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Sustainability

Going Green to Remain Evergreen

Our environment is part of our identity, and we intend to protect it. Skamania Lodge continues to take actionable steps towards sustainability and be a leader in environmental best practices. Continue reading to learn what we've done and more importantly, where we're going.  In addition to our efforts here at Skamania Lodge the owners of Skamania Lodge are passionate about sustainability,
Reducing Stay Over Cleaning

Why it Works
Through the past two years we have learned that by reducing our stay over cleaning we can reduce your carbon footprint.

Forgoing daily housekeeping room services reduce water consumption, electricity usage and the amount of chemicals used daily.

We are grateful to our guests for their support.

Making this choice at our hotel, we together save...
Enough electricity to operate your tablet for 5 days
45 Gallons of water – enough to water a 15 pound dog for a year
The same amount of natural gas needed to bake five dozen cookies
Fewer cleaners which mean less chemicals released into the environment

Our Move to Zero Single Use Plastic

By the end of August 2020, our goal is to provide an alternative to all plastic use in our restaurants and meeting venues.  

“In our effort to move to zero SUP’s (single use plastics) on property, we've taken an unprecedented lead in the industry to remove all plastic bottles from our convention areas and restaurants. Guests who wish to have single packaged water, juice, etc., will be given a non-plastic option. We've also eliminated the use of plastic kids cups and replaced them with stainless steel reusable tumblers and silicone lids in all our restaurants. Lastly, we've set up water stations throughout the hotel, including a water bottle fill stations located each guest room floor.” - Jon Haslam,

Green Apron Transitions to Compostable Products
All Green Apron take out service containers, boxes, cups, straws, lids, cutlery and condiment containers are 100% compostable and/or recyclable.

The Move to Zero Starts From Within
All Skamania associates receive a reusable mug when hired to use and reuse at work. Our employee break room eliminated the use of all plastic cups and straws to encourage associates to use sustainable alternatives.

IGNITING CHANGE

"We all enjoy a large crackling fire, but did you know that each cord of wood burned in our Gorge Room fireplace created up to 81 pounds of pollution? This means that the 60 cords of wood we burned each year created roughly 4,860 pounds of pollution. Combine this with the 100 cords of wood used in the past to fuel Skamania’s guestrooms, the River Rock Lounge and Stevenson Ballroom fireplaces, Skamania would emit 12,960 pounds of pollution each year. This required about 5,000 trees to absorb the carbon emissions created. By converting all our fireplaces to gas, we have significantly reduced our emissions from 12,960 pounds to just 5 pounds per year and saved more than 100 mature trees in firewood."

- Kara Owen, General Manager

Every Drop Counts

Skamania Lodge uses AquaRecycle, a laundry water recycling system with specialized filters and UV systems that clean and disinfect up to two thirds of our laundry washing machine water.

When your backyard is as big as ours, it's important to limit water consumption. The decision to re-purpose parts of the property from golf to other uses has resulted in a reduction of our water usage. The new Gorge 9 short course and Little Eagle 18 hole putting course encapsulate about 15 acres of irrigated area with artificial greens that reduce our water usage by 15% and eliminate the use of fungicides needed.

Green Light

Skamania Lodge's panoramic windows bring in loads of natural light. But to supplement our sight, we converted all lighting to energy-efficient LED bulbs.

When we're not in action, neither are our lights. Skamania uses motion detectors in meeting rooms, back hallways, restrooms, and closets to be energy efficient.

Drive electric? Park in one of our eight electric vehicle charging stations.

USING LESS, USELESS PLASTIC.

“Our in-room toiletries shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand soap, and lotion use spa quality products and are dispensed from wall-mounted fixtures which keeps approximately 80,000 single use plastic bottles out of our landfills every year.”

- Robin Hale, Executive Housekeeper

Food for Thought

Sustainably Sourced Ingredients
It's vital to us and our guests that we serve the most local and sustainably sourced ingredients possible.

"All of Skamania's Steelhead is sustainably sourced right here in the Columbia River Gorge. Our produce is always coming from as close as we can get it. While nearly 100% of our protein is grown and sourced by the 15 family ranchers of Oregon's Country Natural Beef." - Zac Janssen, Executive Chef

Country Natural Beef - "Generational sustainability is an intention we practice everyday in our cooperative. Many of our ranches are multi-generational family ranches, with the hopes of keeping the ranch operating for many generations to come."

Fry Smarter, Not Longer.
After incorporating the advanced frying system Frylow, our culinary team are able to extend the lifespan of cooking oils by nearly 400%. This has resulted in less environmental waste, reduced electric consumption and lower gas costs. Not to mention it significantly reduces cook times and drastically lowers Skamania's carbon footprint.

Minimizing Food Waste
Skamania is a leader when it comes to managing food waste. Our executive Food & Beverage team has released a comprehensive e-book outlining the best food waste management practices for each hospitality department to follow.   This practice has saved over $650,000 of food product from being wasted in the landfill.

Managing Food Waste Best Practices by Skamania Lodge

READ E-BOOK
It Doesn't Stop Here
Continue reading to learn more about Skamania Lodge's sustainability efforts.
Sustainability Continued...
Ownership Commitment to Sustainability and Social Responsibility

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