A look at Great Wolf Lodge’s ‘Project Green Wolf’
 by Marion Hixon
Over the past several years, attractions have been encouraged to “go green” in their business practices. The motivations behind this incentive—to be mindful and conserve energy— are noble, but often the practical implications can be difficult to grasp.
There’s no rule book for going green—no “10 Easy Steps to Becoming Energy Efficient.” So to clear the confusion, theme parks, waterparks, zoos, aquariums, museums, and family entertainment centers can look to fellow attractions—like Great Wolf Lodge—that are leading the way in business operations.
 In the past year, Great Wolf launched “Project Green Wolf” as a way to implement healthy living and energy-efficient practices throughout all its 12 locations. In April 2009, the brand became the first national hotel chain to be entirely Green Seal certified, reaching the Silver Level Certification at all locations. Green Seal (www.greenseal.org) is a nonprofit organization that provides science-based environmental certification standards.
“Oftentimes people think being green is more expensive, when really it saves our planet’s resources and cuts costs,” says Matt Lawrence, general manager at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, Michigan (www.greatwolf.com/traversecity). “Our electric, gas, and water costs have gone down as a result of implementing ‘Project Green Wolf.’”
 Taking steps to become a more environmentally friendly business required careful strategizing by the Great Wolf team. “Taking on ‘Project Green Wolf’ meant rewriting nearly every page of our operational procedures manuals, documenting the indoor and outdoor waterpark standards we had in place, and laying out procedures for our on property restaurants,” Lawrence says.
Before deciding to comply with Green Seal’s standards, Great Wolf had already begun conserving water inside the waterpark. “Our filtration system uses 80 to 90 percent less water than traditional filters,” he says. “We have special systems in place to mechanically control the humidity and temperatures in the waterpark so there is very little water loss from evaporation. Additionally, we recover most of our water, filter it, and return it to the waterpark.” Because of the advanced filters, the water at Great Wolf contains the lowest amount of chlorine possible, while staying within local and state guidelines.
Aside from the aforementioned financial savings, there has been a tangible effect on Great Wolf customers. “Many guests commented that they took our green practices home to make themselves more accountable when it comes to recycling and reusing,” Lawrence says. “Kids also hear about being green in school, and for them to see what we are doing helps reinforce that message.”
All in all, implementing “Project Green Wolf” wasn’t a simple task, but it was a practical one from which other attractions can learn.
Contact Departments Editor Marion Hixon at mhixon@IAAPA.org.
Getting to Green
Here are just a few environmentally minded and safety-conscious ideas from “Project Green Wolf”:
 Water Management
- Sweep sidewalks instead of washing them.
- Encourage guests to reuse linens during their stay. “This is a simple step that makes a huge impact,” says Great Wolf’s Matt Lawrence. “We included information in bathrooms to alert guests to only place towels and sheets on the floor if they want them laundered.”
- Use low-flow, water-conserving fixtures or retrofits on showerheads and faucets, and use waterless urinals in men’s bathrooms.
- Use nonphosphate, nontoxic, and biodegradable laundry detergents and cleaning products.
 Waste Minimization, Reuse, and Recycling
- Encourage double-sided printing and/or copying throughout resort.
- Purchase products such as concentrated cleaning materials in bulk.
- Package amenities like soaps and shampoos in recyclable containers, and donate unused portions to charity when possible.
- Make available comingled recycling bins in all public areas, guest rooms, and employee areas.
 Energy Efficiency, Conservation, and Management
- As windows need replacing, install energy-efficient panes in their place.
- Install programmable on/off timers and sensors for lighting and HVAC in low-traffic and low-occupancy areas.
- Use only energy-efficient light bulbs.
 Management of Hazardous Substances
- Clearly mark storage containers and employ spill-containment measures.
- Provide appropriate space, plumbing, and ventilation for chemical storage and mixing areas.
- Don’t use architectural paint with heavy metals or toxic organic substances.
 Environmentally and Socially Sensitive Purchasing Policy
- Use toilet tissue made from at least 20 percent recycled fibers; facial tissue from at least 10 percent recycled fibers; and napkins and paper towels from at least 40 percent recycled fibers.
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