This is an email conversation between Sage Blossom Consulting and The Gillum House B&B, after the Gillum House innkeeper added them to Best Green Hotels:
In response to the question of “how do you handle your newspaper distribution — do you leave on at each guestroom door or have a common one for everyone to share ….”
GH: One newspaper is on the porch each morning. Some guests are early birds and sit on porch to read it. Otherwise it is on the dining room table to share.
Kit: That’s what we are calling “Newspaper Program”. We hate the hotels that place a newspaper in front of every occupied room, and you can tell that not even half of the papers are wanted/used. Sharing is good.
GH: We recycle cans, plastics, and newspapers. They do not do glass here.
Kit: =~o (that’s the emoticon for a look of shock!) No glass recycled? I live in a remote area and that’s one thing they do recycle. I came from an urban area that recycled practically everything, so I’m suffering a bit of culture shock in my area.
GH: However, the few glass jars we use get reused for non-compost stuff (eggs yolks – I use whites & toss the yolks) to keep the garbage from being leaky and stinky.
Kit: Good for you for using the glass that way.
Why don’t you use egg yolks?
GH: As for sheets – we announce on the morning of the third breakfast that we will be changing the sheets today (if it is more than a 3 night stay) and oftentimes will be told do not bother (I like that answer). Otherwise, unless a guest indicates they need maid service, we do not venture upstairs except to clean the bathroom (often).
Kit: See how much water you save? And personal energy too.
GH: We do practice Maintenance Conservation. Did not notice what it was until after I hit send.
Kit: Based on a comment I’d heard or seen, I entered that as “yes”.
GH: I plan to get a front-loading washer when this washing machine dies.
Kit: I have had a front loader for 7 years now and wouldn’t trade it for anything. At least nothing that exists presently. I initially had a super capacity washer, but with only two of us, it took a long time to fill it up, so laundry didn’t happen often. Now I have essentially a 2/3-capacity, energy and water efficient front loader that’s a better size for us.