At the Holladay House, we are committed to a few important concepts that underlie every decision we make: providing an unforgettable experience for our guests, supporting local businesses, and doing our part to implement green habits and promote sustainability. Particularly during March and April, it’s trendy to be green and consider the earth, but we are proud to “go green” year-round. We hope by sharing how the Holladay House goes green, you have a better understanding of our commitment to being green and can share your own best practices with us, too.
Last fall you may have read our post about our farm-to-fork food both within and around the Holladay House. We grow a lot of our own fruits, vegetables, and herbs and always incorporate local produce into our breakfasts. We have landscaped with native Virginia plants that are drought-hardy and require little water and no fertilization. The landscaping of our property is designed to generate proper water flow and absorption. Not only does this help with our carbon footprint, but it also provides our guests with a unique dining experience each time they visit.
Whenever possible, we buy in bulk and locally source what we need, including our Virginia-made mattresses, our cleaning, and office supplies, and we even purchase our gifts from shops in Orange, Culpeper, and Gordonsville. If we can’t find something locally, we then look for it within our region, then within Virginia, and then nationally if necessary. This helps reduce the emissions of travel for deliveries and gives us the opportunity to support our local and regional businesses. More than just sourcing locally, we also participate in the larger efforts around us. We are original members of the Virginia Green Program and belong to the Dominion Green Energy program.
As innkeepers, we have to keep a close eye on the quality of our linens. When our linens start wearing, we donate them to local women’s shelters, and if they are not in good shape, we donate them to the Orange County animal shelter. Our eco-friendly housekeeping policy reduces energy consumption and unnecessary waste and compliments the use of our Energy Star appliances and energy-saving lightbulbs.
We stock our rooms with locally sourced and organic soaps, and whenever possible, use environmentally-friendly cleaning products. We also recycle everything, including wine corks, and provide our guests with in-room recycling cans. When equipment is broken beyond repair, we recycle the parts, even going so far as driving to Securis in Northern, VA when we visit family, to ensure the responsible recycling of electronics.
We are constantly evaluating and updating our habits to be more sustainable and we would love to know some of your tips for reducing waste, saving energy, and giving back to our green earth. As always, we’d love to host you for a weekend in Orange where you can help support us and other businesses that are eco-conscious, too.
