Green Initiative Program

Our Commitment to Sustainability

Here at Madden’s, we have a set of core values that help guide everything we do across the resort. One of these core values is Sustainability. Through our Green Initiative Program we commit to new “green” projects each year to ensure the resort and property are using sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices across all departments. This season, we are focusing on enhancing the existing efforts the property has in place to minimize our impact on the environment. This will include composting plant material from our banquet kitchens, improving accessibility to recycling containers, and minimizing on-property paper usage by providing digital communication methods.

Conservation by Department

Housekeeping

Madden’s Housekeeping team encourages guests to help us in our efforts to improve our sustainability. Sustainable housekeeping efforts include:

• Biodegradable in-room coffee service

• Refillable shampoo/soap dispensers in showers

• “No Service” door tags to opt out of housekeeping services and informational signage for sheet and towel changing program

• ‘Non-smoking’ in all rooms

• Donating all unused guest room amenities to local charities

• Washing all linens in ozone washing machine

• Using Green Seal Certified cleaning products to eliminate bleach

Property Management

Our Property Management Department is consistently updating our resort to ensure we remain as energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly as possible. Some eco-friendly efforts include:

• Installation of energy-efficient faucet aerators and LED bulbs in guest rooms

• Installation of 3 on-property Electric Vehicle car chargers

• Use of some hybrid vehicles on property

• Purchasing of energy efficient air conditioning units (including PTACS) and furnaces and improving insulation

The Spa

Our team over at The Spa at Madden’s implements sustainable efforts by:

• Recycling all product containers

• Using only eco-friendly cleaning products

• Pre-portioning all non-reusable products to avoid excess waste

Golf & Grounds

Our Golf & Grounds Department helps keep nature at its best through these methods:

• Using the Greenway Program, a low input of nutrients and pesticides on a frequent basis designed to provide the plant with just what it needs at the time. This program can eliminate some pesticide applications throughout the season by promoting consistent plant health, allowing plants to fight disease pressure with their internal defense mechanisms.

• Placing recycling containers at cart wash, golf shop desks, and offices, and having recycling containers separate from trash on all golf courses

• Printing scorecards on recycled paper

Food & Beverage

Madden’s Food & Beverage Department also promotes sustainable efforts by:

• Utilizing reusable dinnerware and drinkware

• Using compostable paper straws when needed, and eliminating the use of Styrofoam products

• Incorporating sustainable food and wine options into our kitchens and menus, including local, sustainably-produced food and wine from vintners, featuring local Wild Acres chicken & turkey products

• Composting food waste in Madden Inn and Wilson Bay kitchens

• Growing herbs such as mint, basil, thyme, and rosemary in an on-property chef’s garden, used to supply many of the fresh ingredients used in Madden’s restaurants

• Recycling fryer oil to become biodiesel fuel through Green Range Renewable Energy, Ironton, MN

Sales, Reservations, Accounting & HR

Our entire team in sales, planning, accounting, marketing, HR, and more also join in the Green Initiative Program by:

• Recycling and shredding (our Accounting Department shreds and recycles over ONE TON of paper documents each year)

• Using a 100% paperless HR process

• Remembering, “When not in use…Cut the juice!”

• Providing group guests with digital agendas when possible to reduce paper usage

Memberships, Partnerships, Awards

Minnesota Power
Minnesota WasteWise
Excel Energy
Nisswa Sanitation
Winner of the Explore MN Office of Tourism’s Sustainable Tourism Award (2009)
Winner of the Golf Digest ‘Green Star’ Award (2010)

Since its implementation in 2008, the Green Initiative Program has impacted our resort through these main initiatives:

Property Preservation

Madden’s peninsula location is one of the resort’s defining features. Of Madden’s 1000 acre property, 600+ acres remain undeveloped and are allowed to ‘grow wild.’ To protect our shorelines, shoreline restoration methods are practiced wherever possible.

Recycling

By placing recycling containers and signage across all areas of the resort, Madden’s encourages employees and guests to contribute to our Green Initiative efforts. Madden’s retains a full-time employee and vehicle specifically designated for daily pick-up and transference of recyclables such as cardboard boxes, paper, plastics, steel, aluminum, and glass.

Energy Conservation

Madden’s has implemented an Ozone Laundry System to reduce our property’s overall carbon footprint. Through this new system, we have greatly reduced our natural gas consumption. Drying time is reduced because linens and towels washed with ozone do not hold as much water which saves even more natural gas or electricity. Ozone improves sewage water quality by 30 to 50 percent. The laundry facility also requires less energy to cool because less hot water and heat is present, thereby improving working conditions for employees. Ozone kills harmful bacteria thousands of times faster than chlorine.

Throughout property, new appliances and equipment carry the “Energy Star” seal whenever possible. The property-wide motto “when not in use, cut the juice” encourages our entire staff to turn off lights when not in use to contribute to our energy-saving initiative.