel....

CHICAGO—In order to help hotels further reduce their environmental footprint, Cintas Corp. has introduced its first eco-friendly garment options for bellmen, doormen and other front door professionals in hotels. The new apparel, made of recycled polyester, wool and Lycra, further enhances Cintas’ already extensive EcoGeneration collection and enables hotels to go “green” without compromising fashion or comfort. “Staff members who greet guests when they enter a property really set the tone for their overall perception of the brand,” said Todd McKeown, vice president of Hospitality at Cintas. “With our new sustainable apparel for bellmen and doormen, hotels can leave an...

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...