Our Environmental Policy We, innkeepers at Cranmore Mountain Lodge, have been long time believers and supporters of sustainable living, long before they even started talking about global warming. In France, we've been raised with the respect of what nature offers us, from organic farms to being very concerned about recycling and reducing our carbon footprint.  As a business, and more specifically a Bed and Breakfast, it allows us to teach our guests easy ways to be environmentally friendly guests (and persons when they come back home), show them that even on vacation, nature should always be respected, and share with them our efforts, ideas and projects to become a better sustainable lodging property. Each guest room has a Directory binder with all the information about our services and our sustainable programs. At check-in, we always inform our guests about our environmental practices and ask for their active participation. The White Mountains of New Hampshire are a wonderful heritage and we are proud to participate in educating and raising awareness on ways to preserve their beauty and keep it the way we and you love it for many generations to come.   AIR QUALITY The whole lodge is smoke-free. We use no chemical pesticides, aerosol products or Styrofoam. We use only environmental friendly cleaning products that have the green seal with no dangerous fumes and no scent. We use Ecolution Pro from State Chemical for glass cleaner, bathroom/toilet bowl cleaner, cleaner/degreaser, and all purpose cleaner (for the floors). We engage ourselves in painting with only non-toxic, water based paints from now on. We open the windows of each guest room during housekeeping to circulate and disinfect the air, weather permitting. We encourage "green" activities, such as hiking, biking, climbing, swimming, skiing... We will never encourage snowmobiling for example. We offer a $20 gift certificate included in our lodging packages for all guest driving a hybrid car. Abundant trees on the property keep air healthier and reduce carbon monoxide. We dust regularly the fans in the bathrooms and in the rooms to keep them efficient and keep the air clean. We sell in our gift shop non-toxic personal pest control product to our guests.   LAND USE We, the innkeepers, are the gardeners and we have established a sustainable land use system to remedy environmental damage, and to increase and conserve the plant and animal life on our property. We use no chemical fertilizers or pesticides. All weeds from our flower beds and vegetable garden are picked by hand. Pests are killed by using natural ways such as egg shells for snails, coffee for aphids, beetle bag traps for Japanese Beetles… We use old compost coming from farm waste to improve the soil. We have in project to start a new compost with food waste that we will reuse in our garden. All organic landscape trimmings and other materials are returned to the land. We pile them up in the back forest, and it becomes compost. We grow an organic vegetable garden, and use only organic fertilizers (such as our own compost); In Summer, home grown tomatoes and peppers are used in our breakfast menu; We have an herb garden (parsley, chives, thyme, basil…) that we use in our breakfast menu as well. We keep the evacuation of the pond clean from debris to make sure the water runs through and keep the pond clean for the trout and other aquatic animals. Our guests are invited to fish the trout in our pond and release any catch. We plant flowers and shrubs that are mostly perennials and adapted to our area, in order to reduce watering, such as: Geraniums, Hostas, Echinacea, Hemerocallis, Daylilies, Daffodils, Anthemis, Campanula, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Delphinium, Digitalis, Gaillardia, Phlox, Various Ferns, Heliopsis, Iris, Achillea, Pansies, Salvia, Narcissus. We increase each year the number of plants that bloom in each season to encourage bees, butterflies and other beneficial insects to do the work of cross-pollination. Most of the annual flowers are started indoor from seeds using small recycled garden houses or planted in egg cartons, and we use only organic seed starting. All the trees and bushes on the property are native and remain untouched (Maple trees, oaks, fir, birch…) We keep the pond area and the land along the brook as untouched as possible and do not add any new plants or remove any weeds. These lands are the habitat of different species. Ducks come every year to nest here, one or two blue herons spend their summer with us, fishing our trout and crayfish, lots of peepers, toads and other frogs are living and reproducing in our pond. We use gates and fencing made from wood. We use wooden plant containers. Our picnic tables are all made out of wood. When mowing, we leave the mowed grass on the ground. When pipes are obstructed, we use mechanical methods first, before using any drain cleaners to avoid unnecessary pollution.   