Every Day is Earth Day at Simoneink

The Power of Green 

As Earth Day approaches, it’s comforting to realize how many of the fine properties represented by Simoneink – already at the top of the industry – are also leaders on the environmental front

Down in New Orleans, the city’s most progressive boutique hotel is at it again.  International House has announced an ambitious set of initiatives for 2009, including a significant reduction of energy, water, pollution and waste.  Already in place within the hotel’s chic space are a number of measures to conserve, and to encourage its guests to do the same:  beyond the mundane but effective efficiency of new thermostats, lightbulbs, laundry detergent and aerators, management is offering free parking to guests arriving in alternative fuel vehicles, and everyone will soon be enjoying paperless check-in and -out.

Deep in the heart of Texas, The Inn at Dos Brisas is in the enviable position of producing all the sustainable organic produce required by its Mobil 5-Star rated restaurant.  In fact, three o’clock in the afternoon most days will find Relais & Châteaux Grand Chef Jason Robinson prowling the fields, orchards, and greenhouse to gather organic heirloom tomatoes, micro greens, wild mushrooms, and his choice of about 95 other fresh herbs, fruits and vegetables to prepare the evening’s offering of nature’s best. 

Lake Placid Lodge has been the essence of green since it was first built in the late nineteenth century, and remains so, through its furnishings -- the largest collection of authentic Adirondack furniture in the country, antique and contemporary.  Chairs, tables, frames, accessories and even beds of the distinctive twig and bark construction make effective and stylish use of pointedly local and sustainable materials. The newly rebuilt lodge, recently completed this past fall, represents some of the latest advancements in energy management and control which includes utilizing structural insulated panels [SIPS] for the walls and roof to obtain a high R-value, minimizing heat loss, and the installation of occupancy sensors in all public spaces. Lake Placid Lodge is also trying to minimize bottled water use throughout the property and has installed water stations for staff throughout the property and provides permanent cups and neoprene bottles for staff to reduce the waste created by disposable cups.   

With the long-range vision of a 60-year old establishment, The Hana Maui Hotel is highly sensitive to the fragility of its tropical environment.  Its comprehensive program to protect it includes features ranging from donating its shredded office paper to local flower growers for packaging their delicate exports, to recycling the cooking oil from its restaurants for use as bio-diesel.  Hana Maui’s Food & Beverage operations are committed to purchasing local when ever possible (currently about 90%,) and the hotel was recently honored with the Mayor’s “Friends of Agriculture” award.  Bed and bath linens are all organic cotton, and laundered every other day to cut down on energy and water use.  Soaps are made by hand and even jams and jellies are house made, to limit the consumption of little glass jars – after all, when you’re located in paradise, you have special incentive to keep it that way.