Blachford Lake Lodge - Environmental initiatives

Blachford Lake Lodge is recognized as an environmentally friendly lodge in northern Canada. Blachford has worked to conserve the area's land, water and natural resources since 1981. The resort takes advantage of natural rock outcrops and uses site sensitive techniques to preserve and protect the fragile northern ecosystem.

These initiatives include:

Site Design

We minimized the number of trees to be cut when designing the main Lodge and constructed it from locally harvested spruce logs.

Leftover wood from the log harvest as well as dead trees are used in our lodge and cabin fireplaces, for heat. Brush from the hiking trails and lodge area is chipped and spread on our walking trails.

The lodge building is oriented due south so our roof overhang and over half of our windows face south. This provides shade in the summer and heat through the windows in the winter.

Water and Cleaning Products

• We purify all drinking water.
• Our Clivus Multrum composting toilet system handles toilet waste without any water.
• Grey water is processed through two settling tanks and a leaching pit well away from the lake.
• We use 100% recycled paper, and products whitened without bleach. This includes table napkins, paper towels, facial tissue and bathroom tissue.
• We use unbleached coffee filters.
• We use laundry fabric softener created without phosphates, perfumes, dyes or enzymes.
• We use oxygenated bleach, formulated without chlorine.
• Our pre-washing dish detergent is biodegradable and phosphate free.
• We use vinegar as a biodegradable cleaning product for windows and mirrors.
• We use 80% recycled plastic garbage bags.

Energy

• We use high-efficiency appliances.
• Light bulbs are fluorescent, low wattage.
• We turn off lights and other electrical equipment when not in use.
• A hybrid power system, combining a large battery bank and efficient diesel generator, together with solar panels and a wind generator provides electricity.
• In summer we hang our sheets and clothes outside to dry and encourage our guests to hang their towels outside to dry.
• We use cold water wash for laundry. By not heating the water we cut down our carbon emissions.

Operation

• The main lodge is a non-smoking facility.
• Motorboats are fitted with efficient, clean running and low emission 4-stroke motors.
• All non-composting garbage is sent to Yellowknife for the city's dump.
• Bottles, juice boxes, cans and cardboard are also shipped and recycled in Yellowknife.
• We compost leftover fruits, vegetables, eggshells, and coffee grounds. This material creates great fertilizer for our greenhouse and garden.
• Compost from our composting toilet system is used for natural flower and shrub gardens.
• We recycle paper, and newspaper is reused as fire starter for lodge woodstoves.
• Dispensers with re-useable components for shampoo, conditioner and body wash are located in each shower.
• Hand soap and pre-wash dish detergent containers are refilled.
• Blachford t-shirts are made from 100% organic fair-trade cotton.
• We offer fair trade organic coffee. We support organic farming practices that use no synthetic fertilizers or pesticides in the production of coffee.

Environmental Management

• Blachford Lake Lodge is committed to maintaining a healthy stock of fish, and to achieve this we have initiated a fish management program which involves the use of barbless hooks and fish gloves, and catch and release (with the exception of keeping a small fish for shore lunch).
• We try to use phosphate free products, to prevent growth of algae in our waterways.
• We maintain a greenhouse that produces fresh vegetables for our guests.
• We provide recycling bins in all cabins and Lodge rooms to encourage our guests to recycle.
• We encourage our guests to conserve energy and water by turning off the tap when washing, brushing their teeth and shaving. We encourage short showers.