ENERGY EFFICIENCY All the windows can be open to let the air in during spring and fall months, reducing the use of the air conditioners. Guestrooms have window air conditioners that are replaced when needed by energy star models. The lobby, common rooms, hallways are not air conditioned. Windows are open to circulate the air. As they need replacement, we install draperies with thermal reflective liners to keep rooms naturally cooler. We keep draperies closed to avoid heat loss during the winter and heat accumulation in the warmer months to manage room temperature. Most of the guestrooms have ceiling fans. We maintain caulking and weather stripping to keep air conditioning & heating inside. We keep the central heating systems in the main building and the loft building to 66 F. Each room has its own electric heater and the guests can manage their own comfortable zone. We lower these electric heaters to the minimum during housekeeping when the room is not occupied, if the guest didn’t do it before leaving the room. In summer, we turn all the air conditioning systems on energy saving when the room is not occupied during the day. When the room is not rented, all systems are off. If the room doesn’t receive any direct sun, the A/C is turned off and the windows are open. When rooms remain unoccupied after a check out, we unplug the night lights, including the one incorporated in the hair dryer and the alarm clock, as well as the microwave ovens, coffee makers and TVs. We clean regularly lighting fixtures, bulbs and windows to improve light reflection. Used light bulbs are properly disposed of and replaced by energy efficient fluorescent lighting. Used lights for the Exit signs are replaced as needed with LED exit signs. We replace as needed used appliances with Energy Star Models. All new air conditioners in the Loft building and main building are Energy Star Models, our washer/dryer as well. All our Christmas light decorations are LED lights. We turn all the lights of the common areas off during daytime, including the lobby and hallways. All computers and printers are turned off at night, except on the night the virus scanning software is working (usually Friday night). The fax machine is plugged in only when necessary. The exterior lights for the sign, the pool patio and the loft building porches are on a timer. They all turn off automatically around midnight. The Main lodge entrance porch’s light is turned off manually at 6 am. We are planning on installing a motion sensor. We clean and maintain water heating equipment, boilers and furnaces regularly to keep them running efficiently. We clean the pool & Spa filters with a hose every day for a week at the opening of the pool, and bi-weekly in season to make sure they work efficiently. The pool is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It is heated at 78 F until mid June and covered with a solar cover to keep the heat in during cooler nights. The Spa is heated at 80 F when there are no guests in the lodge, and at 96 F when we have guests. We teach each guest the proper use of all the Spa functions, and ask them to lower the temperature to 96 F and close the lid when they are done. The main lodge offers a big refrigerator/freezer that is used by all the guests, instead of having a refrigerator in each room. We clean grills and grease filters in the kitchen regularly for greater heat efficiency. We use Biodiesel to heat the main lodge. Our common living room is mostly heated in winter by the wood fireplace. We installed small solar lamps around the pool area.   WASTE MINIMIZATION AND RECYCLING We recycle as much as we can: newspapers, paper, plastic, aluminum and tin cans, glass, corrugated boxes…; we have a recycling tower in our kitchen and a recycling can in the screened porch by the pool area. Guests are informed upon arrival about our recycling program and can leave anything that can be recyclable aside from their room garbage can for the housekeeping staff to recycle. (See Conway’s Recycling regulations at the end of this policy). We use 100% recycled toilet paper and kitchen towels; Small shampoo bottles are still used as amenities in the guest rooms. We refill them after the guest departure. These small shampoo bottles are being replaced as needed by recyclable small shampoo containers bought at Save Your World. Each soap and shampoo used from that brand saves 1 acres of rainforest. We offer make-up removal black organic cotton towels that we can wash and reuse. We ask our guests to take home with them any soap bar they used (there is a written sign in the bathroom encouraging them to do so). All reservations are confirmed by email, unless the guest doesn’t have any email or want a mailed confirmation. Online reservations are encouraged with incentives. All printed material uses both sides and is done on recycled paper (50% minimum – 100% when available). All used