|
OPEN LETTER
"Greening the Inn"
Laura,
The concept of a
'green' Inn is an interesting one. As with most things the big boys have the
advantage and usually get all the press. If Hilton installs T-8 fluorescent lights in the lobby of
every hotel, it's news - just because of the sheer magnitude of the Hilton
chain. But what can the little guy do? We don't own 1000 or more properties
(or even a 1000 rooms) but we can and do make a difference.
Here's what's been
done at our place, the Old Town GuestHouse in Colorado Springs (www.oldtown-guesthouse.com). No one item is outstanding but
the aggregate, we think, is significant:
- The Inn
was built (1997) using the best insulating materials and techniques available. Walls
are thicker and window exposures are West and South. We also use
high-efficiency double insulated glass window panes.
- Our 8 lovely
rooms all have individual Heat/AC, reducing the need to manage temperatures in
unused space.
- We have 8 gas
fireplaces providing the ambiance our discriminating clientele want
without the energy loss of conventional wood burning chimneys and flues. These
fireplaces also provide an energy efficient source of supplemental heat on
really cold nights.
- Our hot water system is oversized, gas
fired and well insulated, of course, but we also employ a constant hot water
circulation system throughout the guest rooms. This system not only provides
nearly instant hot water
- even on the third floor - but it eliminates the need to run a few gallons of
water down the drain waiting for the hot water to arrive.
- Lighting, where
possible, is either low-voltage (gift shop cabinets, accent lighting) or
fluorescent (security
lighting, non-dimmable fixtures). Where possible we employ motion
sensors to turn lights on and off automatically. Dimmable fluorescents are
prohibitively expensive but will be introduced to the Inn as soon as practical.
In the meantime, wherever possible we have removed our dimmer switches and
deployed fluorescent lights.
- Laundry, of
course, follows all of the now traditional cost, energy and water saving
measures. It's done in-house, and only when dictated by use or direct guest
requirement. Guests may request fresh linens daily but are encouraged to re-use twoels that are still servicable - like they would at home.
- Reduce, Reuse,
Recycle - doesn't everyone? Well, apparently not in Colorado Springs. Here
there is no curbside pickup and no bottle recycling whatever. At the Inn,
therefore, we have adopted our own recycling procedures. Naturally, wherever
possible, we Reduce using less (our new high-efficiency clothes washer is an
example) and we Reuse (glass & plastic containers, soap & lotion dispensers as
well as real linens, dishes and tableware). We buy in bulk, wherever practical,
saving on cost for sure but also saving on redundant packaging and requiring
fewer trips to the store.
We have collection
bins for cardboard, plastic and metal, carting it all off, ourselves, to the
local recycling plant whenever another errand takes us to the area. We collect
all non-reusable glass and bring it to a Denver recycling
facility periodically (they DO recycle glass there). Newspaper and magazines go
to our flower vendor (the Colorado Correctional Institute) to be used as mulch.
These efforts have reduced our trash output by over 50%.
- Food products
are more difficult (we can't reuse anything that's been served to a guest) but
there are a couple of things we can and we do. We manage portions by consulting
with our guests as to their dietary concerns. We allow our guests to opt out of
breakfast altogether or eat a lighter continental style meal. Our evening
reception is served sparingly, with frequent replenishment, guaranteeing
freshness but limiting the amount of food thrown away at the end of the
day.
AND we compost!
With the help of our employees, and our own small garden, we are able to dispose
of most of our food waste (meat excepted) without running our garbage disposal
(almost never used) or filling up our trash
receptacle. We end up with beautiful healthy gardens and we have saved a
bit more energy and waste processing.
- Future projects
include more fluorescent and, hopefully, solar panels.
Shirley & Don
Wick
|
