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,
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...
By the end of August 2025, 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. We've also set up water stations throughout the hotel, including water bottle fill stations located on each guest room floor.” - Robin Hale
Skamania To Go Transitions to Compostable Products
By the end of next month, all Skamania To Go take out service containers, boxes, cups, straws, lids, cutlery and condiment containers will be 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.
How We Reduced Fireplace Pollution To JusT 5 Pounds a Year.
"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
How We Save 80,000 Plastic Bottles from Our Landfills Each Year.
"Our in-room toiletries, including shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, hand soap, and lotion, feature spa-quality products. These are dispensed from wall-mounted fixtures, preventing approximately 80,000 single-use plastic bottles from ending up in landfills each year"
- Robin Hale, Executive Housekeeper
Sustainably Sourced Ingredients
It is 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 waters of the PNW. Our produce is always coming from as close as we can get it. While nearly 100% of our protein is raised and sourced from farmers and ranchers from around the PNW." - Zac Janssen, Executive Chef
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. We also work with a local company to recycle the used oil.
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. Working with a local farmer, we are able to donate approximately 600 pounds a week of usable food scraps to feed livestock.
Managing Food Waste Best Practices by Skamania Lodge
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.
Skamania Lodge's panoramic windows bring in loads of natural light. To enhance our visibility, 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?
Access to fee based Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
It Doesn't Stop Here
Continue reading to learn more about Skamania Lodge's sustainability efforts.
What and how do we recycle?
“Recycling has been part of our DNA since we opened in 1993. We recycle everything from paper, cardboard, aluminum, and glass. We also recycle laundry water using specialized filters and an advanced UV system that cleans and disinfects up to two-thirds of our laundry washing machine water. Ultimately, recycling is an extremely important part of how we operate and helps us save energy, prevent pollution, create jobs, and save money in our community.” - Kara Owen, General Manager
Green Housekeeping
EV Chargers
Golf Couse Maintenance
Heating & Cooling
Paper Reduction
Key Waste
Green Certifications
Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (“Pebblebrook”) strongly supports AHLA’s 5-Star Promise. Our pledge to AHLA complements the practices and policies in-place by our company and our hotel operating partners which are designed to ensure that the hotel employees at our more than 50 owned hotels across the United States abide by the law, respect individual’s rights, and do not tolerate sexual harassment of any type at our properties. We have dedicated a significant amount of resources to assist our hotel operators with sexual harassment awareness training and avoidance programs, in addition to training and resources to prevent human trafficking. We will continue to engage with our hotel operators to provide the resources to further assist them in ensuring the safety of our hotel employees and our guests. Pebblebrook is committed to funding the purchase of hotel employee safety devices for use at all of our owned hotels by the end of 2020, as well as to provide funding for additional training and education programs on sexual harassment and human trafficking at our corporate level and our hotel properties. Through our pledge to the 5-Star Promise, Pebblebrook intends to contribute to positive, industry-wide improvements to continue to make hotels a safe place for all our employees and guests.
