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...

PANAMA CITY, FLA.—The Sugar Cane Paper Company, the largest manufacturer and distributor of bagasse-made, “treeless” paper goods in the world, announces the availability of bagasse-made napkins, toilet paper, tissue and paper towels; making it the only company with this complete line of eco-friendly products in the U.S. marketplace. Bagasse is the fibrous residue left over in the sugar-making process after the sugar cane has been crushed and the sugar extracted. All of The Sugar Cane Paper Company’s paper products are from recycled materials—85 percent is recycled waste (bagasse) and the remaining 15 percent, recycled paper. Sugar Cane Paper Company...

MORGANVILLE, N.J.—RoomService Amenities (RSA) introduces Green from NATÜRA. This toiletry collection features bottles made primarily from Plastarch Material (PSM), a corn-based biodegradable material and other environmentally sensitive packaging. After years of research in an attempt to find an alternative to plastic amenity bottles, RSA has partnered with advanced manufacturers to develop a process that successfully converts corn starch into a material that integrates the rigidity, toughness and elasticity of traditional plastic. Using PSM significantly reduces environmental impact and promotes a sustainable future. Plastarch Material (PSM), a biodegradable resin made from corn starch, is designed to supplement or replace conventional petroleum-based...

KANSAS CITY, MO.—Doug Gamble, managing partner of the Q Hotel + Spa, is on a mission to make his 123-room hotel as sustainable as possible—even to the point of turning off lights in the lobby during the day and hanging clotheslines to help dry washed linens. Gamble’s company has owned the hotel since April 2007. It was originally built in 1986. Renovations began in July 2007 and were completed in March of this year. It formally opened as the Q Hotel + Spa on April 1. “It was a cool little boutique hotel,” says Gamble of the Kansas City, Mo.-based...