The Jordan Pond House Restaurant

Serving Visitors to Acadia National Park & Mount Desert Island Since 1870

Environmental Initiatives

Environmental Responsibility ~

  · We work in one of America's most magnificent natural landscapes. We are committed to maintaining the highest quality visitor experience while fully protecting the natural and cultural resources under our care.
  · We use an ISO 14001 based environmental management system to carry out our commitment to resource management and environmental protection.
  · We implement our program in practical everyday operations: green purchasing, composting, recycling, waste reduction, energy and water conservation, local purchasing and employee and visitor education.

Composting ~

We compost approximately 30,000 pounds of lemon hulls, coffee grounds, egg shells, tea bags, vegetable trimmings and garden waste each season, transforming it into 30 cubic yards of rich compost used on the gardens and lawns at the Jordan Pond House.
 
 

Cleaning Products ~

We use environmentally preferable cleaning products, avoiding detergents that use complex phosphates and harmful volatile organic compounds. We careful manage the use of water to conserve resources and continually seek out products and methods that limit harmful impacts. Our enthusiastic staff is committed to making our program a success.

Recycling ~

We recycle over 50,000 pounds of cardboard, 8,000 pounds of paper, 2,500 pounds of plastic and 2,500 pounds of metal a year. Our unique "Popovers for Pigs" program collaborates with local family farmers who collect over 20,000 pounds of uneaten popovers each season and use them for animal feed.
 
 

Conservation ~

Our maintenance staff has converted hundreds of light fixtures to compact fluorescents, installed energy efficient water pumps, variable speed hood fans, on demand gas water heaters, and airtight woodstoves to conserve energy. Our vehicle fleet includes a hybrid passenger car, a 28 mpg diesel delivery van, and a small 30 mpg office vehicle.

Green Purchasing ~

Our purchasing guidelines recognize the impact we have as as purchaser of goods and services. We give preference to environmentallly friendly products whose quality and function are equal or superior to more traditional products. We seek vendors that share a similar commitment to reduce environmental impacts and we support locally produced goods and services.
 
 

Local & Sustainable ~

We purchase menu ingredients with the goal of supporting a more sustainable food system. We purchase large amounts of local and regional foods including: lobster, fish, scallops, shrimp, eggs, dairy products, cheeses, tomatoes, salad greens, and beer. Local purchasing supports family farmers and fisherman who manage their resources in sustainable ways that benefit the environment. Local menu items enhance the dining experience for visitors by reflecting the unique sense of place associated with Acadia National Park.