They’re one of the best international tourism board partners I’ve ever worked with
Alasdair Farrimond, Travel 2
Nine reasons to go green
Nine reasons to go green
Nine reasons to go green
Enjoy England Awards for Excellence 2009 - Sustainable Tourism Award of The Year Finalists
The Venus Company - Gold winner
‘Loving the beach' is a great start to any sustainability strategy. Aptly named, therefore, after the Goddess of Love, this has always been the motto of The Venus Beach Company. As operators of cafes and shops on popular beaches in Devon and Cornwall, it is in their interest to be protective of the very place which is enticing customers there in the first place.
However Venus is not just acting out of self-interest in protecting Devon and Cornwall's natural heritage. It has set up The Venus Beach Wildlife Fund, in partnership with the Devon & Cornwall Wildlife Trusts. This aims to fund visitors' educational programmes on beach conservation. For every cup of tea and Flake chocolate bar sold, Venus donates 5p to the fund, for a period of five years. The aim - to raise £30000. The Trusts also work with local schools, providing vital environmental education to future generations.
Similarly, Venus has raised over £30000 for the South Hams 'On The Right Tracks' programme aimed at conserving the area's historic green lanes. There are over 190 of these ancient packhorse and drovers' tracks and they are a distinctive feature of the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Venus is also careful to keep its own house in order, practising what it preaches in every way possible. With over 500000 visitors a year, the company's potential impact is significant, which is why it constantly strives to minimise this. Obvious steps such as chlorine and phosphate-free products for cleaning are the norm. For people taking their snacks back to the sand, they use chlorine free paper and bleach-free biodegradable packaging, and the food itself is locally sourced and organic when possible.
Managing Director Michael Smith has noticed the increased ethical awareness of consumers over the last few years, "There is a growing consumer interest in where we get the produce, so we have maps in our cafes showing them all our sourcing points. We want to communicate what we do, but we don't want to shove it down people's throats either".
All packaging is recycled, depending on local facilities, recycling bins and advice provided for customers, although it is still a battle to get the recycling message across, says Smith, "They get the cans, but they mess up the rest." Venus' suppliers are quicker to understand the growing environmental demands of a sustainable business; "A few years ago, if we'd asked for an environmental spec, they'd laugh at us. But all that has changed." Indeed, now they return cardboard, cans, plastic packaging, glass and used cooking oil to their suppliers for recycling.
However, Venus is not just a philanthropic angel of mercy. It is a business, and a thriving one at that. Its excellent sustainable management strategies have paid off. Smith celebrates the cost-savings they have made through good environmental management, such as the installation of solar panels, and updating their natural ventilation systems; "We reckon to save an average of £3,000 per annum over the last seven years - a massive £21,000!". The recent acquisition of a central distribution and catering centre has also saved innumerable food miles. No wonder, therefore, that they are a multiple Gold Award winner of the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GBTS).
Venus is keeping the customer happy too, receiving constantly good feedback on their website, such as "We have found what must be one of the best seafront cafes. Great service, very clean and great food and drinks. You get real cutlery, so no plastics to recycle. Everything wrapped in "eco" packaging with clearly marked recycling bins. And no plastic straws to get left on the sand either. Great Idea". It's a win-win situation for Venus. And people do, quite rightly, just love it.
www.venuscompany.co.uk
The Hytte - Silver winner
As a midwife, Sonja Gregory's ‘real' job is assisting women bring children into the world. In her spare time she has assisted her husband, Simon, in bringing their own exciting creation to the hills of Northumberland. Like all good midwives, she has done so with extreme care and sensitivity; the result being a beautiful self-catering wooden lodge for visitors to their treasured homeland of the Northumberland National Park. The choice of name was down to her husband, however. The Hytte, pronounced Hutta, says Sonja, is named after the Norwegian style chalet which theirs was modelled on. Working as a sheep shearer in Norway for years, Simon was inspired by the simplicity of these cottages, in particular the use of natural resources as building materials, enabling them to merge with the environment. So he went ahead and built one.
