Sylvan Inn on cutting edge of reducing ecological footprint

By Ian Vertel
Sun contributor
Several businesses in Glen Arbor are making efforts to reduce their impact on the environment, thereby contributing to the evolution of commerce that is concerned with effect on the planet as well as profit and customer service. For instance, Great Lakes Tea and Spice Company does not use air conditioning; Art’s Tavern emphasizes recycling and uses environmentally-friendly products, and the Leelanau Coffee Roasting Company has replaced much of its technological equipment and machinery with more energy-efficient alternatives as well as changed incandescent lighting to fluorescent bulbs. But the Sylvan Inn, owned and operated by Rose and Ralph Gladfelter, has made the most progress in synthesizing profit and green innovation.

Purchased in June of 2000, Rose and Ralph dreamed a vision for the Inn to exist in harmony with the planet. Coming from a small community in Colorado, they “learned most of their principles of recycling in that community,” which came out of necessity — not wasting something that could be used again and conserving energy. Furthermore, the 1970s sowed the seeds of environmental priority in their minds, as this was a time of “heightened awareness,” explains Rose.
Originally, the Sylvan Inn had no dishwasher, no washer and dryer, and also presented other challenges, due to its age of over 120 years. But this “gave us the opportunity [to make changes]” says Rose. Implementing unity between an Energy Star and Energy Efficient dishwasher and washer-dryer, they began to shape the Inn to match their ideals. They soon realized that they “were using less water than hand washing,” explains Rose. They attached a mesh filter for the water to run from the washers into another sink with an automatic pump, which allows clean water to flow into the drain field without any solid wastes and without the use of excessive energy.
“A lot of things we did at first came naturally,” says Rose, such as “using products with post-consumer waste.” A new roof was also installed on the Inn to “make it tighter” which prevents the loss of cool or warm air, reducing the need for heating or air conditioning. Following this mentality of conserving energy, the Inn offers a community refrigerator “instead of individual refrigerators,” SHE explains, “[because] given the opportunity, people will respond.” There are also programmable thermostats in the rooms to reduce the use of unnecessary energy for heating or cooling, and the lights are on timers to prevent the waste of electricity.
In the beginning, “we didn’t have a whole lot of money,” remembers Rose, so they made improvements “when we could afford to do it right.” These small improvements took form in a variety of ways, such as when fluorescent light bulbs replaced many of the electricity-devouring incandescent bulbs. While Rose calls the process of change a collection of “baby steps,” the principles of recycling and waste reduction have always existed at the Inn, as well as purchasing products locally.
“We try and buy Michigan whenever we can,” says Rose. A lady in Walled Lake makes a cleaning product for the Inn called “Germs Be Gone” that utilizes the antibacterial and antiseptic properties of lavender oil. And to reduce the amount of packaging and plastic, she refills the containers after Ralph and Rose use them. “I would clean everything with white vinegar if I could,” laughs Rose, “but then it would smell like a giant salad bowl!” Ralph and Rose also use micro fiber cleaning cloths, which feature a “super tight weave,” which “[we] can use without cleaning products.” This alternative replaces paper towels, and they have had the “same rags for eight seasons, and are as strong as ever.” The same micro fiber technology is also used for their mops, which use white vinegar instead of callous floor cleaners.
Even the gardens AT the Sylvan Inn represent its green focus. “[We] have irrigation on timers” that water twice a week, says Rose. The flower beds are watered with a soaker hose when needed, insuring that water is not wasted or used in excess. No pesticides or chemicals are used on the lawn or gardens, native plants are used for beautification, and compost replaces harsh fertilizer. Upon discovering peat pots, Rose and Ralph continuously re-use them, which eliminates the need to dispose of plastic pots that cannot be recycled. The hanging plant baskets on the porch are also watered by a drip line, which feeds the necessary amount of water when necessary, rather than constant, superfluous watering.
Along with their ideals and dreams of an eco-friendly establishment, Ralph and Rose are “going for Green Lodging Michigan Certification,” says Rose. There are three levels of certification, and “it takes a year to get certified; the state did a great job with this.” In the process of this certification, “(the state wants) to see you reduce output by five percent on most items,” she explains. An employee of the Sylvan Inn, Hannah Clark, is acting as the liaison with the state to facilitate the application process and the mandated energy audits. Unfortunately, “not many places are in the application process,” says Rose. Nevertheless, both Rose and Ralph are filled with excitement just being on the brink of certification. “We’ve made substantial progress,” says Rose. And even the smallest details greatly contribute to this progress. Nothing is thrown away at the Inn, and disposable amenities, such as bars of soap or travel-size shampoo bottles, are replaced by refillable dispensers of soap, lotion and shower gel in the bathrooms.
As progressive changes continue, Rose explains that “half the battle is just doing the research. If I find something I like, I use it first.” Then, if the product passes the test in efficiency and fulfills the Inn’s mission, it is offered to guests. As Ralph and Rose pursue Green Lodging Certification, they continue to create an atmosphere of community and environmental balance, discovering ways to further reduce the Inn’s ecological footprint.
Read about the history of the Sylvan Inn in our online archives at http://glenarborsun.com/archives/2003/06/history_of_the.html