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Virginia Department of Environmental Quality

Virginia Green
Hotels & Lodging Facilities

Virginia Green
Fig Street Inn
Cape Charles, 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.

Fig Street Inn

Fig Street Inn is a newly-renovated, boutique-style inn located in historic Cape Charles, VA, providing elegant and gracious accommodations with a mix of antique furnishings, contemporary design and modern amenities.

We operated a "green" inn in Rhode Island and are committed to continuing those practices at Fig Street Inn.

We use antique furnishing, donate items we can no longer use to local agencies - towels & blankets to SPCA (Onley), linens, fixtures, furnishings, lighting to Hospice (Exmore) or Food Bank (Accomac), aluminum cand to SPCA (they collect them as a fundraiser); individual guest amenities are biodegradeable in recyclable packagaing; bath robes and blankets are made of 100% SKAL certified organic cotton.

Virginia Green Activities

This facility pledges that they:
Offer optional linen service
- Have signage in each guest room explaining the linen reuse procedures 
- Change linens only upon request 
- Train housekeeping staff on our process for optional linen service  
- Purchase water- and energy-efficient washers and dryers 
- 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 
- Office paper
Other items recycled by the facility: 
- Printer/ copy machine toner cartridges 
- Cardboard 
- Fluorescent lamps 
- Batteries 
- Electronics equipment such as computers, etc. 
- Other Activities: Plastic bags, metal, Broken holiday lights (Walmart progarm)

Reduce solid waste
- Instruct housekeeping staff to save and reuse unopened items 
- Recycle fryer grease 
- Compost food waste and other compostables 
- Use disposable foodservice items that are made from recycled content 
- Use disposable foodservice items that are recyclable (in your area!) 
- 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 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 
- Minimize use of pesticides and herbicides in landscaping 

Use water efficiently
- Perform preventative maintenance to stop drips and leaks 
- Have installed high efficiency dishwashers 
- 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) 
- Use microfiber technology mops 
- Have landscaping that utilizes native species 
- Have installed pervious pavement to reduce storm water runoff 
- Have minimized impervious areas (paving, concrete, etc.) 
- Use a nutrient management plan that minimizes the use of fertilizers 
- Other Activities: Use of gray water for watering; run only full loads of laundry and dishwasher

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 compact fluorescent light bulbs in all rooms and canned lighting 
- Have installed LED Exit Signs 
- 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 

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

Fig Street Inn    Fig Street Inn

For more information on Fig Street Inn, see www.FigStreetInn.com or contact Donna Kohler at info@figstreetinn.com or 757-331-3133.

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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