Committed to green practices at The Inn

Green. Green. Green.  Carbon footprint (as in, minimize it).  Reduce, reuse, recycle.  Is paper or plastic worse for the environment?  Printing paper content and green manufacturing of same – what are your standards? 

I am one who is delighted with the renewed and growing focus on protecting our environment and resources – I’ve brushed my teeth with the tap off for decades.  I took my own shopping bags into every store – even Wal Mart – long before it became so popular (yes, that was me, holding up the line).  In high school, I researched and wrote about solar energy.  My Hondas have given me 35 mpg city/40 mpg highway for years – I’ll get a hybrid when my current car wears out, no reason to give it back to the environment just yet.

Over two years ago, while the Inn was still in the planning stages, the owners were already thinking green, too ~ and to spectacular effect.  Take a look at the ponds area in front of the Inn.  Even though we border  the main street in town, when you are on the Inn side of the ponds, flowers, and trees, there’s the surprising feel of relaxing in a luxurious oasis of earth, color, and sky.  It’s quiet charm will delight you.

The best aspects of our pond installation are not visible, though.  Together, the small pond on the right and the larger pond on the left manage up to 31 cubic feet per second of storm drainage in an environmentally responsible way.

First, we filter sediments and grease out of the runoff water from the bordering street and our parking lots (yeah, I know, icky to think about that part).  Then, water flows into a basin filled with water plants that further remove contaminates before the water enters the larger pond.  Finally, overflow feeds into the city drain, but at a manageable flow rate and with much-improved water quality.  Our storm water filtration system is the first of its kind for a commercial property in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Don’t you think it’s wonderful how beautiful green can be?

Of course, we do all that other stuff that demonstrates our commitment to being good environmental stewards ~ self-regulating room thermostats, fluorescent bulbs, LED Christmas tree lights, Green Seal-certified paper and chemicals at the Inn.  The washers use an oxygenation system that virtually eliminates bleaching, and the ironing machine eliminates the dryer cycle.  Silverware, china, and glass instead of paper and plastics for food service.  We’ve even got a saltwater system for the indoor pool that dramatically reduces the use of chlorine in the water.

It’s really cool that, in addition to being the most beautiful hotel in town on the outside (and having the friendliest staff!), we’re also doing great things to take care of, protect, and improve the parts that you don’t see…for a more beautiful tomorrow.

~Janet @ The Christmas Place