Press Green

                                                                                                                                   Russ Schleipman
 

The Pocono Mountains has always been green. However, there is more to this green destination than the lovely foliage of the trees! The Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau (PMVB) is committed to enhancing the economic and environmental well-being of our region. As such, the PMVB is now measuring their own current Green actions and implementing some small steps and some big steps to further this commitment.

Recently, the PMVB Green Team convened for the first time. The team's actions included reviewing in-house best practices with an increased focus on continuous improvement in areas of recycling, cleaning, lighting, paper supplies and interior design. 

A recent survey sent to PMVB partners brought home the fact that more than 98% of those who responded had embraced some form of Green practices. One-hundred percent of our lodging respondents have taken the simple step of replacing their incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent lamps wherever possible. Some other examples are:

• Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort installed low flush toilets to lessen use of water; new windows installed throughout the resort to improve energy use and lessen their carbon footprint; electric golf carts have replaced gasoline-powered carts; they have switched to compost-friendly cups, plates, straws and lids to lessen the impact of waste. The list for The Shawnee Inn and Golf Resort continues with a vow to continue to research and develop environmentally friendly programs.

• Woodloch Resort demonstrates ingenuity, creativity and perseverance in the pursuit of pioneering green goals by offering environmental programs for class trips, corporate groups and scouting programs; construction of Eagle Nesting Platform; Bio-Degradable disposable plates, flatware, cups and to-go containers; and energy-saver faucets and shower heads as well as faucets with infrared sensors to limit water waste. In addition, a tree replacement program and Bat Boxes installed throughout the resort - a natural way to control insects.

• Great Wolf Lodge announced in April 2009 that all its U.S. properties have achieved Green Seal^TM certification for the lodging portion of its operations, becoming the first and only national hotel chain to earn that distinction. Along with the Green Seal announcement, Great Wolf Lodge executives took the occasion to unveil the company's own environmental program called "Project Green Wolf." Both the hotel and waterpark portions of the business are part of Project Green Wolf, and the program also includes an inventive educational program for the resorts' youngest guests created in partnership with National Geographic Kids^TM. Project Green Wolf included rewriting nearly every page of its operational procedures manuals and essentially rethinking the way it has traditionally done business. Key areas of the Project Green Wolf program include management of fresh water resources; waste minimization; recycling and reuse; energy efficiency; environmentally and socially sensitive purchasing; and guest education.

• Another earth friendly member is The Inn at Jim Thorpe, which offers fine examples of small steps by moving towards compostable paper and plastic products for their continental breakfast; electric energy saving hand dryers in public rest rooms, repainting using green seal certified paints and re-carpeting guestrooms using green carpeting and padding.

• The Settlers Inn offers farm to table meals thus providing the freshest of locally grown products on their menu. In addition, small simple steps like reusable shopping bags and buying the new environmentally friendly paint have become part of their commitment to the environment. Also, carpet is being traded in for cork flooring in one of the guest rooms and more protective window treatments have been added to aid in heating and cooling of the guest rooms.

• Whitewater Challengers have implemented a number of programsin support oftheir green commitment to environmental stewardship, both locally and globally. They contribute a portion of every rafting ticket to river conservation and reforestation projects, conduct organizedriver cleanups with BSP and local Scouting organizations and are purchasing carbon offsets to assure carbon-neutrality for all of thebuses, trucks and vans. In addition, they are implementing amatching Carbon Offsets program and a Pledge to Plant program for guests and crews.

• Blue Mountain Ski Area and Shawnee Mountain are both exploring the use of wind-powered turbines to help reduce their carbon footprint by reducing the use of electricity for snowmaking purposes. Camelback Mountain Resort recently installed 110 lower energy snow guns, which eliminated the use of 50,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

• Barley Creek Brewery recycles all of their spent grain from their brewing process. All of the grain is given to a local farm who uses it to supplement the livestock feed.

Every journey begins with one small step.