BY ERIKA AYN FINCH In April 1970, Earth Day was celebrated for the first time. Society’s environmental awareness has come a long way in the last 39 years, and Sedona won’t be left behind. Red Rock Country is goin’ green, and Sedona Monthly commemorates Earth Day 2009 (April 22) with our first-ever green issue. As we were researching topics for this month’s cover story, the many green aspects of our community pleasantly surprised us. Narrowing down our areas of interest was no easy task and, if time and ink had allowed, you’d also be reading about incredible organizations such as Gardens for Humanity and Sedona Recycles. You’d learn more about the Verde Valley wineries using organic farming practices, the Sedona restaurants that favor locally grown ingredients, all five of the hotels that belong to the “Green” Hotels Association, and the numerous businesses that recycle and strive to be gentle with the earth. While we’ve always loved Sedona for its stunning beauty, the research for this article made us swell with pride. For a town in a relatively remote location with fewer than 12,000 residents, many of our neighbors and business owners are still trying to do their best when it comes to protecting the environment, even in these difficult economic times and even if some of their methods are a bit controversial (hey, we know not everyone is a fan of the biodiesel powering the Sedona RoadRunner and Sedona Offroad Adventures, but please give them a hand for making an effort). There are obviously many shades of green, but, in a town based on tourism and outdoor recreation, we’ve come to believe even pale green can make a difference. ADVENTURE “We have a charging station here, and there’s also one at the Bell Rock Inn and the Institute of EcoTourism, but you can really charge these anywhere,” says Dan Towsley, store manager. “We’ve had a lot of people stop in because they’re curious about what we do. People are interested in this stuff, and hopefully they’ll rent something and realize they can’t live without it.” Eco-Rides’ products range from the eGO Scooter, that will zip around Uptown at 24 miles per hour with a range of 25 miles, to the Zenn Electric Car with a range of 40 miles and a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour, to the Vectrix Maxi-Scooter with a top speed of 62 miles per hour and a range of 55 miles. All the vehicles are whisper quiet. The shop also sells eco-friendly water bottles and travel mugs while the coffee bar in the back serves up organic brew. Eco-Rides has spoken to local tour companies about converting their vehicles from gas to electric, a move that would surely put Sedona on the green map. The shop also looks forward to the end of the road construction on SR 179, right outside its front door. With the addition of bike lanes on the highway, Eco-Rides expects to rent and sell plenty of road bikes. When the road construction is complete, Sedona will have an 18-mile bike loop that’s marked for safety and about as scenic as you can get. While Eco-Rides does count an electric Jeep Wrangler – with all the standard off-road capabilities you’d expect in a Jeep – in its fleet, the company isn’t renting jeeps just yet. If your idea of adventure includes something a bit more extreme, Sedona Offroad Adventures offers tours in H1 Hummers powered by biodiesel. Owner Marc Balocco owns a 2,000-gallon fuel tank, which he stores at his maintenance yard in West Sedona. The fuel is processed from soy and corn oil. According to the National Biodiesel Board, the exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide from biodiesel are 48 percent lower than those from diesel while particulate matter emissions are about 47 percent lower. In addition to using biodiesel, Marc has been a member of Tread Lightly, a national nonprofit organization that educates outdoor enthusiasts on environmental ethics in order to protect recreation access, since 1996. “You can enjoy the forest without destruction and pollution,” says Marc, a former off-road racer and chef from the south of France. “Saving the environment is important, and this is something nice to offer to tourists. You are seeing the red rocks in an American icon, a vehicle that’s completely made in the [United States] and fueled by the sweat of American farmers.” Marc’s fleet – 13 H1 biodiesel Hummers, one H2 gas Hummer and a handful of Jeep Wranglers – hasn’t always been powered by biofuel. He opened the company in 1998 and converted the Hummers about four years ago. But Marc believes Hummers are naturally more environmentally friendly on dirt trails than other trucks, something that might be a bit hard to believe when you’re standing next to one of the 5,600-pound beasts. Among his arguments: His Hummers have the capacity to seat 12 passengers, which translates into fewer trips into the forest; the Hummers’ tires have a larger footprint, especially when the tire pressure is lowered for off-road travel, which means they create fewer ruts on the trails and give the vehicle better traction (less spinning). But what about those who argue a Hummer’s width creates wider trails and destroys vegetation? Maybe you spend all week commuting to work, and your idea of adventure doesn’t involve anything with an engine – electric or otherwise. For two years, Sedona Adventure Outfitters & Guides has offered land and water eco-tours, as well as agricultural tours of the Verde Valley wineries. Owner Richard Lynch says he’s passionate about educating locals and tourists about the Verde River, one of the top 10 endangered rivers in the country, according to the national organization American Rivers. Interestingly enough, it’s not the Southwest’s never-ending drought or even pollution that’s hurting the Verde: it’s the growing northern Arizona population, pumping groundwater that feeds the river. “If you don’t realize what’s in your own backyard, how are you going to protect it?” says Richard. “If we lose the Verde, we’re going to lose lots of critters like the eagles that nest in the cliffs above the river, and the river otters. The Verde Valley might not be the Galapagos, but right here we have an endangered environment.” Eco-Rides at Hillside Sedona - 928-204-0628 HOTELS “We started remodeling and renovating immediately, and it was our concern for the environment driving us,” says Craig, who commutes between Ketchum, Idaho, and Sedona. The Phelans ditched the inn’s paper plates and plastic utensils in favor of southwestern earthenware and metal silverware. The energy-efficient