Image by shelisrael1 via Flickr

With all the reports of negative environmental impact that have dominated the news recently, it is nice to pass along a good report of a New Hampshire business leading the way in protecting our environment.

Longtime White Mountains resort destination the Mountain View Grand was recently recognized for efforts it has made toward reducing environmental impact.  Read on to learn more about the resort’s sustainability efforts and its certification as an “Environmental Champion” by the New Hampshire Dept. of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: July 27, 2010
Contact: Paul Lockwood, NHDES, (603) 271-2956, paul.lockwood@des.nh.gov
Melissa Zych, NHDES, (603) 271-0878, melissa.zych@des.nh.gov

DES and NHSLRP Announce Mountain View Grand Resort a Champion of the Environment

Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services
and the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program
(NHSLRP) announce that the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa in
Whitefield, N.H., has been certified as an “Environmental Champion,”
the highest level of certification in the sustainability program. It
achieved this by implementing multiple projects that reduce waste as
well as conserve energy and water. The certification process involves
completing a points-based application that scores facilities on their
environmental initiatives with a third party inspection and
verification.

The Mountain View Grand is one of four remaining “grand” hotels in New
Hampshire and has been in operation since the late 1800s. The resort’s
owners and staff are committed to becoming models for environmental
responsibility. The Mountain View Grand has earned recognition as a 100
percent Green Power Purchaser as part of the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership program. In 2009, a 121-
foot, power-generating wind turbine was installed adjacent to the
hotel. To supplement the turbine energy, the owners purchase Renewable
Energy Certificates to certify the resort as 100 percent wind-powered.
From September 2009 to March 2010, the combination of these two sources
avoided close to 400,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions or the
equivalent of the greenhouse gas emissions from 33 passenger vehicles
each year.

The wind turbine is just one of the many environmental projects that
the Mountain View Grand has undertaken. The owners replaced over 75
percent of its light fixtures with compact fluorescent lighting and
implemented a comprehensive recycling program. They turn spent cooking
oil into diesel fuel that is used by a local construction company, and
for room and hallway insulation, they installed Green Fiber insulation
made from 85 percent recycled paper. There is a working farm on the
property, which is used as an educational tool as well as providing the
kitchen staff with fresh eggs and vegetables when available. The
Mountain View Farm is home to several rare breeds, such as the
Leicester long-wool sheep, whose wool is sheared, spun and available
for purchase. The resort supports local farms and businesses whenever
possible and the owners and staff are environmental stewards for the
1,700 acres the Mountain View Grand maintains. The landscaping consists
mostly of native perennials that require less water and the resort has
its own water tower that provides irrigation to the golf course and
resort grounds.

The Mountain View Grand is planning to implement more sustainable
projects in the future, such as a comprehensive composting program and
a switch to bio-diesel fuel for its building heating system.
Environmental responsibility is woven into everything it does and it
shares all of this with its guests by offering daily tours highlighting
all of the sustainability efforts that are not as obvious as the wind
turbine.

The Mountain View Grand was chosen as the site of the next meeting of
the Environmental Council of the States, a national organization
comprised of the heads of state environmental agencies. The meeting
will take place in late August and provide an opportunity for the
resort to further showcase their environmental initiatives.

Tags: Mountain View Grand, Mountain View Grand Resort, New Hampshire, new hampshire lodging, Sustainability

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 at 3:02 pm and is filed under Lakes Region News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.