OGUNQUIT, MAINE—The Meadowmere Resort here on the southern coast of Maine is demonstrating that a small resort can thrive while continuously reducing its environmental impact. The 144-room property, owned by the Cavaretta family, is operated with the belief that ecological and economic sustainability go hand in hand. Open year-round, not always a given in the Pine Tree State, the resort is an active member of Maine’s Green Lodging Certification program. The program, which is run by Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection, first certified the property as an Environmental Leader in 2006. It has since been recertified and has tripled the number of points it originally earned to be a Leader.
“We’ve always taken the approach of being efficient because it makes good business sense,” says Allyson Cavaretta, director of sales and marketing.
The Meadowmere Resort’s commitment to environmental protection is evident in every area of its operations. Each week, The Meadowmere Environmental Team meets as part of the regular management meeting. They discuss the progress of their many initiatives and brainstorm how to further conserve energy, water and reduce waste.
Sensors Help Cut Energy Costs
To conserve energy on the property, Cavaretta says thousands of compact fluorescents have been installed. All common area lights are on sensors. Sensors in the game room ensure that games are turned off when the room is not being used and ice and vending machines also use sensors to help reduce energy consumption. In the laundry, an ozone system is saving the resort $30,000 a year. It is the owner’s goal to add a solar thermal system within the next 18 months to help heat water.
Water consumption is minimized through the use of low flow toilets and showerheads. Guests are given the option of not having towels and linens changed every day. To reduce waste, recycling bins are placed around the property, including in guestrooms. The use of Styrofoam food containers has been eliminated, kitchen food waste is composted by an off-site vendor, utensils, containers and cutlery are recycled, and packing material from merchandise shipping is reused. Items are purchased in bulk and recycled paper is purchased to meet office and promotional needs. Used office paper is cut up to make note pads and both sides of office paper are used during copying.
Bathroom amenity packaging is recyclable and the amenity containers themselves are recyclable and made from recycled content.
Chlorine Alternative Found for Pools
To ensure a safe environment for guests and staff, green cleaning products are used, aerosol spray products have been eliminated, and chlorine in the pools has been replaced with a healthier ozone and salt water treatment system.
The Meadowmere Resort’s green commitment is evident in the marketing materials it provides to guests, its website, blog, and in the programs it participates in. The resort is participating in an area Green Wedding Giveaway by providing the honeymoon suite and will be participating in the Maine Innkeepers Association’s Hospitality for Habitat program beginning in May. As a result of the program, a donation will be made to Habitat for Humanity.
More than 25 years after the Cavaretta family started their independently owned and operated resort in 1983, they are showing their industry peers that ecological and economic sustainability do indeed go hand in hand.
Go to The Meadowmere Resort.
Glenn Hasek can be reached at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.