As The Hytte is on the borders of a protected landscape, sensitivity to the local landscape was a priority for the Gregorys. Made entirely of FSC wood, sourced from a local supplier, it also has a living roof made out of local turf; "Cut from permanent pasture on a local farm, to a thickness of one and a half inches, and then applied in three layers" says Sonja. There was no expert involved, Simon saw how they did it in Norway, and used common sense. Reassuring others who like the idea, but who are afraid of the work involved, Sonja says, "It requires no maintenance at all, except removing the odd Dock weed. And no gutters to clean either". The plan is now to cover the roof with wildflower seeds, provided by the National Park authorities, as part of a bigger wildflower meadow project.
Working closely with local stakeholders is a must for Sonja and Simon; "It is important to let them know what you are doing. At first we thought we might not get planning permission for The Hytte, but as soon as they understood what we were doing, and why we were doing it, it was easy". Sonja adds that sustainable tourism businesses are generally open and generous with their ideas; "There is a Hadrian's Wall Network here, and the more we work together, share advice, source produce, link to each others websites and so on, the more we all benefit." This open approach also enabled the Gregorys to acquire two separate sustainable development grants which, when combined, paid for 100 per cent of their ground heat pump.
Common sense also led the Gregorys to create a holiday home which is accessible to all. Before starting the build, they researched the basic legal requirements for their building to be accessible, and took it several stages further. It caters for guests with hearing and visual impairments and its outstanding provision for wheelchair users is recognised by ‘Access Exceptional' in VisitBritain's National Accessible Scheme. From the hottub with hoist, to all bedrooms being on the ground floor, sleeping eight in total. Sonja never fails to be touched by the reactions of visitors with disabilities; "We've had people reduced to tears, because suddenly they feel part of the family holiday. It's very humbling". She is not shy to comment on the financial advantages either; "The simple design elements we needed to install in order to be categorised as ‘access exceptional' were cost effective. It all just took a bit of forethought in the building process, and since Easter 2006 we have had 96% bookings".
Sonja and Simon want to share their positive experiences in achieving a good sustainable tourism product. Sonja has spoken at conferences on the subject; "I want people to know that you don't have to have a background in tourism to do it. We're just ordinary people who are passionate about something". Such willingness to share a little bit of that ‘something' with people working in tourism will, undoubtedly, inspire others to go forth and create many more beauties like The Hytte.
www.thehytte.com
The Deep
It was a good decision not to call this an aquarium, because The Deep represents a lot more than somewhere to just go and look at fish. It was built in 2002 as part of a major regeneration of Hull. The city needed tourists, and consequently one single high-profile facility to get a critical mass of tourists going there. It also needed to show them what Hull was about, its history and, of course, its relationship with the sea.
On board since the plan was a mere tiddler, Chief Executive, Colin Brown, insisted that The Deep should not be a heritage site; "When the fishing industry died here, people turned their back on the sea. We wanted to create a place which turned that around and got us looking out on the oceans again. Instead of relying on our history as exploiters of the sea, we wanted to create something which celebrates our new sustainable relationship with it."
Marine conservation is, therefore, at the heart of The Deep. They employ ten marine biologists, all passionate and committed to marine sustainability. As well as ensuring that the interactives, audiovisuals and living exhibits tell the story of the world's oceans, these specialised curators play a very significant role in marine research, national and international campaigns. These include the recent awareness campaign about the depletion of world shark stocks, which have dropped as much as 90% in recent years.
Most impressively for such a new charity, The Deep brought forty UK aquariums together in 2007, to actively supporting the Marine Conservation Society's (MCS) "Marine Reserves Now" campaign. The government was preparing to draft a new Marine Bill, and with only one thousandth of one percent of our sea area fully protected, The Deep was determined to help change things for the better, and forever. The MCS is fairly positive that the impending new law will incorporate excellent sustainable changes as a result, and The Deep will continue to play a strategic role in implementing these alongside partners such as Natural England.
