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| Green Policy |
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As a small part of our earth, at the Deutsche Strasse Bed and Breakfast, we strive to provide quality accommodations and cuisine while respecting the natural
and human environment. What we do is just a small contribution towards the quality of life for our future generations.
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1. We believe in maintaining the integrity of our 1884 home. The house was renovated by its second owner in 1915, and it was at this time that the plumbing,
heating and electricity were initially installed. The new brick and the stucco were applied over the old, thereby creating a very strong structure. Our walls are 13 1/2 inches thick.
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The third owner of our home was St. Mary's Catholic Church and it was used as a home for the priests as well as their business office. They maintained the house, but did not
make changes structurally. Some of the plumbing and electrical service was updated. As the fourth owner of the home, we appreciate the history and integrity of the house and
have not changed it structurally.
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| The majority of the windows are the originals and exhibit the waviness that is a characteristic of the old glass. Gary, over the years, carefully removed the leaded paint, repainted and re-glazed those windows and the storm windows. Most still have the original rope sashes which still function to this day. Just recently, some have had to be reworked. |
| Most of the light fixtures are those that were in the house either at the time it was built or at the time of the renovation. |
| The house has most of the bath fixtures from the 1915 renovation. The Flower Room and Ivy Rooms have the original pedestal sinks and toilet stools. |
| The hot tub in the Black Forest Suite is from a former bed and breakfast in Hastings that is being converted to condominiums. |
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2. In our purchases we are careful to purchase in ways that use less packaging. Most of our food is cooked from scratch and the basics are purchased in quantities, thereby less packaging is required.
When shopping for groceries, we use either the re-usable, re-cycled boxes for transport or use the “green bags” when purchasing smaller quantities. If we find it necessary to make use of plastic
bags for grocery transport, we save them and re-use them for trash containers as well as other uses. Trips for errands are consolidated to conserve gas. If an errand is within walking or biking
distance and the load is small, we make use of our human energy by either walking or bicycling.
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3. Our sheets and towels are laundered using soap that is earth-friendly and full loads are our guideline. When weather permits, our sheets are hung on a clothesline outside. Not only do we save the
energy of using the dryer, but our guests are treated with the fresh fragrance of the outdoors when retiring for a good night's sleep.
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4. We recycle aluminum, paper, glass, plastic, and cardboard.
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5. We offer filtered drinking water in the guest rooms in glass carafes that may be refilled. The water in New Ulm is safe to drink, but the added purification is reassuring and more tasteful.
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6. We buy local and have a Farmer’s Market in town every Thursday and Saturday, during the spring, summer and fall. We have a great food co-op in St. Peter that we frequent. Our coffee is
Fair Trade and roasted in Pepin, Wisconsin. Our apples and berries are also of course local and when we can we pick them ourselves.
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We respect suggestions in this regard and are open to learning more.
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