ECO-SUSTAINABLE INITIATIVES at Shaheen's Adirondack Inn
Shaheen's Adirondack Inn, a family owned and operated property, is committed to providing guests with eco-friendly accommodations. We take pride in our modern, clean, and comfortable amenities. Our “green practices” are always in a refresh mode as we continue to look for ways to improve our efforts. As our guest, your participation is invited as we work to lessen the impact we have on our beautiful Adirondack Park. We ask your help so that we may all become better stewards of our environment. Please take a moment to check out our endeavors!
Audubon International has awarded Shaheen's Adirondack Inn with Gold Certification as a member of their Green Lodging Program. TripAdvisor also has certified the property with the Gold status in its Green Leader Program. ADKCAP highlighted Shaheen's environmental practices in a published case study. Our sustainable efforts were acknowledged by the Tupper Lake Chamber of Commerce in their local "Business Spotlight."
Here at Shaheen's we can assure you we clean your room with environmentally safe products. We also use non-toxic zero VOC paint & stains in interior rooms. Phosphate free detergent is used in washing our linens and in our pool we use bromine instead of harsh chlorine.
We are involved in a waste management program which includes recycling paper, plastic, metal, tin, glass, and cardboard. Through the use of a guest recycling bin located in each room, you as our guest can join in our efforts; for this we say thanks! Shaheen's also ensures that all batteries, ink cartridges, and light bulbs are sent to appropriate collection centers. A local community repurpose center receives our gently used furniture items, linens, and mattress when we refurbish our rooms.
As a member of "Clean the World" all of our used guest soap is sent to a specific site where it is sterilized and repackaged for distribution to poor countries and those in need. We agree that basic hygiene necessities should not be a luxury.
Energy efficiency is a top priority for us. We use LED bulbs in guest rooms, and parking lot, as well as throughout the building.Our walkway yellow bug lights are Eco Bulbs! Motion sensor lights are installed in hallways and low wattage night lights in guest rooms. We converted our oil burning furnace with new efficient LP propane units. We realized our goal of updating the entire Inn with JELD-WEN Energy Star/NFRC certified double pane windows. The sun and our solar cover keeps our pool a comfortable temperature naturally.
We can all agree that conserving water is an important responsibility. We use low flow shower heads and faucet aerators and replaced older toilets with 1.28 GPF models (these use 20% less water than 1.6 GPF). Shaheen's has their own commercial laundry facility, therefore we are diligent in using appropriate temperatures, correct water levels, and only wash and dry with full loads. Want to help? You can participate in our “Guest Reuse of Towel Program” and also opt out of daily linen changes, which save gallons of water (as well as electricity).
On a natural note, we let Mother Nature feed our lawn and we keep our flowers growing with water collected from our “Rain Barrel”. We compost our yard waste to fertilize our flowers and have planted “butterfly” friendly plants to help maintain their population and get them nourished for migration!
Our guests have given us green tips on ways to improve our eco attempts including using paper products in the breakfast area; compostable utensils, even the plastic stir strips were replaced with wooden ones. Recycled content is also considered when feasible. We purchase equipment with a “green” mindset and ensure they are energy star rated. Recent additions include washing machines, hair dryers, vacuum cleaners, AC units, micro-fridges, and computers.
We are proud to participate in solar energy. Shaheen's Adirondack Inn has a 10kWh, 40 panel Grid-Tied Rooftop Solar Panel Array which lessens our dependency on "Brown Power" and curbs our electrical usage. We always look forward to sunny days! If you own a electric vehicle and need a charge, you're in luck! Our property has 2 EV Charging Stations right outside the main lobby. Please be our guest and charge up your vehicle at no cost as our way of saying Thank You for being an eco-conscious driver. There is also a designated spot for "Fuel Efficient Vehicles" in our parking lot.
Tracking our footsteps by analyzing past data and recording our present usage will give us the facts and figures we need to determine how we can improve our efforts. We will continue to work to educate ourselves in positive environmental practices.
Getting the most from the environment is easy, but giving back is harder.... it takes personal commitment. Each of us can make a difference. Whether it be here in the awesome Adirondack Mountains or in your own beautiful community, take the step and become part of the solution to preserve our environment for future generations.
