Travel Green Wisconsin

“Since we became a Travel Green Wisconsin certified property it has been a very pleasant surprise how emotionally involved the staff has become.  Staff members are constantly coming up with new practices on how we can be more responsible to the environment, our community and our guests.  We have a formal meeting each month, and there is never a shortage of ideas on new green practices we can try out or how we can improve our existing efforts.   Now I know there are those nay-sayers who say they do not have the money to spend when there is no return especially in these economic times.  I can tell you unequivocally that is not true.  As a result of changing to waterless bathroom fixtures in the public restrooms, CFL bulbs and making sure we purchase energy star rated equipment when replacements are needed, we have saved over $95,000 just in utility costs from the prior year.  And this was at a time when our electric, natural gas, water and sewer pricing all had rate hikes.”     

        -Scott Krause, General Manager, Heidel House Resort & Spa

"Today's travelers are very conscientious about conserving our natural resources.  Travel Green Wisconsin is an important program to inform travelers that we are trying to do the right thing to better our planet.  As a member of Travel Green Wisconsin, Red Crown Lodge made changes that included switching to CFL bulbs throughout the property, placing recycling bins in every building, minimizing the use of water bottles and making reusable mugs and water glasses readily available.  Our guests really appreciate the efforts we go to, and every year, we work on ways to improve upon them.   At Red Crown Lodge, we also encourage silent sports like canoeing, kayaking, bike riding, hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.  We are situated on Trout Lake within the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest which allows our guests to experience the wonder of the northwoods forests and the beauty of our many lakes.  Not only can we conserve our natural resources but we can also enjoy our natural resources first hand.  There is nothing more gratifying." -        

        -Sheryl Tharman, Resident Manager, Red Crown Lodge

"Over the past 7 years, we have worked to brand Pinehurst Inn as an eco-friendly, sustainable tourism business. This effort has been supported and successful in part due to the effectiveness of the Travel Green Wisconsin program. Whether analyzing water usage or energy usage, whether attempting to implement a recycling program, or whether seeking to create an educational/marketing component, this program can help chart the course.   More specifically, our efforts over the years are now beginning to translate into customers and guests. In a 2010 survey of all Pinehurst Inn guests, when asked how important our eco-friendly operations were in their decision to stay at Pinehurst, over 50% indicated it was either important or very important. This relationship building with our guests starts here at our property, sharing our steps and accomplishments. It is enhanced by Travel Green Wisconsin.   Our bottom line? Our expenses and utility costs are well below industry standards. Conservation efforts combined with renewable energy sources, along with other steps, have been supported and recognized by Travel Green Wisconsin.  Travel Green Wisconsin promoted “doing well by doing good” – for the right reasons."         

       -Nancy Sandstrom, Owner, The Pinehurst Inn

“We’ve wiped out our utility bill, thanks to adding solar electric and wind turbine systems, plus cutting our energy use through conservation and efficiency initiatives at our Inn Serendipity Bed & Breakfast, a farmstay experience that features vegetarian breakfasts with ingredients from our organic growing fields.  Travel Green Wisconsin has provided both a comprehensive guide (they call it a “checklist”) to going green – and marketing muscle to promote this program to travelers eager to enjoy Wisconsin without ruining it.  When potential guests call and we're already booked, these travelers don’t want the name of just another B&B, they want the name of the Travel Green-certified lodging that’s similar to ours.  As we write about in our books, ECOpreneuring, Rural Renaissance and Farmstead Chef, industries serving the green travel, organic food, health-and-wellness interests of Americans continues to grow while many mainstream industries stagnate.  Green is growth and the revitalization and restoration of our communities.  Our guests want to support this movement and Travel Green Wisconsin makes it easy to do so."         

        -John Ivanko, Inn Serendipity Bed & Breakfast

“For the last three years, the Oscar H. Hanson House B&B has participated in the Travel Green Wisconsin program. The program has increased our awareness about how the little things we do every day can conserve and replenish resources.  Every month we set a goal to implement one new conservation practice.  At the end of the year, it’s gratifying to see how our sustainability efforts have positively affected our business.  Since becoming Travel Green Wisconsin certified, we have successfully reduced our bottom line energy costs and reduced our waste.  About 95% of our green practices are carried out through operational processes unseen by our guests."

        - Duke & Mary Jane Mihajlovic, Innkeepers, Oscar H. Hanson House B&B      

“Our guests today and future guests, we all hope, are becoming “Green” in their everyday lives and in their travels. We became members of the Travel Green Wisconsin program in 2007.  It is an important program to let our guests know we are trying to do the right things to better their stay with us along with our Earth. As a member of Travel Green Wisconsin, Franklin Victorian Bed and Breakfast have made many changes and continue to make changes that will help us receive a better score each year. We have switched to CFL bulbs, placed recycling bins in the guest’s rooms, guest areas and our kitchen; replace water bottles with water coolers and reusable mugs and water glasses readily available. We use all earth friendly cleaning products.  In larger ticket items we have replaced window a/c with central air, hot water heaters, washer, dryer, and furnace to Energy Star and high efficiency.  Our bills are showing us we did the right thing. We have more recyclable cans for pick up than trash. Our guests really appreciate the efforts we go to, and every year, we work on ways to improve upon them. We have had guests write in guest books and complete reviews about how they found us on Travel Green Wisconsin and write on how they appreciate our “Green” efforts. We are located in the “Driftless” area of Southwest Wisconsin where silent sports like biking, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, birding, cross-country skiing and shoe shoeing are done. Our guests love the natural resources our area has to offer and we love conserving them first hand.”  

        -Jennifer Dunn, owner Franklin Victorian Bed and Breakfast

"We here at Mississippi Explorer Cruises have found the Travel Green Wisconsin program to be a great success! We provide unique wildlife cruises and eco-tours on the backwaters of the Mississippi River's wildlife refuge and feel that the TGW program has been a perfect partnership for us. Being certified and rated as a "eco-friendly" business has been a great marketing tool and has helped us gain creditability and passenger insight as a new kind of "green" cruise."  

        - Captain Eric Dykman, Mississippi Explorer Cruise-LaCrosse