BOULDER, COLO.—Beginning July 6, 2019, America’s first national park is the setting for another historic innovation: the World’s First Zero Waste Adventure, created by Natural Habitat Adventures (Nat Hab). Kicking off in Bozeman, Mont. and moving through the northern region of Yellowstone National Park this first-ever waste-conscious endeavor will attempt to divert (refuse, recycle, compost, upcycle, or reuse) 99 percent or more of all waste produced as part of Nat Hab-sponsored trip operations.* Fourteen travelers will participate, guided by two naturalist Expedition Leaders. Natural Habitat Adventures, the conservation travel partner of World Wildlife Fund, designed the project in part to raise awareness of the role that plastic waste...

Earlier this year in March, Hilton’s Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton and All Suites brands launched the Clean the World Challenge in partnership with Clean the World, a global health leader dedicated to sustainability and water, sanitization and health. Embassy Suites by Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton by Hilton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton challenged hotel owners and Team Members to collect bars of soap left behind by guests to be recycled into 1 million bars of new soap by Global Handwashing Day (October 15) for Clean the World to distribute to communities in...

NATIONAL REPORT—Every year, millions of people on vacation opt for cruise travel to relax, explore new ports of call and partake in a host of fun activities, fine food and fancy umbrella drinks. Yet cruise ships have a huge negative impact on the world’s oceans. Today’s ocean vessels produce a ton of waste, and traditionally, little of it was recycled. Additionally, cruise ships produce a ton of organic waste and sewage, most of which previously expelled directly into ocean waters. Leftover foods which could feed the hungry were tossed, and few if any dining materials such as plastic straws, plates,...

DENHAM, ENGLAND—InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) has announced a partnership with technology company Winnow to help its hotels automatically track, measure and reduce food waste for more sustainable and efficient restaurant and bar operations. IHG is the first global hotel company to use the award-winning Winnow Vision AI enabled technology, which will help its hotels achieve a 30 percent reduction in food waste. Using an intelligent camera, smart scales and AI-based smart meter technology, Winnow Vision analyzes ingredients during food preparation, as well as plates returned to the kitchen, to assess which food items are most wasted and in what quantities....

BOULDER, COLO.—Eco-Products announced that it is increasing its use of post-consumer recycled plastic and has become an “APR Recycling Demand Champion.” The designation is part of a campaign—launched by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) in 2017—to expand market demand for recycled resins and improve recycling in North America. Without companies committing to use post-consumer content in products and packaging, the recycling industry can face challenges in making the economics work. Demand Champions are “forward-thinking, proactive organizations (that) are playing a prominent role in expanding the market for mixed residential plastics,” according to the APR website. “This is all part of our...

SAN FRANCISCO—Kure Products is launching into the hotel shower dispenser market just as California Assembly Bill No. 1162 makes progress toward banning small amenity bottles from hotel rooms by 2023. Following the lead of Santa Cruz County, California law makers intent on reducing plastics have focused on single-use bottles of bath products as more than 500,000 amenity bottles end up in North American landfills every day. By switching from small bottles to bulk amenity dispensers, a 100-room hotel can save more than 1,000 pounds of plastic every year. Catering to luxury hoteliers and discerning guests, Kure dispensers stand out for...

NATIONAL REPORT—The early June announcement by CKI Solutions that it has entered the mattress recycling business elevates the number of companies specializing in nationwide hospitality mattress recycling to at least two. Another is DH Companies. Green Lodging News spoke with Steven Gordon, President of CKI Solutions, about his company’s new venture. “We have been in the bedding accessory business for 22 years,” Gordon says. “About five or six years ago we started manufacturing mattresses for the cruise industry in partnership with Hilding Anders AB. We saw the green initiatives in the cruise industry. There was a major void in mattress...

RED BANK, N.J.—LowTides Ocean Products introduced its eco-friendly beach chair. Lightweight, durable, and easy to fold, LowTides OP beach chairs are available in eight stylish designs for adults and four fun ones for kids. The Kickstarter campaign, which launches with a funding goal of $30,000, features limited Early Bird Specials of $49 (kids chairs) and $69 (adult chairs), as well as several other rewards for backers. LowTides OP beach chairs incorporate 2.5lbs of upcycled ocean bound plastic from at risk coastal areas in the products design. Ocean bound plastic is different from other recycled plastic. LowTides OP’s supply chain sources single...

NEW YORK—Colgate has found a way to make the toothpaste you rely on for a healthier smile a part of the solution for a healthier planet. Colgate has finalized the design of a first-of-its kind recyclable toothpaste tube. The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) last week announced its recognition of the new tube—an essential step in bringing it to the public. The Colgate design is the first oral care or personal care tube to earn APR recognition for recyclability. Under development for more than five years, the tube will debut under the company’s Tom’s of Maine brand in the United...

It was in my April 26 column that I discussed a Nature Geoscience article about the volume of microplastics falling in the air—yet another reason for all of us to eliminate as much plastic as possible from our lives. If that article was not scary enough for you, review the results of a June 5, 2019 article appearing in Environmental Science & Technology. According to the “Human Consumption of Microplastics” article, we are all ingesting thousands of microplastic particles each year. The research focused on commonly consumed foods in relation to their recommended daily intake. The potential for microplastic inhalation...