ink cartridges are disposed monthly by bringing them back at Staples where they are recycled. We favor online advertising versus paper or mail. We never change the towels or linens during a stay over, even during a long stay, unless we are asked to (there is a written sign in the guest room to encourage them to keep the same towels and linen during their stay). We use single sided waste paper and envelops as office notepads. We replace any used linen and towel with organic cotton or bamboo linen/towel. We replace any used room towels with colored towels to avoid the use of bleach. Old towels and linens are cut to size and become rags for housekeeping or other tasks around the lodge (such as protecting the floor while painting, given to a dog owner to wipe the paws…). We use washable cups in each guest bathrooms. We provide with wine glasses in each room. If clothes or other items are left behind by a guest and are not claimed within a month, they are donated to a thrift shop. We are planning to start a food compost  to reduce the waste from food and reuse it in our garden. We use cotton clothes to wipe clean the dining room tables. When necessary, we use only 100% recycled paper towels. We inspect the outdoor picnic tables every year. If a picnic table is in a bad shape, we keep the good wood to build another one. The suites with kitchenette have glass drinking glasses and glass dishes that are sanitized and reused. We donate slightly used or soiled furnishings to non-profit organizations, or find another use for them. We refill the spray bottles when they are empty, instead of throwing them away. We purchase food in bulk to reduce packaging waste. When brochures are found in the guest rooms, we place them back in the brochure rack. We use porcelain or melamine dishes for our food service. If disposable cups are needed, they are 100% recyclable and compostable. We propose our guests vouchers/coupons for restaurants, gift shops and other activities in the Valley that are recycled back to us and given back to the next guests. To start up the fire in the wood fireplace in our living room, we use only newspapers and egg cartons. Over the summer until fall, all vegetable that is not used for our breakfast or for immediate consumption is canned.   WATER QUALITY AND CONSERVATION We fix toilets or shower leaks or other leaks as soon as possible. When shower heads need to be changed, they are replaced by low flow heads. We water the vegetable garden and flower beds with water from the pond when possible. In any case, we do not use an automatic watering system but water by hand. We never water the grass. The pool is filled up by the snow melting in spring, or refilled by pumping the water directly from the brook that is along our property. When toilets need to be changed, we replace them by water saving toilets. Each room displays written information about our towel/linen reuse policy. We never sanitize a half empty basket of dirty dishes. We wait for more dishes to come in before using our commercial dishwasher. Every dish is first washed by hand, in a sink filled with water and green seal detergent (we do not wash dishes under running water). We use as many native plants as possible to reduce the need for water. When we water our plants, it is always early morning or when the sun sets. We clean with non-toxic cleaning agents that do not pollute water. We do not use any toilet tank cleaning tablets or powders. We use our washer/dryer only with a full load and wash with cold water. We plant flowers and shrubs that are mostly perennials and adapted to our area, in order to reduce watering, such as: Geraniums, Hostas, Echinacea, Hemerocallis, Daylilies, Daffodils, Anthemis, Campanula, Chrysanthemum, Coreopsis, Delphinium, Digitalis, Gaillardia, Phlox, Various Ferns, Heliopsis, Iris, Achillea, Pansies, Salvia, Narcissus.   COMMUNITY We work with as many local businesses as possible to supply us with our breakfast food. The baker down the street provides us with breads and croissants. Sysco is our main food supplier and we try to propose as much organic food as possible. We promote with our packages and on our website as well, the use of local products, such as: Old Village Bakery (for bread and pastries) Four Your Paws Only (homemade pet bakery items) Rafferty’s Restaurant and Pub (full gluten free menu) Oxford House Inn in Maine (sustainable restaurant using local farm supplies) Little Shop in the Woods (local crafts) Soyfire Candles (USA made candles, petroleum free) Katrina’s Organic Market (organic & gluten free groceries) Bavarian Chocolates (homemade chocolates) EMS (climbing school) Ragged Mountains Equipment (clothing made in Intervale, New Hampshire) Great Glen Trails (snowshoeing, x-country skiing) Saco Bound (kayaking) Cranmore Mountain Resort (skiing – They are a sustainable ski resort) Cog Railway (scenic train rides) Boyz in the Hood (cleaning commercial