Inn Sights: News

pinehurst inn – commitment to sustainable operations

It is our mission to be the best bed & breakfast in the Chequamegan Bay area, providing the highest level of hospitality and guest experience while preserving and promoting the unique historical and environmentally sensitive nature of our property and the area.
We are committed to sustainability in all practices.

Although the definition of sustainability has many variations it is usually described as the balance between environmental health, economics, and social justice & a balance that will lead the way to a world where the human and other biological communities can thrive together indefinitely. It is often depicted as three overlapping circles:

At Pinehurst Inn, we have attempted to use this philosophy in our analysis of the many long and short term decisions we make regarding the way we do business. Our goal is to minimize our use of natural resources while still providing a magnificent guest experience. Our bottom line is a triple bottom-line. We will not only analyze the success of our business on the basis of financial capital, but natural and social capital as well. And perhaps in the process, our guests leave here with just one or two ideas they might be able to incorporate into their daily lives.

Brief Highlights of some of our efforts:

• Use of solar panels to heat domestic hot water in our new Garden House
• Plans to retrofit main inn in 2007 with solar panels for hot water
• Use of energy efficient materials wherever appropriate when refurbishing existing structures or in new in building
• Use of non-toxic cleaning products and recycled materials wherever appropriate
• Use of organic cotton linens & towels
• Use of organic and/or locally grown food as much as possible
• Energy efficient appliances (all Energy Star), lighting and other technology
• Landscaping using both historic and native plantings
• Composting of all food and garden waste
• No pesticides or herbicides or commercial fertilizers used on the lawns or gardens
• Commitment to sustainable transportation with use of biodiesel & veggie oil in vehicles

For more detailed information on our efforts, we are pleased to share our 2008 Pinehurst Inn Sustainable Operations Plan.

Pinehurst Inn – Carbon Neutral in 2007

We are pleased to announce that through our participation with Sustainable Tourism International and the Bonneville Foundation, as of 2007 Pinehurst Inn is carbon neutral – we are investing in “green tags” that offset our CO2 emissions projected for this year.

Interested in determining your own carbon footprint. We can help with our carbon footprint calculator. Take some time to explore your impact.  Learn more …