Open Gates Farm Bed & Breakfast
6525 Huntingtown Road Huntingtown, MD 20639 Southern Maryland 301-812-0209 www.opengatesfarm.com Open Gates Farm Bed & Breakfast is committed to practicing "green" disciplines & reducing unnecessary waste. Management and Leadership We use the following best management practices: Environment Policy Statement Environmental Team: As a single-suite bed & breakfast, our environmental team consists of myself and my husband. This allows us to have total control over how waste is disposed of; how resources are used; how, when, where and from whom supplies are purchased; the quality of supplies purchased; the ability to purchase recycled-content supplies; the ability to purchase local products whenever possible. We are both very conscious of our resources and practice environmental responsibility on a daily basis. We continually seek new ways to conserve our resources and to put back into the Earth a little of what we take out. Set Annual Goals: It is our goal to do a little more each year to practice environmental responsibility. As owners and caretakers of a historic home, we are constantly presented with opportunities to find creative ways to recycle and repurpose. We also search for environmentally-friendly products and services. In 2009 we committed to buying more local produce and products. We will continue this practice as we implement our goals for 2010 which include organically growing herbs and vegetables in our gardens. We have a purchasing policy to encourage the purchase of environmentally-friendly products and services List of our environmentally friendly products and services: We buy local whenever possible including local produce from area farmers & wine from Calvert County wineries. We always combine shopping trips & errands to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. We avoid shopping out-of-county in order to support local business as well as to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. We use reusable shopping bags. We purchase recycled-content paper products. We purchase only 100% cotton bed, bath, kitchen, and dining linens. Environmental Restoration or Community Environmental Projects: Weekly, we walk along the roadsides and pick up litter. We separate recyleable items before hauling it to our local collection site Independently Audited Environmental Management System: As a small Bed & Breakfast establishment, we are in a unique position of having complete control over all environmental practices. As we practice "green" disciplines on a daily basis, we are able to maintain consistency as we comply with & surpass the Maryland Green Travel program's core requirements. Waste Reduction We use the following best management practices: Have a plan in place to reduce property waste Track overall waste bills and established baseline data for quantity of wastes produced Guest Rooms Use bulk soap dispensers instead of individual soaps / shampoos in guest rooms Use real coffee mugs and no polystyrene products Instruct housekeeping to save and reuse unopened items Use refillable shampoo bottles rather than single-use bottles Kitchen and Prep / Dining / Catering / Meetings and Events / Campground Snack Bar Donate excess food from events Compost food waste and other compostables Use effective food inventory control to minimize waste Purchase locally grown produce and other foods Purchase organic foods Purchase sustainably grown foods Do not use polystyrene coffee cups Do not use any disposable containers, dishware, cutlery or cups If disposable containers are used, they are made from - bio-based materials, recycled content, and/or compostable material Use cloth napkins and tablecloths Use reusable dishware and glassware and minimize use of disposables Use non-bleached napkins and coffee filters Provide condiments - (cream and sugar, etc.) in bulk Use water pitchers and filtered water to minimize the use of single-use bottles Use menus and table placards as opportunity to communicate green activities Provide organic, local or sustainable food choices Use Maryland Green Travel logo or other emblem to indicate organic, local or sustainable menu choices Launder staff uniforms using wet or other environmentally friendly methods versus chemical-based dry cleaning Restrooms Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms Purchase recycled-content paper towels and toilet paper Registration / Office Use last-in/first-out inventory and effective labeling systems Use electronic, paperless registration Use electronic correspondence and forms Purchase from vendors and service providers with a commitment to the environment Encourage suppliers to minimize packaging and other waste materials Purchase recycled paper with a high percentage recycled content Make 2-sided copies / printed materials and avoid making extra copies Use recycled content paper for copies / printed materials Remove facility and staff names from junk mail lists when possible Reuse scrap paper for notes Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) Promote other green