“It’s not easy being green” but the Lincoln Hotel in Lowden, Iowa has been working hard to do its part to minimize its footprint on the environment.Under the suggestion of a guest two years ago, Liz Norton, innkeeper at the Lincoln, began with an energy audit.  She got to work and today a new “energy star” boiler and three new “energy star” air conditioners keep guests comfortable.   Flourescent bulbs throughout light the rooms and hallways.  The basement foundation has glass bricks instead of leaky windows.  “We aren’t done yet.”  says Liz, “but our overall energy usage has been cut by 1/3 in spite 33 % gowth last year!”  Liz says they have also replaced the aereators on the sinks to save water, and lauder linens less frequently unless the guests request differently.  She says there are more plans for a greener 2009 in the works.  “Overall our guests appreciate our efforts to be an environmentally friendly inn and it feels good to be considerate of our land.  After all ‘Iowa’ means ‘beautiful land.’  We had better keeep it that way!”