AUSTIN, TEXAS—Although travelers burn gas to get to their destinations, one answer to greener travel is to vacation by choosing an eco-friendly B&B. BedandBreakfast.com innkeepers are moving toward greener getaways by investing in earth-friendly practices to ensure guests the finest in eco-escapes. BedandBreakfast.com currently lists more than 35 earth-friendly special packages. Listed in alphabetical order by state, here are some examples of green packages offered by BedandBreakfast.com members. Strawberry Creek B&B, Idyllwild, Calif.: Relax on soft, cotton-like hammocks made from recycled soda bottles. This inn’s tranquil wooded setting is certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In April, all 2,800 hotels in nearly 70 countries will help Marriott International Inc. celebrate Environmental Awareness Month, marking the company’s biggest effort to promote eco-friendly practices on the road, at work, at home and in the community. The month-long drive enlists Marriott customers, associates and business partners in a variety of projects to save, recycle and reuse, including: Clean Up the World—In partnership with Clean Up the World, a global green volunteer organization, Marriott hotels will join forces on a variety of local cleanup projects including the River Thames in London, the Potomac River in Washington,...

LAKE PLACID, FLA.—Every year tens of millions of cans of chafing fuel are burned worldwide, emitting hazardous carbon dioxide; they are then disposed of in landfills or oceans. To address that, Intracoastal Innovations Inc. introduces the Buffet Burner Chafing Dish Heater, an eco-friendly, electric alternative that offers incomparable advantages over canned chafing fuels. Among the features is the “smart” controller which is designed to allow the user to safely and easily adjust the intensity of the temperature. The slim stainless steel profile and patented magnetic design enable this heater to fit most full-size chafing dishes. The Buffet...

SANTA MONICA, CALIF.—A Partner Member of the Green Hotel Assn. and a Santa Monica Sustainable Works Business Greening Program participant, The Ambrose hotel here is doing what it can to “Leave Only Footprints Behind.” It is that phrase that the 77-room property uses in its stylish logo. In every area of the hotel’s operations, a commitment to sustainability is clear. That commitment stems from the owner, The Ambrose Group L.L.C., as well as the “all concierge” team of employees at the property. The Ambrose first got involved in greening the hotel’s operations by participating in Santa Monica’s Sustainable Works Business Greening...

CLEVELAND, OHIO—Hasek Communications L.L.C., the Cleveland, Ohio-based publisher of Green Lodging News, welcomes Leonardo Media B.V. as a Green Product Directory partner. Leonardo is a world leader in travel content management, e-marketing and content distribution solutions for the global travel chains. Leonardo’s electronic solutions are designed to simplify the management and optimization of interactive rich media content, the creation and delivery of e-marketing promotions and e-brochures, and the automation of image distribution to travel channels. Leonardo provides a one-stop central source for travel channels and travel partners to receive up-to-date digital interactive travel content in the variation of...

CITY OF INDUSTRY, CALIF.—For the fourth consecutive year, Bentley Prince Street has been recognized for its progressive efforts to reduce waste and conserve resources with the Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP) award. Sponsored by the California Integrated Waste Management Board, the state’s leading authority on recycling and waste reduction, the WRAP awards recognize California companies for the successful implementation of resource-efficient practices and aggressive waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs. “At Bentley Prince Street, just as we have our own Mission Zero goal of eliminating our potential negative impact on the environment by the year 2020, we’re...

PORTLAND, ORE.—The Doubletree Hotel & Executive Meeting Center Portland-Lloyd Center is doing its part to help make Portland one of the greenest meeting destinations in the United States. Host to the Green Meeting Industry Council’s recent Greening the Hospitality Industry Conference, the 476-room hotel is a national leader because of its commitment to sustainable hotel operations. From the lobby area, where recycling containers can be found, to the back of the house, where food scraps are collected for composting, the Doubletree’s commitment to waste reduction is evident. Purchasing policies ensure that waste and recycled content is considered before anything is...

SAINT CHARLES, MO.—Pineapple Hospitality introduces its greenSPA amenities—a line of 100 percent biodegradable guest amenities proven to help hoteliers improve all three phases of their Triple Bottom Line—economic, social, environmental. The greenSPA line provides hotels with unique, competitively priced amenities proven to impress guests, preserve the environment and enrich recognition with today’s estimated more than 50 million environmentally conscious travelers. “Our line of all-natural greenSPA amenities—which include liquid hand soaps, lotions, body wash, shampoo and conditioner—along with our convenient dispensing systems—use less product and result in far less waste than all of those little plastic bottles,” says Ray...

NATIONAL REPORT—Foodservice operations are notorious for generating a lot of waste. Oftentimes, this can mean higher hauling fees, labor costs associated with trips to the dumpster, poor indoor air quality and a greater likelihood for pests and their related costs. Fortunately, equipment such as disposers and in-kitchen composting machines are available to reduce foodservice waste. According to Bill Sobanski, general manager for InSinkErator, Racine, Wisc., most hotels with some type of foodservice operation use disposers. Larger facilities often will have multiple disposers for food waste. With running water acting as the means for removal, disposers pulverize the waste. It ultimately...

NEW YORK—What was unthinkable several years ago may now be just what Mother Nature ordered: national advertisers competing for space in consumers’ bedrooms. The goal, set forth by the Hanger Network (www.hangernetwork.com), is simple: replace more than 3.5 billion wire hangers with advertising-supported EcoHangers that are better for the environment and great for business. Major advertisers like L’Oreal, Dunkin Donuts and Revlon are lining up for a chance at reaching consumers in-home every morning—at a time and place where their messages are most relevant and motivating, while also investing significant amounts of their ad budgets in this...