CHICAGO—The InterContinental Chicago, a 792-room hotel located on the Windy City’s Magnificent Mile, has just obtained its Energy Star rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy. The hotel, in a building constructed in 1929, is the first hotel in Chicago to earn the rating. The energy performance of commercial and industrial facilities is scored on a 1 to 100 scale and those facilities that achieve a score of 75 or higher are eligible for the Energy Star, indicating that they are among the top 25 percent of facilities in the country for energy performance. The...

DALTON, GA.—Shaw Industries, Inc. was named Large Recycler of the Year by the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE), a joint industry-government initiative to promote carpet recycling, reuse and waste reduction of post consumer carpet. Shaw leads the carpet industry with its cradle-to-cradle recycling program that has recycled 100 million pounds of post consumer carpet to date through its Evergreen Nylon Recycling Facility. Shaw president Randy Merritt says that the company’s commercial and residential carpet products embody the carpet-to-carpet design as a means to reduce landfill waste and virgin raw material usage. The company’s efforts have lead to increased amounts...

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL.—Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. has developed the first ever 100 percent recycled polyester drapery fabrics that are inherently fire retardant to meet all vertical fire codes. These Earth-friendly textile constructions are 100 percent post consumer recycled polyester and the first to be serviceable without any additional fire retardant chemicals. The drapery fabrics look and perform like their conventional non-recycled and chemically treated ancestors, but have two major differences. First, they are inherent so there is no risk of the fabric losing its FR properties after washing. Secondly, these inherent FR recycled fabrics have less of an environment footprint...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes The Refinishing Touch as an advertising partner. Founded in 1977, The Refinishing Touch® is a world leader in providing on-site environmentally safe, furniture re-finishing and re-upholstery to private and public organizations. It enables its 20,000 customers across the following markets—government, hotel, hospitality and academia—to save up to 80 percent of their budgets and maintain environmental sustainability. For more information, call (800) 523-9448, e-mail marketing@therefinishingtouch.com, or go to www.therefinishingtouch.com.

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Swisssol USA Creative Body Care as an advertising partner. Swisssol USA Creative Body Care is the maker of the Press + Wash dispensing system. The system, which can dispense liquid soap, body lotion, shampoo and bath/shower gel, helps the environment by eliminating individual bottle waste. Press + Wash can reduce costs by up to 35 percent a year. Press + Wash is a long lasting and tamper-proof system. It is drip free and will not leak. Press + Wash offers an attractive image design and is available in...

ANDERSON, CALIF.—Gaia at Anderson, a new 122-room green hotel, has opened here. It is the second Gaia hotel in California to be developed and opened by Wen-I Chang. The first was the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa in American Canyon. That 133-room property opened in October 2006. Chang is also developing a third hotel in Merced, Calif., a 141-room property. Chang expects the Gaia at Anderson hotel to achieve a LEED Silver or Gold rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa was the first U.S. hotel to earn LEED Gold. In building...

CHARLOTTE, N.C.—Cadmus Whitehall Group recently accepted an award for the Green Entrepreneurial/Innovative Idea of the Year. This award recognized Cadmus for Green-Key and highlighted Cadmus’ outstanding effort to promote environmental sustainability. Green-Key is the environmentally friendly alternative to plastic keycards. It is recyclable, biodegradable and produced from paperboard, a renewable resource. Its paperboard construction also makes it a greener choice versus other eco-friendly alternatives to PVC. One of the reasons Cadmus developed Green-Key is to address environmental issues including the damaging effects PVC production and disposal can have on the environment. “We are honored to receive this award confirming our efforts...

ST. JOHN, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS—Here at Maho Bay Camps, you have to be careful what you throw away. Your “trash” just might end up as part of a piece of art on sale to a visiting guest. For more than 10 years now, glass bottles, aluminum cans, worn tablecloths, napkins, towels, sheets, shredded cardboard and paper, and even laundry lint have been converted into saleable pieces of art as part of Maho Bay Camps’ Trash to Treasures program. Last year, the resort sold $250,000 worth of art made from items otherwise destined for the trash heap. With the program a...

COLUMBIA, MD.—Representing a crown jewel in environmentally friendly renovation, the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, D.C. is the latest project from First Finish, Inc. that offers a “green” hospitality experience with materials and finishes that are environmentally favorable. Coinciding with Earth Day on April 22, the completion of the Lexus Hybrid Living Suite means guests will have an eco-luxury experience including use of a Lexus LS 600h L hybrid sedan to drive during their stay. With its established credentials in renovation construction that is environmentally sustainable, First Finish worked with Organic Interior Design to refurbish the suite with reconditioned furniture made...

PHILADELPHIA—Westinghouse Lighting announces a partnership with Veolia Environmental Services (VES) North America to promote Veolia’s proprietary recycling kit, RECYCLEPAK, through Westinghouse’s website. The award-winning lighting and electronics recycling program provides a convenient way for companies to recycle large or small quantities of used lamps and ballasts. The cost of each RECYCLEPAK kit includes everything needed for recycling—environmentally-safe packaging, pre-paid shipping, labels and documentation. “We’re proud to partner with Veolia on such an important service to our customers,” says Ray Angelo, president and CEO, Westinghouse Lighting. “Veolia provides them with recycling convenience and peace of mind knowing that their used lamps and...