White Winter Reader

whitewinter.com

Iron River, Wisconsin – Travel Green Wisconsin, a voluntary certification program that recognizes tourism businesses for reducing their environmental footprint through eco-friendly practices and the first of its kind in the country, has just announced that White Winter Winery, Inc has earned certification.

 

White Winter Winery, established 1996, make high quality hand crafted meads, (honey wine) using locally produced pure Wisconsin honey and locally grown fruit. Jon Hamilton, owner of White Winter Winery stated “We believe strongly in using what is in our own back yard and have built our business on this sustainable practice. We are truly a regional winery using ingredients grown within approximately150 miles of the cellar.”

 

White Winter Winery is pleased to be the first winery in the State of Wisconsin to be certified by the “Travel Green” program documenting environmentally sound practices in all facets of the operation. “We use what our neighbors produce to make a great product. It helps them, it helps us, it's environmentally and ethically sound, and you, the consumer, know exactly what you are drinking, where it comes from, how it's made, and that every purchase stays in the community and supports a family farm (and winery!).”  Hamilton said

 

Highlights from White Winter Winery certification include using organic, fair trade and local fruit and honey in the Meads, Ciders and Spritz they produce.  The corks used in their bottling process are also certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.

 

In releasing the news, Tourism Secretary Kelli A. Trumble made the point that serving the needs of eco-aware travelers is not only the right thing to do, it’s good for business. “For a growing number of travelers, ‘green’ is the tie-break in choosing one property over another,” Trumble said. “Wisconsin’s tourism industry is poised to serve this niche market, all the while continuing to grow tourism revenue for the state.”  She went on to say that, “With our state’s history of land stewardship, it’s most fitting that Wisconsin lead the nation in this.

 

According to the U.S. Travel Industry Association of America, 78% of American travelers consider themselves “environmentally conscious.” In addition, 9% of consumers say they are willing to pay more to use travel service suppliers that offer eco-friendly options. 

 

Travel Green Wisconsin encourages participants to evaluate their operations, set goals and take specific actions towards environmental, social, and economic sustainability.  To achieve certification, applicants must earn a minimum of 30 points from a checklist of basic requirements covering a wide range of “green” practices, including: waste reduction, reuse and recycling; energy efficiency, water conservation and wastewater management; air quality; wildlife and landscape; transportation; purchasing; and local community benefits.  The Wisconsin Environmental Initiative, an independent third party, certifies applicants. White Winter Winery, Inc. obtained a score of 68; for our recycling program, our buy local efforts and composting of fruit waste.

 

Since it launched statewide in 2007, Travel Green Wisconsin has certified more than 260 tourism businesses including lodging, restaurants, retail stores, tour operators, state parks, convention centers, golf courses, and a range of indoor and outdoor attractions. White Winter Winery is the first Wisconsin winery to achieve this honor.  Travel Green Wisconsin certification is also the standard by which Wisconsin lodging properties are identified with an eco-icon in AAA guidebooks and on the AAA website.