dishwasher washes dishes in 90 seconds while the $5,000 Hydrochanger water conditioner reduces water usage by 25 percent while automatically softening and purifying the water. Native plants grow on the hotel’s grounds, all light bulbs were replaced with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and a newspaper recycling box sits in the dining area while a brightly painted can-and- bottle-recycling receptacle resides between buildings. All of the 28 rooms are decorated with real bamboo and include low-flow toilets, organic bathrobes and towels, hypoallergenic bedding and energy-efficient flat-screen TVs and air conditioning units (Craig says each unit saves him $200 each year compared to the previous models). The rooms were painted with low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint and the carpets are regularly shampooed using a hypoallergenic shampoo. Of course, each room is also non-smoking. The big question: What does this mean for Craig and Cindy’s bottom line? The Southwest Inn isn’t the only Sedona property embracing greenness. L’Auberge de Sedona is undergoing a $25 million renovation, which will be complete this fall and proves that being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean sacrificing luxury. In addition to expanding the number of rooms from 56 to 89, renovating all the cottages and lodge rooms, enlarging the spa and adding an exercise/yoga room, the remodeled inn will include an underground parking garage. When guests arrive, their cars will be valet parked for the duration of their stay. When a guest wants to travel around the property or head up the hill for some shopping in Uptown or at Tlaquepaque, they will be shuttled by one of six electric-battery-powered GEM cars. GEM, short for Global Electric Motorcars, a Chrysler Company, manufactures its cars in North Dakota. L’Auberge also plans to install solar panels on top of the underground garage, says Managing Director Joe Mottershead. He hopes the panels will generate 30 percent of the hotel’s electricity. “The question isn’t why but rather why not do this,” says Joe. “It’s so appropriate for a property in Sedona to have a solar energy component.” With L’Auberge’s Oak Creek setting, it’s no wonder the inn wants to do all it can to protect the environment. The property already includes low-flow toilets and showerheads as well as an herb garden and fruit trees used by the restaurant. The renovated cottages will feature larger decks for taking in the scenery and outdoor showers, a trend in high-end travel. “We want to keep the feel of L’Auberge so it still feels like a rustic getaway,” says Joe. “Even when we’re full, you’ll still be able to walk around and see only the ducks. Our job has always been about protecting and preserving the creek.” While L’Auberge undergoes a green renovation, El Portal Sedona was built to be energy efficient from the start. Though it might look like a 1920s hacienda, the 12-room inn was built in 2003 on one acre of land deeded to Sedona pioneer Frank Owenby in 1901. The entire inn is furnished with arts and crafts furniture from owners Steve and Connie Segner’s personal collection – no imports at this hotel. El Portal’s 18-inch-thick walls were constructed from adobe bricks and reclaimed lumber, keeping the rooms cool in the summer and warm in the winter. An extended roof provides shade while the floors are wood and concrete sans carpet. “Sedona Mago Retreat Center has a philosophy: love of the earth and love of humanity,” says Larry Rosenberg, retreat spokesman. “You can’t love one without the other. Ten years ago, when we started to modernize, we decided [being green] was a natural way to show our respect for the earth. We call it ‘eco-harmony’ – harmony between us and the earth.” Southwest Inn at Sedona - 800-483-7422 SEDONA ROADRUNNER “It’s the direction a lot of transit systems choose to go,” says Jim. “We also operate the Mountain Line in Flagstaff, and it runs off biodiesel. People are surprised and want to know where we get our fuel. It comes from United Fuel and Energy [also known as Reamax Oil Co.] in Camp Verde. We have a 1,000-gallon tank in West Sedona and they come fill it twice a month. The tank operates off solar panels and a solar battery.” NAIPTA and the City of Sedona now own four, 25-seat, trolleys, all with wheelchair and bicycle storage. Two are on the road at any given time. (Five real-time, electronic arrival signs along the route inform riders of the wait time between trolleys.) While the RoadRunner began as a way to shuttle shoppers between the major shopping and gallery districts along a 1.3-mile stretch of highway, thus freeing up precious parking spaces and reducing the number of cars on the road, a commuter service was later added. The RoadRunner Cottonwood Express, which caters to hotel workers, travels between Cottonwood and Sedona twice each morning and twice each evening with multiple stops along the way. Riding the circulator route is free, while the commuter trolley costs $2 one way or $40 for a monthly pass. The commuter trolley has become so popular that NAIPTA and the City have been discussing increasing the number of commuter trips from four to eight. Jim says the decrease in gas prices at the end of 2008 had no effect on ridership – it seems those who started riding the trolley to save money also prefer the ease of leaving their car behind. Jim doesn’t expect the completion of sidewalks running from Uptown and out SR 179 to affect ridership, either. “It’s still a bit of a walk from Uptown to Hillside, especially when it’s hot or raining,” he says. “You can sit in the RoadRunner and take in the beautiful views from the big windows. People love the service.” Sedona RoadRunner Commuter Route runs along SR 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona at 7:45 a.m. and 8:45 a.m., seven days a week, with return trips at 5:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; cost is $2 one way or $40 per month; wheelchair accessible; bike rack available.
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
SEEDONA | |
 |
||
|
 |
This Month's Cover Story |
|
||
|
Sedona Gone Hollywood | |
|
||
|
Sedona Activities | |
|
||
|
Sedona Snapshots | |
|
||
|
Dear Diary | |
|
||
|
SEDONA GUIDE | |
|
||
|
Lodging | |
|
||
|
|
Restaurants |
|
||
|
Art Galleries | |
|
||
|
Spas | |
|
||
|
Entertainment | |
|
||
|
HAPPENINGS | |
|
||
|
Calendar of Events | |
|
||
|
DIRECTORY | |
|
||
|
Maps and Directions | |
|
||
© 2006-2007 Bar225 Media Ltd. All rights reserved.
|