The Deep is first and foremost an educational charity, with sustainability at its core. Its Environmental Policy pulls no punches saying, "It is now almost universally accepted that man's activity is changing our climate and the environment we live in. Each year the symptoms are clearer - global warming, rising sea levels, deforestation, flooding, polluted air and rivers and extinct species to name a few. These problems are not going to disappear; we cannot ignore them and hope they will go away. We need to change our lifestyles or else face the consequences". The Deep uses 100% green electricity, reduced annual energy bills by a third through improved energy management, its vehicle runs on LPG, it recycles everything it possibly can, hosts the annual Humber Environment Fair, and sources restaurant food locally or Fairtrade when possible. As Brown says, "we even feed our sharks sustainably line-caught fish from Iceland, so we would hardly change the rules for our visitors".
Thinking deeply about these issues is, indeed, part of The Deep's ethos. From cleaners to conservationists, says Brown; "everyone needs a flag to rally behind. The one which engages today's generation is sustainability. We planted this flag here at The Deep and were open from the start about what we believe in. Now everyone working here feels they can ask questions about it, and suggest ways to make things better all the time".
Brown also believes that sustainability gives The Deep a competitive edge. With three million visitors since opening, and now the most profitable millennium project in the country, he and his team have certainly pulled it off. Hook line and sinker.
www.thedeep.co.uk
Doddington Hall and Gardens
Doddington Hall is a rare thing. A majestic 17th Century house passed down through five generations, and never sold. This has taken tenacity and foresight throughout the years, and sustainability is as much about survival as anything else. It has been open to the public since 1954, and last handed down to Claire and James Birch in 2005.
Trying to keep a house of this size and stature open in the 21st Century is not easy.
The first step was to seek what grants were available to help them as income from visitors does not even cover the running costs of the hall, let alone repairs or investments; "A great starting point for any information is Business Link. I am a great believer in sniffing out what's around and just going for it", says Claire. She was right to believe because, following advice from the Historic Houses Association, they were awarded a Heritage Lottery Grant to restore the walled kitchen garden. At the same time, they were awarded funding from Defra's Rural Enterprise Scheme to build a farm shop and café. All the garden produce goes directly from soil to sale, and they stock many other goodies from local suppliers.
One of their most important sustainable developments was the installation of a wood chip boiler, now providing 100% of heating and hot water. Replacing ten oil-fired boilers, this boiler can claim carbon neutral status, as all wood chip is sourced on their land. They only ever use half of the dead wood which is suitable for chipping, so there is never a shortage, and ash from the burner is used as fertiliser. This boiler was also the result of good ‘sniffing out', aided by grants from the Lincolnshire Green Heat Programme and the National Bio-Energy Programme.
Doddington Hall gives back a huge amount to its local community as well. They stock produce from over 50 suppliers in Lincolnshire or neighbouring counties, employ forty local people, including eighteen from Doddington village, schools nurture their own plots in the kitchen garden, and they work closely with Nottingham University's Environment Technology Centre. Claire and James see the greening of Doddington as a ‘life-long' project. With over 400 years of history behind them, they have inherited not only a fine house, but also a sound knowledge of how to sustain it for future generations.
www.doddingtonhall.com
Festival Place
Shopping centres are not usually associated with ecowarriors. But with twenty million visitors passing through the doors of Festival Place every year, the management team takes its environmental impact very seriously.
Spurred on by the 2008 ‘On The Go' campaign, led by Coca Cola Enterprises and Wrap, it was the first UK shopping centre to create a consumer Recycling Zone. Festival Place was already waste-aware, installing an in-house Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in 2007, where 43% of the Centre's own waste is recycled. In total, 707 tonnes of rubbish is recycled a year, helped along by the Centre's ‘Environmental Dude', a character brought out for green events. Made of recycled materials, he communicates an entertaining version of the recycling message to customers.
Waste disposal is just a tiny part of Environmental Manager, Tony Barley's job remit; "Liaising with shop tenants is a major part of what we do. It has not been easy. You can't take your finger off the pulse for a minute or it all grinds to a halt". Other initiatives include a simple and low-cost readjustment to their heating system, in order to recirculate heat in the building. The result: a reduction in gas consumption by 70% over five years.