attractions, activities and Maryland Green Travel facilities Buildings and Grounds Purchase durable equipment and furniture Purchase low-VOC carpets and fabrics Install carpet with sustainable or recycled content Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents - required by EPA regulations Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing and vehicles Use less toxic materials Use Organic Farming Principals Use integrated pest management - IPM Minimize the use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and fertilizers in landscaping Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers Use natural fertilizers instead of synthetics Use composted production materials for fertilizer Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Waste Reduction: We always combine shopping trips & errands to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. We avoid shopping out-of-county in order to support local business as well as to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. We use reusable shopping bags. We purchase recycled-content paper products. We purchase only 100% cotton bed, bath, kitchen, and dining linens. Recycling Guest waste is sorted and recyclables removed from trash to be recycled. We have clearly marked recycling bins or provide convenient drop off locations We are recycling: Aluminium Cans Batteries Cardboard Electronics equipment Food Composting Food Wastes Glass Fluorescent Lamps Newspaper Office Paper Packing Supplies Pallets Plastic Printer and copy machine toner cartridges Steel Cans Other: Household chemicals; used motor oil Mt. Hope Recycling Center, Sunderland, Maryland Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Recycling: Recycling containers available and in use at all special events. Convert worn towels to cleaning rags, etc. Convert worn sheets to drop-cloths, etc. Expensive Ziploc bags are washed and reused whenever possible rather than added to the landfill. Properly dispose of hazardous items at our local collection site. Reusable air-duct return filters used. Still useful items no longer needed are sold or donated to local thrift shops and/or charities. Soiled livestock bedding & dung is composted and added to gardens to reduce the need for commercial fertilizers. Compost and/or feed livestock food scraps. Compost and/or feed livestock yard and garden debris. Feeding livestock food scraps and yard & garden debris significantly reduces the need to purchase manufactured livestock feed supplies & reduces the number of trips required to the supplier. Water Conservation Have a plan in place to reduce property water usage Track water bills and established baseline data on water usage and wastewater generation Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks Offer water versus serving automatically Discourage water-based cleanup, ie. sweep first Use microfiber technology mops Defrost foods ahead of time in refrigerators to avoid the need for running-water defrost Use or installed the following devices: low flow restrictors on faucets and showerheads aerators on faucets (0.5 gpm or less for lavatory and 2.2 gpm or less for kitchen faucets) low flow toilets (1.6 gpf or less) waterless urinals composting toilets automatic or sensored faucets or toilets in public restrooms high efficiency Energy-Star rated dishwashers Have an effective landscape management plan which utilizes: native species drought tolerant species metering rain gauges minimizes lawn areas Have an effective storm water plan management including: Pervious pavement, and/or minimization of impervious areas like paving, concrete, etc Maintain vegetative buffers around streams and ponds Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Water Conservation and Efficiency: Washer and dryer, and dishwasher are only run with full loads. Line-drying is used whenever possible. Maintain a water-softening system which reduces the amount of cleaning products, soaps, detergents, etc. required to maintain clean and safe facilities & linens, and to reduce mineral build-up. Mulch is used in all gardens to retain moisture and reduce watering. No watering of gardens except during extreme periods of drought. No watering of lawn. Drinking water is filtered in a reusable Brita pitcher. Nozzles used on garden hoses to prevent freely-running water. Plant and cultivate native species & drought-tolerant plants. Erosion-controlling plants are used.	