Country: Canada

Organization: Chanterelle Country Inn and Cottages, Ltd.

Year the initiative began: 2000

Project Website: www.chanterelleinn.com

Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions:

• Main barrier addressed: Corporate monolithic approach to tourism
• Main insight addressed: Incorporate sustainable practices

What is the goal of your innovation?
The goal of the founding of the Chanterelle Inn was to demonstrate that a tourism property could be both sustainable and profitable.

How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
The 150 acre property is dedicated to being environmentally responsible at the same time being profitable. Its sustainable practices serve as an example to guests and to other tourism operators in the area. We include our guests in these practices as well.

Describe your approach in detial. How is it innovative?
The primary innovation was the design of the Inn building itself: maximize the flow of fresh air, thereby eliminating the need for air conditioning. The second was the installation of solar panels for space and water heat. Beyond these, the primary innovation is the extent to which the property incorporates sustainable practices: pre-cycling, re-cycling, composting, use of non-toxic cleansers, soaps and paints, low-power lighting, planting heritage trees, shrubs and flowers. We eliminate out-gassing by eliminating use of foam rubber: bare locally-produced wood flooring, 100% cotton linens, soy candles. We reduce the carbon footprint of our food by buying from local producers (and put "food miles" on the menu). We buy meats from farmers who humanely raise heritage breeds. We use no pesticides or herbicides and encourage guests to refrain from wearing fragrances of any kind.

What types of partnerships or professional developement would be most beneficial in spearding your innovation?
Partnerships who foster the combination of sustainability with profitability. Professional development workshops that work through the economics of sustainable practices at the individual business level.

In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Enhance awareness that one need only change living and consumption habits to reduce the impact on the environment and that a "green" business can be profitable.

Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
Quantifiable impacts are measured in terms of yearly revenues: For the past three years our revenues have increased 30 percent yearly. At the moment, our reservation rate indicates our revenues may be up almost 80 percent again for 2008. Qualitatively: The property has been awarded several coveted prizes: Small Business of the Year by the Resource Recovery Board of Nova Scotia( 2005), the Sustainable Tourism Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (06) and the Micro Business award from the Canadian Council of Ministers for the Environment (06). The owner/chef was selected as one of 25 chefs from Canada to attend Slow Food International's Terra Madre in Turin Italy in 2006. The Chanterelle was only one accommodation property in Nova Scotia to receive the 4 green-leaf rating by the Audubon Green-leaf Eco-Rating program. The emphasis on the use of local food provides an authentic culinary experience for visitors while reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation. Further, buying directly from local producers and farmers sustains local, environmentally responsible agriculture and counters the power of agri-business. The response from guests has been exceptionally rewarding as reflected in comments made in our guest book, on Trip Advisor and on comment cards submitted to the Province.

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
Guests appear to appreciate the care we give to providing a sustainable and authentic experience. As regards the food particularly, they often pose the question: " I couldn't have this meal anywhere else, could I?" to which the answer clearly is "Correct." For example, we can tell them that the green beans on their plates were in the field at 5:00 o'clock that afternoon or that their lobsters were at the wharf at 2 that very afternoon.The interesting aspect of using local food ingredients, the taste of which is fresh and uniquely delectable, is that wine sales are extraordinarily high. Our house wines are Nova Scotia wines, of course.

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
The community has slowly responded to our approach but because of the publicity we receive locally, the awareness is increasing as evidenced by the popularity of the Farmers' Market and purchases from our growers. We buy local meats, honey, vegetables, greens and seafood from local producers, fishermen and suppliers. This practice has particularly helped local gardeners expand their acreage. The practice is now being copied by other restaurants and accommodations. We are contacted regularly by other restaurant owners and I am glad to give them the names of my sources. Too, we are increasingly being contacted by properties interested in the value of using solar energy.

Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
Local residents, especially the current generation, have lost touch with their culinary heritage. Because we celebrate local sources, they too are beginning to purchase local, fresh ingredients from local farmers and growers. Since the local growers and bee-keepers are also organic producers, it gives us the opportunity to discuss chemicals and the threat to the Harbour. The property actively supports organizations that seek to preserve the environmental ad natural heritage of the area, such as the Stewards of St. Ann's Harbour." Our guests , while very environmentally aware to begin with, appreciate our approach and increase their knowledge by participating in our practices.

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Barring a world-wide recession/depression, the indicators are that the Chanterelle property will continue to be financially and organizationally sustainable. In Nova Scotia, unfortunately, the greatest threat to financial sustainability is allowing accommodation properties to exist illegally. These pay no commercial taxes, do not have health and fire inspections nor carry liability insurance. AS to the province's environmental practices, several organizations are making strides to preserve the coastline, enhance local and organic agriculture and clean up polluted sites, but these do not communicate with each other or work together.

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
The Chanterelle is primarily owner-financed with development assistance provided by the Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation, a federal-provincial development partnership. Our annual revenues for 2007 were $155,000 (seasonal). We have 5 full-time staff on a seasonal basis from May 1-October 31and we employ 1 college student and 1 high school student on a part time basis.

What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
I would like to host more culinary events. While we do have one-day farm to table events in which we visit local growers, choose fresh products, design the menu then prepare the ingredients for dinner, I would like to increase these to two and three day events. We currently have a Fall Fungi Foray and Feast event which is quite popular, which serves as a model. I would also like to define a part of the wilderness preserve area as a cemetery for environmentally responsible burial for eco-pods. My plan is to work with a nearby church. At present, eco-pods are not allowed in local cemeteries.

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
Being environmentally responsible is still seen as being expensive and elitist. I do have increasing concerns that some claims to being "green" are not genuine.

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
My parents were dry-land organic farmers before the term was introduced. I grew up eating humanely raised beef and chickens and fresh vegetables from my mother's garden. When I had my own home, I lived in the country across the road from farmers who had a dairy farm and raised beef cattle, sheep and hogs. I bought directly from them and had my own garden. My daughters were extraordinarily healthy. According to my mother, I was always a "saver". The birth of my children and grandchildren accelerated my dedication. As I said to the audience at the CCME awards ceremony, if my grandchildren asked what I had done to leave the world a better place for them, I wanted to be in the position to tell them I had given it my best shot! Founding the Inn appeared the best opportunity to live and share my values.

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
Earlene Busch, born in Oklahoma on October 26, 1941, moved to Colorado and grew up on a dryland wheat and cattle ranch. Married an officer in the United States Air Force, who was subsequently killed in Viet Nam. Two daughters. Educated at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Ph.D. in Communications and an MBA in Organizational Behavior. Founder and CEO of Circa Logic, an Information technology firm until 1999. After I sold the company, I moved to Canada in 2000 and opened the Chanterelle Country Inn and Cottages.

Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on teh competition homepage.
The Chanterelle Country Inn and Cottages overlooks the estuary of the pristine St. Ann's Harbour and the North River in Cape Breton Nova Scotia, Canada. It spans the famous Cabot Trail. The 150 acre property is dedicated to being environmentally responsible at the same time being profitable. The founding goal of the Inn was to blend with the pristine environment. The 150 acre property features 100 acres of wildlife preserve, an inn with 9 rooms and three 1-bedroom cottages. The Inn's original design was to allow the greatest amount of normal air flow, eliminating the need for air conditioning. It uses solar energy for space and water heating. It has become known for its environmental practices. Its restaurant serves local and organically grown food.

Contact Information
Mrs. Earlene Busch
Owner/manager
Chanterelle Country Inn and Cottages, Ltd.
48678 Cabot Trail, Baddec, Nova Scotia Canada
ebusch@chanterelleinn.com