Celebrate National Drinking Water Week May 4-10th
May 4, 2014 by Caryn Heilman
If you visit Topia Inn during National Drinking Water Week, here are some of the ways you can experience water at Topia Inn, secure in the knowledge that your relationship will be sustainable.
Purest in the Berkshires to Begin With
The water in Adams is generally so pure that it does not need to be treated. On the few occasions that something is detected, the chlorine added is lower than most municipalities according to the Adams Water Department. I can attest to better flavor in Adams than water I have tasted in other Berkshire locations. Baths and showers at the Inn are delightfully pure as a result so you can breathe better and your skin doesn’t have to take a beating to get clean.
Topia Inn Keeps it Pure
Water that leaves Topia Inn hasn’t picked up anything toxic. Laundry detergent, dish liquid and other products that we use for cleaning as well as all the bath and bodycare products you would be provided with as our guest are nontoxic. Unlike most other lodging establishments we don’t spray pesticide anywhere on the property, so that toxic load is eliminated. Additionally our building itself will not add any pollutants to the groundwater since the building materials are also nontoxic. Even our grassy recycled plastic driveway grid eliminated the usual ground source pollution of a typical asphalt driveway.
25% Saved
Our dual flush toilets and low flow faucets and showerheads reduce water usage around 25%. Our tubs are luxuriously deep but a modest 35 gallons to fill. Equipped with a sensor, our washing machine fills just enough for the actual load.
Sustainable Inside and Out
In association with the Hoosac River Watershed Association we installed a Rain Garden that feeds the deep aquifer that supplies our water. We made a commitment to native species for all but a few annuals because the native plants require less watering. When we do have to water, we can almost always get it from our rain barrel. Our grassy grid driveway helps with storm water drainage as well.
Clean Green Tips for Spring
May 1, 2014 by Caryn Heilman
Just Use Water and Light
It’s time to say goodbye to winter and everything that may have accumulated these past cold months with a good spring cleaning. One of the least toxic ways to cleanse and refresh your indoor spaces is to use water and light. If you have the budget, opt for a steam vapor cleaner like the one from Daimer that we use at the inn (by the way, we get nothing from promoting their products). It sanitizes as well as, or better than, toxic chemicals, removing 99.97% of all pathogens. The steam wand is fun to use and delivers a one-two punch of 265º F. at 60 psi pressure to deal a death blow to anything harmful that may be lurking in the bottom of the bowl or in the bowels of the drain. On less water-tolerant surfaces like a bed, opt for a UVC wand like the one we got from Verilux that will eliminate pathogens with light. After killing any nasties, use a polishing cloth like the ones we use from Eco-Cloth that are specially woven with micro-technology to minimize the need for soaps and cleansers whose fumes may leave your lungs worse off than before you started. Just dampen and wipe! As you move to the laundry room, beware of commercial detergents and fabric softeners since they can deposit hazardous chemicals straight onto your skin for all those hours you are not bathing or swimming in the clean waters of North Pond (another reason to spend more time at Topia Inn). Opt for Seventh Generation Free & Clear for washing, and wool dryer balls for softening. Reserve your package deal now You can experience all these benefits of green cleaning this spring during your stay at Topia Inn. After sleeping on an organic bed vacuumed with UVC and covered in steam-washed organic sheets, you can bathe in a steam-vapor cleaned chroma therapy spa tub or aromatherapy steam rain shower. While you’re here, you can enjoy a consult (and ongoing email support) with Renee Tassone who will advise you on which local and organic foods will work best to refresh your system from the inside out for a more radiant and refreshed season of health and vitality. Contact us now to take advantage of all the benefits Topia Inn offers, while saving a bundle. We look forward to springing into a green summer with you.
Our green tip of the day
April 25, 2014 by Nana Simopoulos If you want to go nontoxic consider silk blankets as opposed to polyester. Silk is a naturally nontoxic material because it is not necessary to spray any pesticides on the silk.