B&Bs Take Action Against Global Warming. From solar powered and wind turbine energy to locally and organically grown food, enjoy a Green Getaway and take home energy saving ideas.

With recent reports that tourism is contributing to global warming, it's time for travelers to think green.  BnBFinder.com urges travelers to make their next getaway one that is eco-friendly. Learn what B&Bs are doing to save our resources and get ideas to implement at home. Find a Green Getaway and see what innkeepers are doing to protect and save the environment, one guest at a time at www.BnBFinder.com/EcoFriendly or read more about our featured inns below.

BnBFinder.com picks:

Maple Hill Farm Inn, Augusta, ME

Wind Turbine at the Maple Hill Farm, August, Maine

www.BnBFinder.com/MapleHillFarm
Maple Hill Farm Inn has Maine's largest solar energy system (both electricity and hot water). It supplements the existing wind turbine which also generates about half of the inn's power. The Inn is certified by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection as Maine's First "Environmental Leader" Certified Green Lodging Inn and is also a recipient of the Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for renewable power generation and other sustainable environmental practices.


Melitta Station Inn, Santa Rosa, CA
www.BnBFinder.com/MelittaStation
Melitta Station Inn is a great example of an environmental friendly business operation. The inn is totally powered by solar generated electricity, thus preserving natural resources and reducing emissions from heating, cooling and laundry equipment. Installed in the summer of 2006, the 6 kilowatt array generates enough electricity for all winter heating and summer cooling needs. The innkeeper's private working area has also been equipped with Solartube™ daylight pipes which reduce artificial lighting usage during darker winter months and all guestrooms use high efficiency fluorescent light fittings. 

If you are interested in learning how Melitta Station implemented these practices and how you can implement them at your home, visit the inn during one of its Environmental Weekends. These two-night, one day seminars will serve to inform and equip residential and small business owners with information required to fully inform a move to energy efficiency.

Graycote Inn, Bar Harbor, Maine

Graycote Inn, Bar Harbor, ME
www.BnBFinder.com/GraycoteInn
Graycote Inn is the first Bar Harbor lodging provider to receive the Environmental Leader Certification from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. The inn institutes a long list of environmental policies including using non-polluting cleaning products, composting, recycling paper, glass, plastic, and metal. Water use is reduced with water-conserving fixtures in sinks, toilets, and showers. Energy use has also been reduced by installing high efficiency furnaces and air conditioning units and energy-efficient lighting. Additionally, the inn supports Maine farmers and food producers in its menus with items such as organic coffee, wild blueberries, milk products made with no artificial growth hormones and locally grown Buckwheat. The Graycote Inn proudly practices environmental education by serving as an example to the traveling public and actively by providing guests with access to educational materials.






The Mast Farm Inn, Valle Crucis, NC
www.BnBFinder.com/MastFarm
The Mast Farm Inn is aware that the use of chemicals on agriculture is damaging both to human populations as well as to all other life. With the use of organic practices, including raised beds and companion plantings, the inn has created a mini ecosystem in the garden that is full of animal and plant diversity. Organic gardens of flowers, herbs and vegetables grow

Montfair Resort Farm, Crozet, VA

without the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. The inn grows a wide variety of heirloom and open-pollinated plants including such staples as lettuce, spinach, carrots, peas, beets, basil and other herbs, raspberries, tomatoes, beans, squash, and potatoes.  


Montfair Resort Farm, Crozet, VA
www.BnBFinder.com/Montfair
"One of the easiest and most cost effective ways to reduce energy costs and green house emissions is to replace the regular incandescent light bulbs with super-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs)," says Leora Sheridan, innkeeper at Montfair Resort Farm. The inn uses compact florescent light bulbs in its office, lodge and all guest cottages. According to Leora, they "give off the same warm light, but are much more energy efficient." The inn also had their brochure printed by Greenerprinter.com which uses a non-toxic UV coating, 100% recycled and non-chlorine bleached paper, and soy ink.