Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Bear's Lair Cabin on the New River
Austinville, 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.

Bear's Lair Cabin on the New River

The Bear’s Lair Cabin is a rental cabin on the banks of the New River in Austinville. The log cabin is brand new construction, well-insulated and very energy efficient in both winter and summer.

The owners are committed to maintaining a natural, healthy environment at the cabin for both their human visitors and their wildlife residents. The New River is a national treasure that the owners cherish and enjoy sharing with their guests.

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  
- Minimize the use of bleach and chlorinated chemicals 

Recycle
- Glass Bottles 
- Plastic Bottles 
- Aluminum cans 

Reduce solid waste
- Use bulk soap dispensers instead of individual soaps/shampoos in guest rooms 
- Use refillable shampoo bottles rather than single-use bottles 
- Compost food waste and other compostables 
- Do not use any disposable containers, dishware, cutlery, or cups 
- Reuse scrap paper for notes 
- Reuse or donate shipping and packing supplies (peanuts, bubble wrap, etc.) 
- Use electronic correspondence and forms when possible 
- Use latex, low or no-VOC paints 
- Re-use paint thinners 
- Perform preventative maintenance on all appliances, HVAC systems, plumbing, and vehicles 

Use water efficiently
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Have installed low flow faucets and showerheads (use less than 2.5 gallons per minute) 
- Have installed low flow toilets (use 1.6 gallons per flush or less) 
- Have minimized our lawn area 
- 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 
- 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 compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and canned lighting 

Bear's Lair Cabin on the New River    Bear's Lair Cabin on the New River

For more information on Bear's Lair Cabin on the New River, see www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p229429 or contact Lynne Webb at lppwebbb@gmail.com or 540-556-1903.

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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