Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Cheesecake Farms
Sumerduck, VA

Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of Virginia’s tourism industry. Virginia Green has established "core activities" specific to each sector of tourism, and these practices are considered the required minimum for participation in the program. However, Virginia Green encourages its participants to reduce their environmental impacts in all aspects of their operations, and this profile provides a full list of all their “green” activities. These are the activities that guests / customers can expect to find when they visit this facility.

Cheesecake Farms

Cheesecake Farms B&B is a family-, dog- and horse-friendly, four-room rural farm B&B. We’re off the beaten path but close to everywhere you want to be. Cheesecake Farms is an agricultural-educational center for learning and refreshment that reflects the green environmental practices the innkeepers hold dear. The 25 acres is home to an abundance of wildlife. There is a huge wetland complete with a beaver dam and a gentle stream – both important to the watershed. Whenever possible, local and Virginia-grown food is served, much of it from our own gardens. Organic practices are used throughout Cheesecake Farms. Classes in sustainability and garden-to-table cooking are offered.

We’re proud of our efforts to keep Virginia green and wanted everyone to know the extra steps we take. Living green is easy once you get into the habit, and working with our natural environment instead of against it benefits all now and for the future.

Virginia Green Activities

This facility pledges that they:
Offer optional linen service
- Have signage in each guest room explaining the linen reuse procedures 
- Train housekeeping staff on our process for optional linen service  
- Purchase water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers 
- Use non-phosphate, non-toxic and biodegradable laundry detergents 
- Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals 

Recycle
- Have in place clearly marked recycling bins or provide convenient drop-off locations for guests to recycle: 
- Glass Bottles 
- Plastic Bottles 
- Aluminum cans 
- Steel cans 
- Newspaper 
- Printer/ copy machine toner cartridges 
- Cardboard 
- Batteries 
- Electronics equipment such as computers, etc. 

Reduce solid waste
- Instruct housekeeping staff to save and reuse unopened items 
- Donate excess food from events 
- Compost food waste and other compostables 
- Have an effective food inventory control system to minimize waste 
- Use cloth napkins 
- Use reusable coffee filters 
- Use water pitchers to minimize the use of single-use bottles 
- Use bulk soap dispensers in public restrooms 
- Remove facility and staff names from junk mail lists when possible 
- Reuse scrap paper for notes 
- Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) 
- Make double-sided photocopies and avoid making extra photocopies 
- Use electronic correspondence and forms when possible 
- Use green cleaning products that are dispensed in bulk 
- Use reused building materials or those from sustainable sources 
- Use latex, low or no-VOC paints 
- Properly recycle and/or dispose of thinners and solvents 
- Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles 
- Use integrated pest management (IPM) 
- Minimize use of pesticides and herbicides in landscaping 

Use water efficiently
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Use microfiber technology mops 
- Have landscaping that utilizes native species 
- Use rain gauges and water meters and only irrigate when necessary 
- Have minimized our lawn area 
- Have installed rain gardens to manage storm water 
- Have installed pervious pavement to reduce storm water runoff 
- Have minimized impervious areas (paving, concrete, etc.) 
- Have installed rain barrels 
- Have installed drip line irrigation 
- Maintain vegetative buffers around streams and ponds 
- Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers 

Conserve energy
- Track overall energy bills 
- Have installed ceiling fans 
- Regularly perform preventative maintenance on HVAC system 
- Have installed a high efficiency HVAC system 
- Keep office doors and windows closed if HVAC system is on 
- Use natural lighting (i.e., open draperies and raise shades whenever adequate light from windows is available) 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms 
- Have installed directional (downward-facing) lighting in parking areas and other outdoor areas 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to minimize the use of lighting during night cleaning 
- Use ENERGY STAR qualified appliances (commercial kitchens, heating and cooling, consumer electronics) 
- Have adopted a policy/practice to turn off fans, computers, monitors and other devices in unoccupied rooms at the end of the workday or when otherwise not being used 
- Use alternative fuel, hybrid-electric, or electric vehicles 

Offer a green events package
- We do not host conferences or events 

Cheesecake Farms    Cheesecake Farms

For more information on Cheesecake Farms, see www.cheesecakefarms.com or contact Karla Seidita at CheesecakeFarms@aol.com or 540-439-2188.

For more information on the Virginia Green program, see www.deq.state.va.us/Programs/PollutionPrevention/VirginiaGreen.aspx.

Virginia GreenVirginia Green is a partnership supported by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, the Virginia Hospitality & Tourism Association, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

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