Encircled by Maine’s Acadia National Park, Acadia Cottages on Mount Desert Island let you enjoy nature without worrying your hotel room is ruining it. Owners Gordon and Lisa Wissinger took over the property last year and quickly brought it up to Maine’s green lodging program’s standards.
The Wissingers work to conserve energy and water at Acadia Cottages, using CFLs, efficient shower heads, and a solar-heated pool. The couple is currently in the middle of replacing older toilets with water-saving models. They are also looking into grants that could help them cover the expense of renewable energy systems. In fact, Lisa says, “We would like to build a completely environmentally friendly cottage that would not only serve to educate our guests, but which we could use to educate local businesses, chambers, and communities.”
They’ve had plenty of practice outfitting their current cottages. Guest cottages feature recycling containers, eco-friendly soaps and shampoos in refillable containers (not mini plastic bottles), and recycled-paper toilet paper and tissues. They use green cleaners for laundry, dishwashing, and housekeeping, and choose the simple solution, such as using vinegar and reusable towels to clean windows, over chemical and consumptive options. They are replacing their old sheet sets with new bamboo ones, and they let their guests decide when they need linen service instead of unnecessary daily laundering.
Maybe most important of all, the Wissingers don’t just walk the walk, they teach the walk. “We provide literature for our guests to educate them on the importance of being environmentally sensitive so they can continue to do so when they return home.”
Come back tomorrow for details on Acadia Cottages’ rates.
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2008 Sierra Club Wilderness Calendar
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