SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA—TOMbag, an Australian social enterprise brings to the world an innovative and sustainable alternative to single-use plastic garbage bags. Made from discarded plastic bottles, TOMbag reusable garbage bags are 100 percent waterproof, easily washable and extremely durable. TOMbag reusable garbage bags are a perfect and one of a kind solution for the hospitality sector that is moving away from single-use plastics in their fight against climate change and global warming. Sasha Pestano, Co-Founder of TOMbag, explains, “Single-use bin liners fly under the radar of society, but they are one of the major contributors to climate change. Globally, households use...

SAUSALITO, CALIF.—CREO, a green tech company on a mission to make buildings healthier and more resilient, unveiled the BioBulb technology platform, a smart, green living system that offers a sustainable solution for growing nature indoors and in environments with scarce resources. The system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to learn the optimal growth for a plant within its surroundings and autonomously infuses it with the precise amount of water and nutrients it needs. BioBulb is a virtually zero-waste system and uses up to 80 percent less water than existing high-tech hydroponic solutions with the potential to save thousands of gallons...

SARASOTA, FLA.—Pürlin, LLC has hired Eric Eisenberg to serve as Vice President of Hospitality. In collaboration with their University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) partners, the entire team will be working with Eisenberg to introduce Pürlin’s unique closed-loop bedlinen system to the Las Vegas hotel market. “With his extensive background in hotel operations and his professional ties to the business community, we have every confidence in Eric’s abilities to lead Pürlin’s Las Vegas commercialization initiative and to build our South West Regional Sales Operation,” says Pürlin Founder and President, Richard Ferrell. In response to the devastating impact that COVID-19 continues to...

LAS VEGAS—Sands’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report summarizes its commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen through key performance metrics in the report’s namesake areas. Measuring and reporting ESG performance has helped drive results, supporting the management of the company’s utility consumption, ensuring the disciplined execution of efficiency projects and compelling it to explore innovations to its resort operations. Along with the key metrics covered in the ESG Report, Sands is currently in the process of broadening its company disclosures to incorporate an even wider range of metrics. The areas of emphasis in environmental performance, all reflected in the report, include...

NORTH LAKE, WIS.—Thousands of hotel rooms and corporate offices across the United States use the distinctive design of reCollect2 Company’s in-room recycling receptacles to keep their premises clean, and to strive toward achieving sustainability goals. A new initiative from reCollect2 invites its customers to join the fight against human trafficking, a vile practice that traps tens of thousands of people—many children—in sexual and labor slavery. The sleek, side-by-side recycling and waste bins from reCollect2 are newly offered with the text number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline*, a 24/7 service that offers aid to trafficking victims and a tip line for...

MIAMI—J&J Green Paper, an innovative paper products technology firm based out of Miami, is tackling a well-known environmental hazard: single-use plastics. To raise awareness about the critical issue that is plastic use, production and disposal around the world, the company released ‘The War on Plastics’ report. In the midst of mass regulatory changes worldwide addressing the modern consumption level of plastics and other disposables, J&J Green Paper seeks to encourage players in the plastics and disposable container industries to consider adoption of the groundbreaking alternative materials that are coming to fruition. According to the report, if the production and use of...

Last year was essentially like Navy SEAL training for many hotel operators. Guest traffic, expectations and demands have required adaptation on a scale never seen before. Thankfully, the hospitality industry is made up of strong players who have risen to the occasion. Hotel operators are now handling sanitation and disinfecting all while winning back the trust of concerned guests to refine their businesses. As a result, the waste streams have most certainly changed. The utilization of single-use items, pre-packaged amenities and increased cleaning have driven waste volumes up. Pair this with unpredictable occupancy, challenging events, and the unique needs of...

CHESTNUT RIDGE, N.Y.—BioHiTech Global, Inc., a sustainable technology and services company, announced that it has expanded its relationship with Carnival Corp. by mutually committing to providing the company’s technology to additional brands and geographies across its fleet. Recent purchase orders received for Revolution Series food digesters total over approximately $1.8 million and cover fifteen additional ships, including the first two ships from the United Kingdom-based Cunard Cruises and four from Italy-based Costa Group for their Costa Cruise Line. BioHiTech anticipates fulfilling these orders during the second and third quarters of 2021. “We have been working swiftly and efficiently to fulfill our...

BEND, ORE.—Outdoor enthusiasts can now check into a new hotel in Downtown Bend that is perfectly designed for adventure. Element Bend, the first Element Hotel by Westin to open in Oregon, is now welcoming guests to its spacious, airy studios and one-bedroom suites. Inspired by the natural beauty around us, wellbeing and environmental sustainability are a key focus of the hotel. Guests can take advantage of the abundance of local outdoor recreational opportunities. Hike in the high desert, raft down the Deschutes River, or take a complimentary bike out to discover the beauty of Bend, Ore., then rejuvenate back...

Certainly one of the hottest topics prior to the pandemic was the trend toward eliminating individual-use plastic items. I recently featured Dr. Megan Morikawa, Global Director of Sustainability for Iberostar Hotels & Resorts and she told me one of the three main goals of her company’s Wave of Change movement is eliminating the consumption of single-use plastics. In fact, in 2020 Iberostar reached its goal and is now 100 percent free of single-use plastics. With a combination of more than 100 owned and managed hotels around the world, that could not have been easy. Thank you Iberostar for showing...