Greening Your Bed & Breakfast or Inn

Beds and Breakfasts (B&Bs) are ideal locations for travelers who wish to have a minimal environmental  impact without sacrificing amenities. B&Bs typically cater to those who want to avoid the city noise and prefer a quiet  environment. With increasing awareness about the need to cut down on our environmental impact, travelers are increasingly choosing lodging that not only offers a natural experience, but also are “green” in how they’re maintained and operated. Below are some steps a B&B can take to go green.

Energy Conservation

Energy is perhaps the area that can provide you with the most benefits. At a time when our climate is in danger because of our current energy choices, it is even more important to conserve energy today through efficiency and behavioral changes. Below are some steps you can take to reduce your energy use:

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to cut your bill by up to 10%.
• Consider occupancy sensors, photocells, or dimmers to reduce energy waste a further 5%.
• Upgrade your appliances to EnergyStar models to cut consumption by up to 30%.
• Use Green Irene’s Energy Saving Power Strip to reduce phantom power losses and cut your bill by up to 10%.
• Maintain refrigerators regularly, keeping them at 41ºF and leaving enough space around them.
• Cool interior rooms with fans instead of ACs to save money on cooling.

Water Conservation

Water is increasingly becoming an important resource as the world’s freshwater reservoirs become depleted. Saving water not only saves a valuable resource for other uses, but it can also save money because of the energy needed to heat hot water. Here are some steps you can take to cut on water use:

• Install low-flow showerheads in guestrooms to save thousands of gallons of water and over $350 per year on regular use.
• Install aerators in guest bathrooms to save thousands of gallons of water and over $100 per year on regular use.
• Place a Green Irene Toilet Tank Conservation Bag in toilet tanks to save up to 1.25 gallons per flush.
• Fix any leaky faucets in the kitchen or bathroom.
• Run the laundry and dishwashers only when full.

Waste Reduction

In the U.S., waste carries with it a huge cost. It costs money to create unnecessary items that become waste after their first use. It also costs money to take care of that waste. Reducing waste in your B&B can cut costs significantly and reduce your footprint. Here are a few things you should keep in mind to cut your overall waste:

• Reduce the need for printing and packaging.
• Recycle any consumed items, such as metal cans, plastic bottles, and paper.
• Compost all food waste that is compostable and use the compost in your plants and garden.
• Purchase products with high recycled content and minimal packaging.

Toxic-Free Environment

Normally unnoticed, toxic substances in products and the indoor environment take a toll on human health. There are literally thousands of substances that are used in products that have not been tested for toxicity. Ensuring that your B&B’s indoor environment is toxic-free will help customers feel better, and it will contribute to their long-term health:

• Use toxic-free Green Irene cleaning products.
• Help your septic tank or field using Green Irene’s green septic tank cleaner.
• Purchase a Green Irene air purifier to remove toxins from the air.
• Use Green Irene Dryer Balls to eliminate the need for dryer sheets and save 25% on drying time.
• Purchase Green Irene Soy Candles to avoid benzene fumes common to regular candles.

Renewable Energy

Our energy choices are causing climate change to worsen. Unless we change our energy infrastructure, the planet will warm to dangerous levels. Using renewable energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions can be cost-effective and attractive to customers. Consider these options:

• Install a solar photovoltaic system to utilize solar energy, and/or install solar water heating system.
• Purchase green energy from your local utility, if available.
• Purchase BeGreen Carbon Offsets from Green Irene to become a carbon neutral B&B.

Food

One of the key amenities offered by B&Bs is food, which can have a sizeable carbon footprint because of the transportation required to move it around. Taking the following steps can help reduce that footprint substantially:

• Purchase organic food grown locally to cut on transportation emissions.
• Don’t offer bottled or canned drinks, but rather filtered water.
• Consider Green Irene’s Soda Machine, which makes sparkling water and soda in reusable containers.

To learn more about what you can do to green your B&B, contact your local Eco-Consultant and sign up for a Green Home Makeover, which will cover these and dozens of other areas to help your business go green.