November 29th, 2011 by TRT Blog

As winter is fast approaching, some of our lucky crew members are jet setting to tropical climates. Not only will they escape the frigid temperatures, they will also represent The Refinishing Touch family of clients in sunny Kihei, located on the Hawaiian island of Maui. While the majority of early inhabitants were fisherman and the area remained isolated until the 1930’s when the government placed eleven beach lots up for sale, Kihei is now home to over 60 condominiums, rentals, timeshares and hotels.

Located just 20 minutes from the airport, WorldMark Kihei is one of WorldMark’s Five-Star luxury resorts. While our crews don’t have too much down time in between the ongoing upholstery and refinishing operations, there is still plenty to do for any vacationer. Water lovers can snorkel, scuba dive, surf, wind surf, paddle board and even whale watch (if you’re there during the right months). If you prefer dry land, Kihei also offers activities such as golfing, hiking, zip lining, horseback riding and shopping.  Kihei even offers historical tours of the local pineapple plantation.

Such as most trips to Hawaii, make sure you plan well in advance! To stay at the popular WorldMark Kihei Resort, the hotel recommends booking reservations at least 13 months before your scheduled trip.  As always, whether you are traveling for work or pleasure, the WorldMark Kihei is a destination that should be added to your upcoming travel list.

Hawaii, Kihei, Maui, refinishing, refurbishing, The Refinishing Touch, vacation, WorldMark Kihei Resort

November 24th, 2011 by TRT Blog

As another year is quickly coming to a close, it’s nice to be able to look at all of the things we have to be thankful for. At The Refinishing Touch, we are thankful to our customers for their continued support and the wonderful experiences we’ve had with them at job sites across the country. It’s been great to see the continued commitment to sustainability and environmental efficiency from the education, hospitality and government industries.

Thanksgiving is a time for individuals, families, and companies alike to reflect on everything good that has happened in the past year, and although the difficult economy continues to weigh heavily on so many people, it’s still important to momentarily step away from that to enjoy good food and good company.

So, from The Refinishing Touch family to yours, we would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy Thanksgiving.

environment, holiday, Sustainability, thanks, thanksgiving, The Refinishing Touch

November 22nd, 2011 by TRT Blog

The holidays are gaining momentum to full swing. With it come those who are planning to travel to see friends and loved ones. It’s one of the busiest travel periods of the year, and because of that, increased carbon emissions are going to continue to be a large concern. For our refinishing resource this month, we want to pass along some green travel tips so wherever you go this holiday season, you do so responsibly.

1. Be prepared. No matter where you’re going, remember to pack properly and completely. It’s happened to all of us where we begin a trip only to realize we left someone’s laptop or bag behind. Ensuring you’re ready to go when you begin your trip saves not only time but reduces any potential emissions that come from extra trips to pick up what was left behind.

2. Be efficient. If driving is in your future, be sure to rent or use your car efficiently. High MPG cars reduce carbon emissions obviously, but little things such as not charging portable electronics off the car battery and keeping windows up (it’s likely to be cold anyway, so why would the windows be down?) are two ways to improve your car’s efficiency and get the most mileage per tank.

3. Consider alternatives. Not everyone can drive to their holiday destination. If you must travel long distances, consider alternate modes whenever possible. A train ride, while longer, is the scenic route and overall an environmentally safer alternative to cars and planes. When flights are the only option, it’s the little things that add up. Packing lighter, using electronic tickets instead of paper and taking public transportation to the airport are all ways to lessen the emissions and the strain on our environment while getting to where you need to go.

4. Book green hotels. Finally, if you and/or your family are staying in a hotel, be sure to support those that support sustainable initiatives – there are many to choose from. Additionally, work on reducing energy use while you are a guest – switch your lights off when you’re out, re-use your towels wherever reasonable, and unplug chargers when you’re not using them.

We hope that no matter where you’re traveling, you do so safely and efficiently.

carbon emissions, energy efficient, green, holidays, Travel

November 18th, 2011 by TRT Blog

We all know the saying: ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’. Well, for Oregon-based start-up, Agilyx, America’s plastic is a barrel full of crude oil.

