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...

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...

We are getting the little things right. We dutifully recycle plastic bottles. We’ve started bringing reusable bags to grocery stores. We even cut those plastic six-pack rings like the old public service announcements used to tell us to do. More and more, consumers are making environmentally responsible decisions. Why, then, are we still failing on some of the bigger things? In this case, our desire for new bigger things might be the source of the problem. In the past decade, televisions have grown bigger, then flatter, then bigger again. The emphasis is on the new: buy now, because your old...

PITTSBURGH—Fairmont Pittsburgh announced that it has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification at the Gold level from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The announcement was made by Leonard S. Czarnecki, general manager of the luxury hotel. “We are proud to continue Fairmont Hotels & Resorts’ tradition of operational sustainability and responsible tourism here at the Pittsburgh location,” Czarnecki said. “In fact, Fairmont Pittsburgh is the first LEED certified project for Fairmont, and we are looking forward to growing our reputation as a responsible member of this community.” Fairmont Pittsburgh, which opened on March 29, 2010,...

TORONTO— Decreasing waste and improving sustainability is often a function of controlling cost and improving environmental stewardship. WasteLess Environmental Services Inc., of Calgary, is helping Canadian companies reduce waste and reach environmental improvement goals. ZeroWaste, a new program offering from WasteLess, takes this mission one step further. Instead of aiming to reduce waste created by corporations, it completely eliminates it. Through consultative waste audits, new landfill diversion tactics and breakthrough recycling programs, the ZeroWaste application by WasteLess is capturing industry attention because of its design, implementation and results. Coast Hotels & Resorts in Vancouver, B.C., a WasteLess client, has received...

SAN DIEGO—Cali Bamboo, a leading manufacturer of green building materials for residential and commercial projects made primarily from bamboo, announced its first flooring line created from cork, another highly renewable and recycled material. CaliCork is a ready-to-lay product manufactured from cork used in wineries, and is a step up from other cork floors with its proprietary ceramic wear-resistant technology that nearly eliminates the appearance of scratches, scuff marks, scoring and rough spots. “The unique, abrasion resistant surface is a big improvement in the cork flooring market,” said Jeff Goldberg, CEO and founder of Cali Bamboo. “If you are familiar with wine...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA—As the economy begins to recover and U.S. hotel occupancy improves, demand for sustainable solutions is at an all time high. To meet growing demand for its green products, Concept Amenities, a global manufacturer of hotel toiletries, has added three new positions in the United States. “An estimated 3.5 billion toiletry bottles and caps end up in landfill every year in the U.S. alone,” explains Gary Coward, president of sales for Concept Amenities. “We manufacture our guest amenities with Eco Pure, which allows plastic to biodegrade in landfill within a few years.” Coward clarifies the new appointments were essential, and...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Trex, the nation’s largest manufacturer of wood-alternative decking, railing and fencing, has received a Verification of Attributes Report (VAR-1011) from ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) under the Sustainable Attributes Verification and Evaluation (SAVE) Program. The VAR provides independent third-party confirmation that Trex’s wood-alternative products are manufactured with a minimum of 95.4 percent recycled content. Trex is the first wood-alternative decking manufacturer to obtain an ICC-ES SAVE verification. “Receiving verification on the recycled content of our products from an organization as respected and recognized as ICC-ES creates additional credibility among both our professional partners and consumers,” said Kyle Lancaster, director of...

LAS VEGAS—Bellagio is world-renowned for the spectacular floral exhibitions found within its sunlit Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. Each display memorably showcases tens of thousands of flowers, plants and organic materials in artful vignettes. When an exhibit ends, however, the journey just begins for each planting—all find a new beginning through a composting endeavor that turns them into nutrient-rich mulch, creating an endless circle of life. Actively dedicated to environmentally sustainable practices, Bellagio’s expert horticulture staff composted and recycled more than 600 tons of materials in 2009 alone including flowers, trees, shrubs and plants. In addition, Bellagio’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens...

SAN JOSE, CALIF.—Sustainable Living Group, Inc. has been launched to provide the travel, industrial, hospitality and lifestyle industries with eco-friendly products made from sustainable resources. Sustainable Living Group was started because the founders felt there was a lack of everyday products that are made with sustainable materials—from simple necessities like shower caps and shower curtains to industrial products like biodegradable ponchos, coveralls and aprons.    “We founded Sustainable Living Group because we felt that there was a lack of eco-friendly products that we as consumers really wanted to be more readily available to purchase and use,” said Quyen Huynh, COO of...