NATIONAL REPORT—If the growth of the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC) is any indication of the current level of interest in sustainable furniture manufacturing, you can expect to read a lot more about this trend in the coming months. The Council, which was incorporated in March, already has 100 members. While the majority of all furniture purchased for lodging in the United States is not sustainable, that appears to be changing—albeit slowly. What exactly is sustainable furniture? It most certainly is not furniture that is made with illegally sourced wood, petroleum-based foams, fabrics and other materials, and finishes and glues that...

THORNTON, COLO.—EarthFriendlyEnergy.us (EFE), founded to create synergies between human and environmental need, announced that it has begun offering comprehensive energy efficient lighting solutions as well as free bulb recycling services. Based outside of Denver, CO, EFE services are available nationwide. Lighting typically accounts for anywhere between 15 to 40 percent of energy use in a building. Replacing traditional bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs) can result in substantial financial savings, especially in the face of rising energy costs, and helps to protect the environment. CFLs are compatible with standard sockets but use 65 percent to 75 percent less energy than traditional...

WINCHESTER, VA.—Rubbermaid Commercial Products (RCP) announces its “Smarter Recycling” solution: The Glutton Recycling Station. It combines the trusted Glutton and Slim Jim strength and durability into a high-capacity station that can separate up to four waste streams for more efficient recycling. “Supporting our customers’ recycling efforts while working to help reduce their waste disposal and labor costs is our priority for the Glutton Recycling Station,” says Victoria Ciupak, product manager for Rubbermaid Commercial Products. “For a recycling collection to be successful, the receptacles have to be as easy to maintain as they are to use. And with Rubbermaid Commercial...

KEY WEST, FLA.—The Banyan Resort and the Gardens Hotel last week became the Florida Keys’ first certified members of the Green Lodging Program, created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to recognize and reward environmentally conscious lodging facilities in the state. The two Old Town Key West properties were awarded “one palm” certification for their environmental commitment in ceremonies attended by State Representative Ron Saunders, Key West Mayor Morgan McPherson, Stacey Mitchell, director of sales for the Monroe County Tourist Development Council (TDC) and Laura Comer and Gus Rios of the DEP. “These businesses are stepping up to recognize...

HALLOWELL, MAINE—The Maple Hill Farm Bed and Breakfast, located on 130 acres not far from Maine’s capital building, has earned a reputation as an environmental leader and deservedly so. Even though the property has just eight guestrooms, it is home to Maine’s largest solar array, has its own wind turbine, and was the first property in the state to receive Green Lodging Inn Certification from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Scott Cowger and Vincent Hannan are co-owners of the property and have owned it for 15 years. The investments they have made in the bed and breakfast primarily have...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Valley Forge Fabrics, Inc. as a Founding Sponsor. Valley Forge Fabrics is a 30-year-old American fabric house specializing in quality hospitality and contract upholstery and drapery. Valley Forge is a family owned and operated business with fully staffed offices in the United States, Australia, Dubai, Italy, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Valley Forge introduces FRESH—Fabrics Redefining Environmental Standards (for) Hospitality. FRESH fabrics are made with post-industrial and post-consumer recycled synthetic yarns. FRESH fabrics are recyclable—and meet all the stringent ACT guidelines and hospitality industry expectations for durability, strength, colorfastness...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications, the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes EATware International Ltd. as a Green Product Directory partner. EATware produces environmentally friendly, high quality, single-use products for the food service packaging industry. EATware’s EATplus™ proprietary additive and technology allows it to produce boxes, bowls, trays and plates made of all-natural, abundant, renewable materials that are 100 percent decomposable, biodegradable and recyclable. They can even be used as animal fodder and fertilizer. EATware is competitively priced when compared to paper and plastic products. Call (608) 836-8553 for more information, write to info@eatware.com, or go to EATware.

GARFIELD, N.J.—Wearbest Sil-Tex Mills Inc., the makers of Bella-Dura performance fabrics, in conjunction with American Fibers and Yarns Co., has announced a new fabric recycling program for all Bella-Dura fabrics. Fabrics sent to American Fiber and Yarns in Bainbridge, Ga., will be implemented into a recycling stream that will produce a variety of durable and disposable goods. Some of the markets include parts for automotive interiors, geotextiles, horticultural products and filtration fabrics. Energy-saving manufacturing practices are also used during this recycling process to make these re-generated products. In every case, each yard of Bella-Dura fabric brought for recycling is converted into...

PORTLAND, ORE.—Almost 100 years old, the historic Meier & Frank department store here is being converted to a 331-room Starwood Luxury Collection hotel called The Nines. The upper nine floors will be the home for the hotel; the lower five floors are being refurbished by Macy’s, Inc. and will open as a Macy’s department store. The Nines, which is being developed by Denver-based Sage Hospitality Resources, has Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver certification as its goal. The hotel is slated to open in summer 2008. SERA Architects, Inc., Portland, Ore., is the architectural firm on the project...

I hate to be the one to break this to you, but there’s a big leak in your hotel’s kitchen. It’s a veritable gusher. And it’s been going on for a long time. However, before you send maintenance running with a wrench, I recommend a call to your F&B manager and executive chef. Because the leak isn’t caused by water; it’s from pre-consumer food waste. And it’s not anyone’s fault; it’s a by-product of the way hotel conference centers forecast and produce food for banquets, buffets and receptions. In fact, 4 to 8 percent of the food you purchase will...