The Essex Inn is committed to environmental excellence and works to minimize environmental impacts whenever possible.

Virginia Green Lodging is the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) initiative to promote pollution prevention (P2) practices in the tourism and hospitality industry. Green Lodging encourages hotels, resorts, and other hospitality operations to be aware of their impact on the environment and to take steps to reduce these impacts. Green Lodging is a non-regulatory program, and participation is completely voluntary and free of charge.
Green Lodging Activities. When visiting The Essex Inn, you can expect the following practices:
  • Provides optional linen service in rooms
  • Offers recycling opportunities to guests
  • Practices water & energy conservation
  • Offers a green events/conference package
  • Preventative maintenance of drips and leaks
  • Re-circulating or ozone laundry
  • High efficiency HVAC using natural gas and individual thermostats
  • Lighting sensors
  • High efficiency compact fluorescents light bulbs
  • EnergyStar computers, appliances, etc.
  • Recycling of cans, bottles, paper, cardboard, newspapers, magazines and scrap metal.
  • Integrated Pest Management
  • Replacement of grass lawns with beds and newspaper for weed barrier
  • Use of organic fertilizers and efficiently timed applications
  • Abundance of indoor plants
  • Discourage use of disposable glass, dishware, etc.
  • Can, bottle, newspaper recycling
  • Optional free papers (not delivered automatically to room)
  • Effective food inventory management
  • Composting of food wastes
  • Grease recycling
  • Donation of excess food
  • Water efficient washers – those that reuse or filter wash waters.
  • Energy efficient dryers
  • Environmentally-friendly detergents with minimal use of bleach
  • Linen segregation (gentle cycle for lightly soiled linens)
  • Purchase of recycled content paper
  • Purchase of durable/well-made products w/long life
  • Purchase of energy-efficient equipment
  • Policies for 2-sided copying and printing
  • Preventative maintenance on all vehicles and equipment
  • Eliminating use of aerosols
  • Recycling of vehicle fluids
  • Use of latex paints
  • Reuse/donation of unused materials
  • Effective systems of storage, labeling and handling
  • Reused building materials, vintage flooring, beams and fixtures
  • Purchase antique and used furnishings whenever possible
  • Shred and compost all office paper
  • Reuse all shipping materials
  • Use Styrofoam peanuts in planters
  • Reuse plastic grocery bags or recycle
  • Clean with washable rags
In honor of this program we are launching our “It's Easy Being Green Program”. For more information on how you can do your part while visiting the Essex Inn, click here.
Virginia Green Lodging program is a supporting partner of the Virginia Green, the Virginia Hospitality & Tourism Association’s network of organizations who promote environmentally-friendly practices in the tourism industry.