NATIONAL REPORT—Carpet cushion, also known as underlayment, has been one of the greenest products available to the lodging industry for years. More than 80 percent of carpet cushion sold today is made from bonded polyurethane foam cushion (“bonded” or “rebond”). It comes from a combination of salvaged, scrapped or recycled polyurethane foam generated during the making of furniture, bedding and other products—cushions for car seats, for example. Polyurethane is ground up into small pieces, bonded under pressure with a binder into blocks, and then cut into thin slices of different thicknesses and widths. Used carpet cushion is also recycled...

CHICAGO—On Thursday, October 16, Mayor Richard M. Daley acknowledged the efforts of 25 Chicago hotels that are currently striving for an environmental designation. The Green Hotels Initiative challenges hotels to obtain Green Seal certification, an environmental lodging standard with requirements in waste minimization, energy efficiency, water conservation, waste water management and green procurement. The program also offers resources, best practices and recognition to the hotels going green. “Whether you are working to install energy efficient equipment in your kitchens and laundry facilities, installing water-saving plumbing fixtures, or planning for a green roof, like the one we have on top of...

GREENSBORO, N.C.—Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels announced that The Proximity Hotel and Print Works Bistro have been awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). LEED is the USGBC’s rating system for designing and constructing the world’s greenest, most energy efficient, and high performing buildings. Opened in late 2007, the Proximity is the first hotel and Print Works is the first restaurant to obtain the USGBC’s top level of certification. “When we started the design process four years ago, I would have never believed that we could use 41 percent less energy and 33 percent less water without...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Naturally Iowa West as an advertising partner. Naturally Iowa West is pioneering the bioplastics industry with its earth friendly biodegradable plastic packaging for premium bottled water, organic milk products and other beverages made from polylactic acid. Naturally Iowa West is committed to protecting the environment and developing recovery systems for a new generation of bioplastics. Plant-based plastics are much more environmentally friendly than traditional plastics because they have the potential to reduce annual landfill waste by thousands of tons and release far less carbon dioxide in the...

ATLANTA—The Emory Conference Center Hotel (ECCH) in Atlanta is continuing its commitment to the environment and its “green” guests. The property has recently been re-certified by Green Seal, converted to a new food waste elimination system, began recycling its waste cooking oil into fuel, and introduced single stream recycling. ECCH is the only Green Seal-certified hotel in Georgia, meeting rigorous environmental standards for U.S. lodging properties that include waste minimization, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally responsible purchasing. Certification must be renewed annually and ECCH has been certified since 2004. The hotel’s new food composting system is...

MADISON HEIGHTS, MICH.—Décor Group International (DGI), a leading manufacturer of brand imaging delivery systems, has undertaken a total commitment to green technology. Based in Madison Heights, Mich., DGI has pledged to provide its clients with materials that are biodegradable and/or recyclable in an effort to better meet the needs of the growing number of businesses that are migrating towards a greener existence. Dennis Knoblock, owner and president of DGI, issued the following statement: “Making a change to green technology does not in any way translate to a sacrifice in the areas of quality, durability or presentation. The performance of these...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Hospitality Group’s new REmix Collection by Kate Korten comes to life with animated patterns and linear motifs found in advertising and art designs of the 1950s and 1960s. REmix offers coordinated guestrooms and public space carpet in both print and tufted patterns. Korten, whose father was a groundbreaking New York art director in the 1960s, grew up on shape, color and form, which are all reflected in REmix. This background influenced her career and continues to provide inspiration in hospitality flooring designs. “The style of illustrations from that era still strikes a chord in me,” Korten said. “I’ve kept...

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL.—Yesterday’s water bottles and bamboo stalks are today’s dinnerware with a new line of “greener” single-use cups and plates from Solo Cup Company. The products are the first to be launched under the Bare by Solo brand, an eco-forward line of plates and cups. The single-use cups are made from 20 percent post-consumer recycled polyethylene (PET) plastic and single-use plates are made from bamboo. Solo is the first to commercialize a plastic cup using post-consumer recycled material on a broad scale. PET is the plastic from which water bottles and many other containers are made. The material is...

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL.—Hotels looking for upscale recycling wastebaskets for the guestrooms now have viable options thanks to T2 Site Amenities. According to Lori Tilkin, principal at the company, “many hotels do not find blue plastic as appropriate for their design requirements. As a result, guestrooms have gone without recycling wastebaskets despite a property’s green initiatives.” T2 Site Amenities is now offering a wide range of styles available in steel and wicker. The fire-safe steel products can be powder coated in a wide range of finishes. Styles include Round, Half Round, Rectangular and the “Side Saddle.” Many custom options are...

PARSIPPANY, N.J.—As part of its evolving “green” strategy, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts announced the launch of a new ecologically-friendly uniform line for hotel staff using recycled polyester fibers spun from plastic beverage bottles. Select Wyndham hotels will introduce the new uniforms beginning this fall by job category. Front desk and other customer-facing employees are required to begin wearing the new uniforms by the end of 2009 and housekeeping and other back-of-house staff by 2010. All new properties are required to provide the new uniforms upon opening. The textiles are produced from post-consumer products, including recycled plastic beverage bottles, which...