Eco 411
Eco Author | 9:00 am | July 31, 2009 | Hotel | Add a comment
HI-Pigeon Point Lighthouse and HI-Point Montara Lighthouse are now Certified Green Businesses
San Mateo County, CA – Two historic lighthouse hostels in San Mateo County are now providing green-certified lodgings in dramatic coastal locations. By upgrading their facilities to exceed federal and state environmental regulations, and working to conserve natural resources, prevent pollution, and reduce waste, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel have received certification through the Bay Area Green Business Program.
Both lodging facilities have installed Energy Star appliances in the self-service guest kitchens and laundry rooms. Interior and exterior lighting systems now utilize a combination of low-mercury Energy Star T8 fluorescents, compact fluorescents with photocells, and solar-powered LED lighting, with motion-sensor capabilities in areas such as outdoor entries and indoor hallways.
To save water, the lighthouse hostels have installed aerators in the kitchen faucets, water-conserving shower heads, and bathroom sink faucets with metered, automatic shut-off. Both hostels also discourage the use of bottled water by providing filtered drinking water in each guest kitchen, and offering stainless steel water bottles for sale.
In addition to maintaining full recycling and composting programs, both hostels are committed to using only all-natural biodegradable cleaning products and recycled or compostable paper products.
The Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel and the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel are each located in State Historic Parks, and provide affordable accommodations in former lighthouse keepers and Coast Guard quarters. Rates start at $25/night for dorm beds, and $65/night for private rooms (double occupancy with shared bath).
The lighthouse hostels are operated by the Golden Gate Council of Hostelling International USA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting intercultural understanding, environmental stewardship, and world peace through travel.
Eco Author | 12:29 pm | July 15, 2009 | Service and Supplier | Add a comment
Dominic Phillips Events Marketing (DPEM), a San Francisco event marketing, design and production company, was founded in 2004 by Dominic Phillips on his commitment to executing professional events as sustainably as possible. A pioneer in the green events industry, DPEM consistently implements its “zero-waste” policies, carbon offsets, and other sustainable best practices into its creative process. DPEM works with partner organizations such as Solar One for solar energy, Eco Bags for reusable bags, FoodRunners for disposal of excess food and Biocompostables for eco-friendly alternatives to everyday consumption choices. On top of its innovative implementation of green processes, DPEM has a unique ability to build personal relationships and become an integral player on its client’s team, regardless of industry. As such, DPEM’s client list includes an impressive array of companies such as Google, Slow Food Nation, Nokia, Ghirardelli Square, Sun Microsystems, Meals on Wheels, San Francisco magazine, Scion and many more.
DPEM recently announced its schedule of Summer and Fall 2009 events. Highlights include the Golden Gate Restaurant Association’s first SF. Chefs. Food. Wine. event in August. DPEM will also work overseas this September with the Bristol City Council to kickoff the Soil Association’s Organic Food Festival, Europe’s largest celebration of all things organic. The festival is in its ninth year and hosts over 300 exhibitors, showcasing everything from organic cheeses and wines to eco-friendly cosmetics, clothes and housewares. DPEM will ensure a full greening of these experiences in accordance with “zero-waste.”
Eco Author | 5:51 pm | July 6, 2009 | Service and Supplier, Spa | Add a comment
Photo Credit: Gavin Hynes
As part of their mission, The Barber Lounge is committed to full, general recycling. This San Francisco salon recycles all hair color foils in addition to collecting cut hair for use as either compost or for matteroftrust.org. Matter of Trust partners with salons and uses hair clippings swept off their floors to create “hair mats.” Woven into these mats, hair is an efficient and abundant material for collecting and containing petroleum oil spills. The salon is also the first salon in San Francisco to use solar power. It is in process of adhering 4000 Watts of Solar Panels to the Salon roof and routing to a power inverter that takes the solar power and converts to AC house power. The installation simply plugs into the salon’s existing electrical system. The solar electric system will generate 28% of the salon’s energy using the Sun’s rays for the next 30 years without any moving parts. As a team, all Barber Lounge employees recently walked as part of San Francisco’s Earth Day celebration. “The environment has always been very important to me,” says Barber Lounge owner Greg Griffin. “When I opened my salon I kept the environment and our carbon footprint in mind. We use Aveda products and they have a “cradle to cradle” mission statement meaning all their products are sustainable and safe for the environment from the bottle to the drain. It’s becoming increasingly more important for business’s to be mindful of how they impact the world we live in.”
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