For the past 18 months, the West coast start-up has been developing a prototype that converts discarded plastic into crude oil. The system, made up of pipes, vessels and heat, cooks the plastic down to a vaporous gas, condenses the vapor, and then converts it into different types of oil.

via NYTimes Green blog

Two trillion tons of plastic currently sit in America’s landfills, and 243 million tons of solid waste accumulate on top of that each year— a 36% increase since 1960.

According to Agilyx, around 10 pounds of plastic will produce one barrel of oil, and each individual system can process up to 40,000 pounds of plastic per day. Based on current oil costs, it’s been suggested that producing oil from plastic will reduce barrel costs by around $40.

Although the commercial version won’t be on sale until mid-2012, ‘resource recovery’ systems such as this have the potential to influence the way Americans and others around the world view waste management and recycling. Why diminish raw materials when we can reuse instead?

Agilyx, crude oil, NY Times Green blog, plastic, prototype

November 15th, 2011 by TRT Blog

In the recently released 2011 Standard & Poor’s 500 report, the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), an independent non-profit organization with the world’s largest corporate climate change and water information database, found that for the first time over 50 percent of S&P 500 companies integrate climate change policy into their core business decisions and strategy. The number of companies adopting such policies has risen 30 percent in one year, from 35% in 2010 to 65%.

Within the report, companies announced such green projects as: increasing energy efficient facilities; improving business processes and transportation networks; encouraging sustainable behavior from employees; and providing financial incentives for embracing and managing climate change issues.

The report even set out to debunk a few energy efficiency myths. In the past, companies have sighted lengthy investment return rates as excuses for not increasing green practices, but 60 percent of the reported projects have now seen payback in three years or less. These quick investment returns, along with investor pressure, shaky fuel prices, and new revenue opportunities, are the driving forces behind this year’s increased statistics.

Despite recent difficulties getting the general population to fully back energy efficient projects, this report reflects restored confidence in the importance of sustainability efforts led by the world’s largest companies—proving that carbon emissions aren’t just hurtful to the environment, they can be hurtful to investment portfolios as well.

500 report, Carbon Disclosure Project, CDP, climate change, companies, policy, Standard & Poor's

November 11th, 2011 by TRT Blog

As a company that has been working with government since our founding in 1977, we hold all of the armed forces near-and-dear to our hearts. After having worked on army forts, naval bases, air force bases and marine stations, we have seen first-hand the sacrifices these men and women make for our country.

In honor of Veterans Day, we would like to thank everyone who has served and is currently serving our country. Your dedication and service is honored, remembered and appreciated every day back at home. As the holiday season rolls around, we wish everyone fighting overseas health, safety and happiness. We wish all of the veterans back at home, peace, joy and time spent with loved ones.

Thank you for all of your bravery and courage; one day is not enough to express our gratitude for all you’ve done for our country.

air force, armed forced, army, marine, navy, service men, service women, Veterans Day

November 10th, 2011 by TRT Blog

If you knew that every year each individual American threw away 200 pounds of food, would you be more conscious of what went in your trash bag? If you knew that the emissions released by rotting food are more harmful than CO2, would you make an effort to change your habits?

The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute have come together to form an alliance and are working toward publicizing the stats above in an effort to change consumer habits, reduce the amount of food sent to landfills and increase donations to food banks.

According to recent reports, a substantial portion of food is thrown away everyday because of cosmetic imperfections or overstocking, despite being completely edible. Although Americans have become increasingly aware of proper disposal for recyclables and yard clearance, they’re still lacking when it comes to properly disposing of excess food waste.

via ecohabits.net

The three-year initiative hopes to draw attention to the importance of food composting—today only about two percent of food waste is composted or redirected from landfills, compared with the percentage of paper that is recycled, which has risen to 62 percent.

The alliance has agreed on a three-step plan of action: Conduct a comprehensive survey, influence public policy focused on the expansion of food banks, and research new technologies and practices that could further encourage the composing and responsible management of food waste.

Here’s something to ponder: In a country that currently has 50 million households plagued with food insecurities, if we could recover just one-fifth of our yearly food waste, we could feed 10 million of those who may go hungry. Charity, plus environmental sustainability, equals a really cool thing.

composting, food banks, Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, landfills, recycle

November 8th, 2011 by TRT Blog

Flying is never fun—cramped seats, long lines, bad food—but even with all of the downsides, the future of flying is starting to look a little less dull. Boeing recently rolled out its long-awaited 787 Dreamliner aircraft, which reportedly uses 20 percent less fuel than similar-sized airplanes.

via CNet News

And for the environment, it’s better late than never. After taking three years longer in manufacturing than originally predicted, Boeing delivered its first Dreamliner to Japanese airline, All Nippon Airways, in late September. The $200 million jet boasts new high-tech GE and Rolls-Royce engines, which represent a two generation jump in engine technology—the main factor for its top notch fuel efficiency.

