Transcript
U of M tourism center makes vacationing "green"

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From tiny water faucets in the guests rooms…

To massive, industrial washers and dryers in the laundry room…

“No harsh chemical smell, no harsh chemical feel on the skin…”

The Inn on Lake Superior has taken just about every step imaginable to green up their operation.

And hotel general manager Nikki Anderson, says their efforts are helping more than the environment.

“The bottom line is, we’re going to save money on our water, our electricity, our labor, our in-room amenity costs…”

Anderson says replacing their old faucets with new aerators …at a cost of two dollars and 30 cents for each of their roughly 200 sinks …will save them a minimum of $13,000 a year on water bills.

And things like an aggressive recycling program in the Inn’s kitchen, are catching the attention of guests …which is a great marketing tool that helps the Inn draw more customers.

“People are asking for this. This is not just something that’s a fly-by request that’s going to go away.”

“It’s a big project turning an entire hotel into a green inn, but the folks at the Inn on Lake Superior have had a little help from the U’s Tourism Center.”

Cynthia Messer works for the U of M’s Tourism Center …an organization that has been helping Minnesota tourism businesses improve their operations for nearly 50 years. Now that the green movement is in full swing, part of the Tourism Center’s focus is sustainability.

“The Tourism Center provides opportunities for resources and research information, both from the University and from broader perspectives.”

Those resources helped Anderson turn her hotel into one of the greenest destinations in Minnesota.

And with how successful the Inn on Lake Superior has been since going green, more businesses are likely to follow, which means more businesses will be making sustainability a top priority …and that’s good news for tourists and permanent residents.

“It certainly is going to improve the quality of life for our residents in this state and hopefully become a model for opportunities for other states.”

In Duluth, for the University of Minnesota, I’m Justin Ware.