At Shady Spruce Hostel we embrace the concepts of sustainability and, in the spirit of hosteling, consider them the heartbeat of socially responsible in-group hospitality services. We intentionally work to divide human consumption and impact on one repurposed structure and our business model calls for mindfulness around resource conservation and perpetual environmental impact of the product we offer. Consciously dividing and minimizing impact is our way of modeling ways to reach pathways leading towards sustainable living, travel opportunities and planetary protection.

     Our actions help describe the principle reasons we are able to offer guests such high value services at both a relatively low cash and carbon output price. We are not interested in squeezing every last cent out of guests because visiting our great state and city is becoming more and more valuable. Instead, we are committed to finding ways to provide affordable access to downtown Missoula, support local owner-operated business and continue long-term relationships within our living community.

     Working as a licensed commercial "lodging house" we are highly aware of the impacts inappropriate tourism lodging can have on neighborhoods not designed for it.  As such, we embrace locally owned businesses, historic preservation and structure repurposing, neighborly involvement at Central Business District events and community outreach programs we host at the hostel.

     Standing as a corporate-lodging alternative, Shady Spruce experience occurs within a historically significant and repurposed structure built in 1887. The award-winning renovations we made early in 2016 employ state of the art HVAC systems and new sewer/water supply lines. We also installed a 6.1 kW grid-tied solar array, full LED lighting retrofits and Waterwise fixtures. Feel free to inquire about our human powered composting friends, homey-managed transportation workshop, or on-site recycling center.

     Similarly, our cleaning supplies and bathing soaps are perpetually Green Seal certified and paper products made from 100% post consumer recycled fibers. The hostel is fortunate to partner with environmentally conscious laundry services.  All hostel mattresses were manufactured using V.O.C.-free post consumer recycled material and we prioritize purchasing second-hand dish/glassware, cutlery and furnishings. 

     Community outreach activities tend to be dynamic and ever changing at Shady Spruce. We're proud to offer a seasonal speaker series dedicated to exploration in general. Often times guests share travel experiences on the BIG screen and/or hostel staff host events focused on how concepts of sustainability can be defined through music, art, social justice, building efficiency, resource conservation, wildlife protection, and wilderness preservation.  Please contact us if you are a sustainability minded person or group leader interested in hosting a presentation or event at the hostel.