Energy Efficiency We use the following best management practices: Have a plan in place to reduce property energy usage Track overall energy bills and establish baseline energy usage Have an energy management system in place to track and meter energy usage Kitchen Regularly evaluated existing ovens and other kitchen equipment for temperature settings and energy efficiency opportunities Confirmed that all refrigerator, freezer and oven gaskets provide a good seal, or replaced Routinely clean condenser coils on all refrigeration equipment Lighting: Designed use of natural lighting Use lighting sensors to turn on/off lights Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms Minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning Use of directional, downward-facing, lighting in parking areas and other outdoor areas Heating and Cooling Have a high efficiency heating and air-conditioning HVAC system Regularly perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system Have programmable thermostats for each room and ensure they are properly adjusted Have a centrally controlled HVAC system that is activated only when occupied Minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning Use ceiling fans Keep office doors and windows closed if HVAC system is on Have ENERGY STAR rated windows and doors Housekeeping closes blinds and resets optimal temperatures Have installed additional insulation Energy Efficiency: ENERGY STAR computers, appliances, office equipments etc. Have thermal-rated windows and insulation Turn off all electrical items in unoccupied rooms when not in use or at the end of the day Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Energy Conservation and Efficiency Maintain a water-softening system which reduces the amount of cleaning products, soaps, detergents, etc. required to maintain clean and safe facilities & linens. Maintain a separate heating/air conditioning system for guest quarters in order to reduce the amount of energy required for the entire house (during periods of vacancy, temperature in guest quarters is adjusted - 64 degrees/winter, 80 degrees/summer - while quarters are unoccupied). Guest quarters are equipped with a programmable thermostat. Maintain clean reusable air duct return filters. Boiler is cleaned and serviced yearly for optimum efficiency. Use of low-wattage bulbs for lighting (we do not use compact fluorescent lighting due to their mercury content and the obvious potential hazards mercury poses to humans, animals, and the environment). Windows are opened on temperate days and heat or air conditioning is turned off. Washer, dryer, and dishwasher are only run with full loads. Cold water used in washing machine 90% of the time. Dimmer switches used on all overhead lighting. Lights, electronic equipment, etc. turned off when not in use. Timers used for electric lights. Battery-powered and key-wound clocks are used to reduce the need for electric clocks. Battery-powered smoke-detectors are used rather than hard-wired electric smoke-detectors. Linen Service and Laundry: We use these best management practices: Provide optional linen service - Change linens only upon request Train staff on the process for optional linen service Have signage in each room explaining the linen reuse procedures Have water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers Use non-phosphate, non-toxic and biodegradable laundry detergents Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals Line dry items whenever possible Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics for Laundry and Linen Service: Cold water used 90% of the time for laundry. Washer and dryer are only run with full loads. Line-drying is used whenever possible. Maintain a water-softening system which reduces the amount of cleaning products, soaps, detergents, etc. required to maintain clean and safe facilities & linens, and to reduce mineral build-up. Cotton kitchen linens (towels, dishcloths, and napkins) are used in the guest quarters kitchenette rather than disposable paper products. Other Green Practices Transportation: We use the following best management practices: Minimize the Comute of our Employees-As we live in the Bed & Breakfast, we have no commute other than walking down the stairs in the morning! For guests: Educate guests on the availability of mass transit Our innovative ideas to minimize the impact of Transportation:Encourage guests to avoid rush-hour traffic to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. Green Building: Our building is LEED certified: Historic Property:Over the course of 10 years, we completely restored/renovated our c. 1945 farmhouse and outbuildings. Sustainable Building Materials:We retained and/or re-used existing materials whenever possible, and/or purchased existing or previously owned/used materials whenever possible. We also used local contractors whenever possible. Other: Awards:FIRST Certified Maryland Green Travel Partner in Southern Maryland Voted FREE STATE'S FINEST Southern Maryland Bed & Breakfast Measurable Results By committing to recycling waste generated by our household and Bed & Breakfast (glass, metal, plastic, paper products, lawn & garden debris, etc), we estimate that we divert at least 1,200 pounds of waste from our local landfill each year. By line-drying laundry whenever possible, we estimate that we reduce our electricity consumption by about 48 kilowatt hours per year. By combining errands and by taking advantage of online-ordering/purchasing we estimate that we reduce our fuel consumption by about 175 gallons per year. By feeding our livestock food scraps and lawn & garden debris, we estimate that we reduce our need for manufactured feed by about 1,200 pounds per year.