Half of the plane’s primary structure, including the fuselage and wings, are made up of composite materials. With its more efficient fuel use and lightweight structural composition, the mid-sized plane is capable of longer-range, non-stop flights.

Although flight time is a main contributor to an individual’s carbon footprint, the new Boeing Dreamliner allows travelers to be more cognizant of their environmental impact and further the push for more sustainable travel options.

Since the Boeing Dreamliner program was launched in 2004, customers across six continents have placed 821 airplane orders. Here’s hoping we’ll all be flying on one soon.

787 Dreamliner, Boeing, composite materials, environmental impact, fuel efficient

November 4th, 2011 by TRT Blog

October was a busy month for us. Projects were on-going, but more than that, a lot of us here at The Refinishing Touch took on the title of ‘jet setters’ for the month. We attended five shows throughout October, each with its own unique group of attendees that we were able to interact and connect with.   From hospitality events to university presentations, October was an excellent month for networking and learning.

The month kicked off with the AUCHO/APPA show in Orlando, Florida where our president and founder, Mario Insenga, spoke to the crowd about the importance for universities to maintain and increase sustainability efforts in housing and student facilities. Many university decision makers were in attendance and it was certainly helpful to connect with so many in that field.

From there, it was a short cross-town trip to the Hampton GM Conference. To say the show was a blur would be an understatement. From the moment our booth was setup, we had a constant stream of attendees stopping by our booth to inquire about armoire modification. After all the travelling between the two shows, it was great to enjoy some of the amenities Hampton provided, such as free massages and a luau reception.

Three large shows closed out the month for us, and it all started with BITAC West in beautiful Palm Springs, California. The show was centered on renovations, something we know quite a bit about. Throughout the three day event our team met with existing and potential clients to discuss renovations. Designers who spoke at the show—to groups and with us personally—all saw the benefit to refurbishing as opposed to buying new. It’s always encouraging when a variety of people see the value in the work we’ve been doing for so long. The event was a major success and we’re looking forward to attending the BITAC Owners show in December.

After BITAC, we flew to Las Vegas to take part in the InterContinental Hotel Groups tradeshow. This was another successful event where we were able to speak with many hotel decision makers regarding how our services could benefit their properties. Because IHG such a large, well-known brand, it made sense there would be well-known entertainment acts. We weren’t disappointed to see Ellen DeGeneres, Sugarland and Greyson Chance, who all performed to close the show.

Finally, on the 31^st, we were in attendance at the Best Western Convention, back in Orlando. Much like the Hampton event we were at earlier in the month, we were beset with requests for information on our armoire modifications. We spoke with multiple people across the Best Western family, many who made the trip down from Canada. The show also gave us a good look into the backend of the Best Western supply chain and offered us the ability to have our services and products displayed for owners and GMs.

While the month was spent flying back and forth around the country, it was immensely rewarding. We connected with potential clients, learned more about how our existing clients operate and were able to help spread the message about the work we do. We couldn’t have asked for a better month and are looking forward to developing new projects from the connections we made along the way.

ACUHO, Best Western, BITAC, Events, IHG

November 3rd, 2011 by TRT Blog

As you’ve seen on our blog, we’ve recently announced our new customer communications program, aimed at joining our cross-industry clients together to maximize their refinishing experience. It’s been met with excitement from our team and our clients. That excitement and positivity has also spread to the press.

Our friend, Glenn Hasek, at Green Lodging News heard about the new program and did a nice write up of the service on the site’s ‘News’ section. Glenn highlighted the major points and key ideas of the announcement, which included the various methods of communication (traditional and nontraditional) we’re using to share our clients’ stories. You can check out the entire article here.

Our communications program, Green Connect, is available to all our existing clients. If you have any questions about the program, contact us at greenconnect@therefinshingtouch.com.

customer communications, Glenn Hasek, green connect, green lodging news, industry, program