ATLANTA—IHG’s (InterContinental Hotels Group) midscale extended-stay hotel brand, Candlewood Suites, diverted nearly 260 tons of material from landfills during bedding renovations at 55 hotels this summer. Candlewood Suites worked in partnership with the National Furniture Bank Assn. (NFBA) to repurpose the box springs and linens to benefit approximately 4,300 families across the U.S. An additional benefit of the reuse program was a cumulative savings of more than $100,000 in disposal fees. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, during the past 35 years the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.4 pounds per...

BOULDER, COLO.—If you would like to learn about the Boulder Outlook Hotel & Suites’ zero waste program, I suggest checking with the property’s Ambassador of Cool (owner Dan King)—or maybe its Green Goddess (environmental champion Diane Schevene). Believe it or not, those are the titles the two have given themselves. Both have worked hard to push the property toward zero waste. Is zero waste possible in a hotel that has a full-service restaurant, 3,800 square feet of meeting space and 162 guestrooms? It is if one considers only the waste generated by staff. Because the hotel cannot control what guests...

ALPHARETTA, GA.—As part of Neenah Paper’s expanded offering of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified papers, two colors in the mill’s flagship Classic brands are now available as FSC-certified: Recycled Bright White and Recycled Natural White. Neenah is the world’s first mill to watermark the FSC symbol and Chain of Custody into its papers, completing the chain of custody for anyone using them. Neenah has also introduced 100 percent post consumer whites in the four finishes of the Classic Brands (and in Environment Papers). The FSC is an international nonprofit organization that supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Retailers and electronics manufacturers voluntarily recycled more than 34 million pounds of electronics in 2006 as part of their commitment to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Plug-In To eCycling program. The program is a voluntary partnership between EPA and electronics manufacturers and retailers to offer consumers more opportunities to donate or recycle their used electronics. Since 2003, Plug-In partners have recycled more than 95 million pounds of electronics. “Our Plug-In partners have energized the industry to give consumers practical alternatives for recycling their used electronics,” says Scott Sherman, EPA’s associate assistant administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and...

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...