Lodgecliffe on the Choptank
103 Choptank Terrace Cambridge, MD 21613 Eastern Shore 410-228-1760 www.lodgecliffe.com As the new innkeepers at Lodgecliffe, we have brought with us a wealth of our previous conservation Management and Leadership We use the following best management practices: Environment Policy Statement Environmental Team: Our environmental team consists of on-site innkeepers, Autumn Porubsky and Kathryn Rue. We bring extensive backgrounds in social justice work, landscaping and carpentry (with an emphasis on energy efficient building) and cuisine service focused on natural and organic ingredients, grown on site, or locally sourced. With that background, we are committed to overseeing every aspect of operations at the inn and choosing the best environmental products and services available. It is our paramount goal to maintain or surpass exceptional guest service/experience, while making the least detrimental environmental impact possible. Meanwhile, continuing to evolve practices to excel in environmental stewardship. We have a purchasing policy to encourage the purchase of environmentally-friendly products and services List of our environmentally friendly products and services: Our purchasing policy involves obtaining products that are environmentally-friendly, or non-invasive. We support local businesses by purchasing directly from nearby farmers and in-county establishments whenever possible. Shopping trips and errands are combined to reduce fossil fuels. We use reusable shopping bags, and purchase products with a high recycled-content. We use environmentally friendly, vegan bath products for guests. Our paper products all have a high recycled content, and are used only when necessary. Environmental Restoration or Community Environmental Projects: Employees participate in regular volunteer work with Habitat for Humanity Choptank chapter. We also donate funds to support local environmental projects and wildlife habitats. 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 Set a numeric goal of overall waste reduction 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 If disposable containers are used, they are made from - bio-based materials, recycled content, and/or compostable material 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 pitches and filtered water to minimize the use of single-use bottles Restrooms Purchase recycled-content paper towels and toilet paper Registration / Office Use a last-in/first-out inventory and effective labeling systems 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 Make 2-sided copies / printed materials and avoid making extra copies Buildings and Grounds Use green cleaning chemicals Dispense cleaning agents in bulk to reduce quantities used Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources Use latex paints that are low or no-VOC Re-use paint thinners Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents - required by EPA-RCRA regulations Minimize use of pesticides and herbicides in landscaping Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Waste Reduction: Menus are written daily on a dry-erase ceramic board, to avoid all paper menu use. All unused soap/bath products are donated to a local shelter. Our rooms have no dryers, rather linen hand towels, used by current guests. We haven't purchased any fabrics or carpets, but use low-VOC paint, and non-toxic repair materials whenever possible. Rainwater is harvested for irrigation use on grounds. And all vegetable/plant gardening is organic. Recycling Recycling bins are available on the porch, and guest waste is sorted, and recyclables are removed from trash into recycling bins for proper disposal. 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: All worn towels and linens are converted to cleaning rags. Regular donations to local thrift stores and shelters include personal care items left by guests, food items, surplus vegetables from the garden, and other household items. Worm bin "tower" is also used for all natural soil amendments. Rain water collection is used for irrigation, and bird baths. Water Conservation Have a plan in place to reduce property water usage Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 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: drought tolerant species metering minimizes lawn areas Have an effective storm water plan management including: Use cisterns, rain barrels, and/or drip line irrigation Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Water Conservation and Efficiency: Have had soil professionally tested to ensure balanced nutrient supply and soil acidity. Currently making additions to landscaping that include use of native plants, nitrogen-fixing plant materials, and xeriscaping techniques.	Energy Efficiency We use the following best management practices: Have a plan in place to reduce property energy usage Have had an energy audit to identify efficiency opportunities Lighting: Designed use of natural lighting Use lighting sensors to turn on/off lights Use high efficiency compact fluorescent light bulbs in rooms, canned lighting or wherever possible Use high efficiency fluorescent ballasts and lamps - T-5's & T-8's Heating and Cooling Use ceiling fans Energy Efficiency: Purchased ENERGY STAR computers, appliances, office equipments etc. Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics in Energy Conservation and Efficiency Replaced all electrical outdoor lighting with solar powered lighting. 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 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: Addressing Efficient Business Travel-Minimize the number of trips taken for errands. Very few single destination trips. We work with several companies who make deliveries to our inn based on when they will be making other deliveries in the area. Green Building: Our building is LEED certified: Our Innovative Ideas and Specifics regarding our Green Building techniques: Have done a great deal of weatherization practices. Including weatherstripping, caulking, sealing, etc. to reduce energy loss and improve overall home energy performance. Measurable Results (1) Our bottleless water system has reduced the number of plastic bottles from landfills by at least 500 bottles per year. (2) Our recycling program currently diverts a minimum of 12,000 pounds of waste from the landfill. (3) 18,000 gallons of water have been reduced by incorporating low-flow showerheads.