Back Creek Inn B&B
210 Alexander Lane Solomons, MD 20688 Southern Maryland 410-326-2022 www.backcreekinnbnb.com Back Creek Inn Bed & Breakfast has always been committed to green initiatives, since being establish Management and Leadership We use the following best management practices: Environment Policy Statement Environmental Team: Our environmental team consists of Carol Pennock and her five staff members, bringing 73 years of combined knowledge to their green strategies. All staff is trained on 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 all very conscious of our resources and practice environmental responsibility on a daily basis. We are mindful of our gardening practices because we are on the Back Creek and grow some of our own fruits, herbs and vegetables. We also choose local and organically grown products for use in the Inn. 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 stewards 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. This year a front load washer was purchased, energy efficient lights used, new more efficient A/C units purchased and installed two programmable more energy efficient thermostats. We are planning to implement rain barrels for irrigating the gardens in 2011. 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 use reusable shopping bags. 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 Kitchen and Prep / Dining / Catering / Meetings and Events / Campground Snack Bar Donate excess food from events Compost food waste and other compostables Use an 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 Use reusable dishware and glassware and minimize use of disposables Provide condiments, cream and sugar, etc. in bulk Use water pitches and filtered water to minimize the use of single-use bottles Use menus and table placards as opportunity to communicate green activities Restrooms Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms Registration / Office Use a last-in/first-out inventory and effective labeling systems Use electronic correspondence and forms 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 Buildings and Grounds Purchase durable equipment and furniture Purchase low-VOC carpets and fabrics Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources Use latex paints that are low or no-VOC Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents - required by EPA-RCRA regulations Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles Use less toxic materials Minimize use of pesticides and herbicides in landscaping Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers Recycling We provide a recycling can in the kitchen area. Guest waste is sorted and recyclables removed from trash to be recycled. We are recycling: Aluminium Cans Batteries Cardboard Electronics equipment Glass Fluorescent Lamps Newspaper Office Paper Packing Supplies Plastic Printer and copy machine toner cartridges Steel Cans Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Recycling: Recycling containers are available and in use at all special events. Convert worn towels to cleaning rags, etc. Convert worn sheets to drop-cloths, etc. Properly dispose of hazardous items at our local collection site. Still useful items no longer needed are donated to local thrift shops and/or charities. Compost yard and garden debris which is then used to fertilize both the vegetable and flower beds. Water plants/fill bird baths with dehumidifier water. 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 Discourage water-based cleanup, ie. sweep first Use or installed the following devices: low flow restrictors on faucets and showerheads 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 Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Water Conservation and Efficiency: Washer and dryer, and dishwasher are only run with full loads. 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. 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 Lighting: Designed use of natural lighting Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms Use of directional, i.e. downward-facing, lighting in parking areas and other outdoor areas Use high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs in rooms, canned lighting or wherever possible Heating and Cooling Perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system Have installed programmable thermostats for each room Use ceiling fans Energy Efficiency: Purchased 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 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). Maintain clean reusable air duct return filters. Boiler is cleaned and serviced yearly for optimum efficiency. 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. Timers used for electric lights. 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 house cleaners on the process for optional linen service Purchase water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers Use non-phosphate, non-toxic and biodegradable laundry detergents Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals Green Events We use the following best management practices: Support event planners who want to hold green events Other Green Practices Transportation: We use the following best management practices: Minimize the Comute of our Employees-We always combine shopping trips & errands to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. Do as much business online; i.e. banking, supplies ordered, etc. 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 1500 pounds of waste from our local landfill each year. By combining errands and by taking advantage of online-ordering/purchasing and online banking we estimate that we reduce our fuel consumption by about 200 gallons per year.