hoods and stoves) Jesse Lyman (Biodiesel supplier) Sysco Northern New England (wholesale food supplier) Hannaford and Shaw’s (organic market) Sherman Farm (milk and other farm produces) And many more… Breakfast is prepared and cooked to order on site, minimizing waste and ensuring the freshest quality to our guests. We propose a full gluten free menu to those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, working with local suppliers such as Rafferty’s Restaurant and Katrina’s Organic Café. We belong to the BBInns MWV association. All the B&B of the association became members of the NH Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program together in 2008. We are environmental Champions of the NH Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program. During the busy months, we hire one or two local employees. We give a 10% discount to all guests driving a hybrid vehicle. We hosted in summer 2008, three open house events with the Remick Country Farm and Museum, a historic and sustainable farm in Tamworth NH. They came to Cranmore Mountain Lodge and presented some of their favorite workshops: Mozzarella Cheese Making, Wool Felting with Herbs and Homemade Soap; Sausage Making from Scratch & Corn Husks Dolls; Art on The Porch, giving the opportunity to children to make art with recycled materials. At each event, Zoë and Clara the Ambassador sheep of Remick Museum were presents for the enjoyment of everyone. We contacted them again this spring 2009 to hold such events again at Cranmore Mountain Lodge We send regular e-newsletter to keep our guests informed about our seasonal packages, about area activities and to give them some tips to become greener or be greener guests during their travels. To thank our employees for their efforts in helping us becoming more sustainable, they are welcome to pick some vegetables and other produces grown on our land, as well as use our compost for their own garden. To help guests coming to North Conway, we have a webpage describing all the means they can use to find us, including public transportation by buses from Boston, New York and other places. In the guest binders in each room, our guest can find all information from renting a bike, taking the Shuttle in North Conway, to booking a hiking trip with a guide. Recycling Regulations Town of Conway, NH: A. Corrugated cardboard shall be separated, kept clean and dry, cut to a size as required by the town and flattened for deposit at the designated area. (1) Staples, nylon tape, string or other foreign materials shall be removed, insofar as is reasonably possible. (2) Waxed or treated cardboard and all paperboard shall not be separated for deposit under this section. (3) Commercial haulers shall provide their customers with separate containers marked exclusively for use with card board and deliver corrugated cardboard in the manner prescribed above and on days and at times designated by the Town of Conway. B. Aluminum cans shall be separated and rinsed for deposit at the designated area. Crushing will provide additional space for the user and is encouraged. Such items as aluminum foil and plates are not accepted at the current time. C. Glass shall be deposited in a designated area. Material shall be rinsed and caps removed. Such items as windshields, painted glass, light bulbs, etc., are not accepted at the current time. D. Newsprint and magazines shall be kept clean, dry and free of junk mail for deposit in the designated areas. E. Burnable material, such as tree limbs under five (5) inches in diameter, and brush, shall be separated and deposited in the area designated for controlled burning. Scrap wood, painted wood, pressure-treated wood, stained wood, etc., shall not be accepted in this area and shall be classified as demolition material. F. Construction/demolition debris shall be separated for deposit in designated, approved areas. G. Tires and tubes shall be separated and deposited in a designed area. Tires > 24 inches will not be accepted. H. Metal (appliances, pipe, wire, springs, auto parts, miscellaneous scrap metal) shall be separated and deposited in a designated area. All hazardous capacitors shall be removed from appliances prior to disposal at site. I. Propane tanks shall be separated and deposited in a designated area. J. Car batteries shall be separated and deposited in a designated area. K. Motor Oil shall be poured into the container provided by the Town. L. High-density polyethylene plastic, HDPE and Polyethylene terphthalate plastic, PET, shall be rinsed and the caps removed and shall be deposited in the designated area. M. Not Used. N. Other materials may be designated for voluntary recycling in the future by the Town of Conway. O. Mixed paper shall consist of all paper and paperboard excluding newsprint and magazines and shall be deposited in the designated area. P. Leaves and grass clippings shall be placed on the compost pile.