Happy Earth Day, everyone!
What better time than to talk about what makes us an “ecolodge”?
When we bought Smoothwater in 1994, our intention was (and still is) to operate in a manner so as to minimize our environmental impact while remaining viable as a business. We quickly learned that, despite our best intentions, our path to green living & green business would be limited by our location, cash flow, and customer expectations, to name a few. While our most ambitious goals (such as solar and geothermal) have not been attained (so far!), we are proud of the the many green practices we implement on a daily basis.
So, what makes us green? It can be summed up by 5 Rs – retrofit, repair, reduce, reuse, recycle – and by an underlying principle of balance. Like many people, we always feel we could be doing more to reduce our consumption of resources. However, we are constrained somewhat by our location. Living in Northern Ontario necessitates certain environmentally-unfriendly activities, such as driving significant distances to run errands, and using a significant amount of energy to heat. These are realities, so we do what we can to mitigate them – for example, batching errands and appointments, and driving a fuel-efficient hatchback.
When we took over Smoothwater, the lodge was already on the grid. Had we been building from scratch, we probably would have invested in solar panels. As it was, we seriously investigated going solar, but found the cost to be prohibitive (considering we had already paid for the existing infrastructure when we bought the lodge). With solar off the table, our second big green idea was to install a geothermal heating system. This time, our plan was kiboshed not by lack of funds, but by shallow soil and near-surface bedrock.
Disappointed by our inability to make big changes, we resolved to do what was within our means to reduce our footprint. Instead of starting anew, we worked with what we had and made modest but important infrastructure changes. All water heaters and furnaces were put on programmable timers, as were exterior lights. Insulation was installed in basements and improved in attic spaces. All toilets were replaced with low flushers. Together, these changes significantly reduced energy consumption.
In Temagami, where nearly half the year is a winter wonderland, heating is a key concern. When we arrived at Smoothwater, baseboard heaters were the primary heating source. Now, a high-efficiency, forced air furnace supplements our high-efficiency wood stove. In addition to its charm, wood is readily available and a renewable resource (we’re lucky enough to burn maple, which has a very high energy-density). Programmed baseboard heating remains in our guest house, as it allows us to customize heating based on which rooms are occupied. Our staff house and Gathering Hall, which we built from scratch, are super-insulated and have high-efficiency heat sources.
When considering what to replace, the principle of balance rears its head again. With appliances, for example, we try to weigh the benefits of newness and energy-efficiency against feeding an unsustainable demand, as well as the impact of discarding appliances to landfill sites. Typically, we will repair appliances until a problem becomes chronic and the fix becomes cost-ineffective. When the time finally comes to replace them, newly-purchased appliances are chosen for their quality and low-energy use, with the hope that they will last long into the future. (I’d like to mark a moment of silence here for our 20-year-old Electrolux vacuum, who recently shuffled off its electric coil…)
In addition, we strive to be environmentally-friendly in many of our daily practices:
WATER – We practice water conservation and encourage our clients to do the same. Not leaving taps running saves a remarkable amount of water, and the electricity used to pump it. Not flushing for every pee helps, too. (Cottage rules!) We run our dishwasher only when full, and the same goes for the washing machine. We (and guests) reuse their cloth napkins (identified by fun napkin rings), which helps cut down on laundry. The water for our gardens comes from our rain barrel or directly from the lake, so it doesn’t need to be pumped or purified.
FOOD – We buy as much local and organic food as possible, and luckily for us, the Temiskaming region is a rich agricultural area. When we shop, we use reusable bins, tote bags, and produce bags and buy bulk where possible to reduce packaging. We go through a lot of meat during peak seasons, as most clients prefer a meat main for dinner and appreciate some bacon with breakfast. It’s not ideal, but it’s the business we’re in, and we feel better knowing that our beef and chickens are raised responsibly and close to home. Additionally, any food scraps that don’t get eaten by humans are composted (except meat, which our dogs are happy to take off our hands!). We estimate that we generate about 300L of compost over the summer, which eventually goes back into our gardens.
Packing food for client canoe trips can be tricky. For a while, we packed all foodstuffs is reusable Nalgene containers. However, we found that people didn’t like hauling back a bunch of empty containers, even if they were a lot lighter than they had been before. In response, we now use a mix of Nalgene containers and plastic bags, which people prefer because they pack down easily and are virtually weightless. Film plastic is now recyclable, which helps us justify this practice. It’s not yet accepted for recycling in Temagami, but it’s of such small volume that we bring it down to our Peterborough office at the end of the summer.
MAINTENANCE – In terms of property maintenance, we use a reel-mower, which runs on person-power instead of gas. It’s quiet and it doesn’t smell, and is a good workout! In terms of cleaning, we mostly use environmentally-friendly products such as Down East, but sometimes go the DIY route by mixing vinegar & water.
PAPER – All of the paper products we use, from printer paper to toilet paper, are made from post-consumer fibres.
Taken separately, these things may not seem like much, but together, we think they make a real difference. (They certainly can’t hurt!) That said, we’re always open to new ways of going greener. Leave us a comment to share your green tips!
Smooth Talkin' 