After seeking the advice of Carbon Trust, Festival Place installed photo sensitive light switches, turning off lights when the sun shines, and swapped to a green energy supplier, saving £70000 in service charges. One degree down on the thermostat saved £23000 on bills alone.
In 2009 Festival Place will complete a grey water system, allowing used water to be recycled for flushing and cleaning purposes. Already harvesting rainwater for use in fountains, they save 100000 litres every month.
Barley's passion is the bigger picture of sustainability; "You can't stop at recycling. You have to go for the full package". With numerous green awards under its belt, and initiatives such as weekly farmers' markets from May 2009, it is certainly setting a benchmark in retail. Indeed, such impressive fighting spirit to ‘convert the masses', might just give them ecowarrior status after all.
www.festivalplace.co.uk
Poston Mill Park
This caravan park is set in 35 acres of Herefordshire countryside, nestled in the Golden Valley alongside the River Dore. As winners of a Gold David Bellamy Conservation Award, one would expect the man himself to have been their source of sustainability inspiration. Instead, it was the young son of owners Sarah and Wayne Jones. Lewis attends one of the UK's Eco-schools, and always brimming with eco-ideas. His mother was already an expert, having studied environmental economics; "This subject lit my fire from very early on. But I also know that there's no point changing practices if it means no profits, or going out of business".
The seven year old environmentalist and the adult entrepreneur have made for a good team. As well as Lewis' own wormery, there is an eco-friendly boiler, push taps, lights on sensors, recycling, recommendations to use eco-friendly groundsheets, biodegradeable products on sale in the shop, and the two self-catering cottages have composting bins. These are particularly important as their biosystem for sewerage would be damaged if the wrong chemicals were used. Guest awareness is vital and, according to Sarah, "Our customers buy into it completely, enjoy knowing what we've done and being part of it".
The most impressive sustainable development was the 2008 opening of Poston Mill's farm shop. Stone by stone, using traditional lime mortar, they rebuilt an old mill in one of their fields. They sell meat and dairy produce, including rare breed pork products, supplied by their neighbouring farmers, the Fraser family, as well as a range of Fairtrade goods. This has been a huge success, with clients being guaranteed food with a pasture to plate distance of just a few hundred yards. Visitors are delighted to have sustainable shopping onsite, says Sarah; "If they do it at home, then they want it on holiday too".
If things continue to go well at Poston Mill Park, Sarah and Wayne plan to apply for a Redundant Buildings Grant to restore a barn complex, with a view to letting it out to local arts and crafts businesses. There is really no keeping up with the Joneses at Poston Mill. They are simply shining examples of sustainability in this Golden Valley.
www.bestparks.co.uk/PostonMill.htm
Old Macdonald's Farm
Old Macdonald is, in fact, a showman, because Joseph Manning, the owner, is one of the famous Manning family, which has been taking funfairs around the country for 180 years. After a trip to the US, Joseph was impressed by leisure farms he visited. His love of the outdoors led him to combine his two interests and, in 2006, he bought and totally restored Old MacDonald's Farm in Brentwood, Essex. As well as reviving the farm for educational purposes, he also added a touch of what he knows best. So this wonderful farm has fairground and farm attractions side by side.
From day one, a sustainable development policy was put in place. Manning comes from a generation which never threw anything out. Farm Manager Ray Smith says, "If you go to the showmen's yards, everything is used again and again. Fences are made out of old dodgem tracks, gates from fairground stalls. We have the same ethos here. When people see benches made out of railway sleepers, or wooden bridges from scrap, they want to learn more. Most importantly, they learn that sustainability is for everyone, not just for rich people visiting rainforests".
Sustainability and fun go hand in hand for this showman. His fairground attractions run off a generator converted to cooking oil. The carousel and roller coaster were changed from hydraulic to electric power, reducing energy by 66%. They also recycle 50% of their waste and offer ongoing recycling education to visitors. The café uses locally purchased and Fairtrade produce and the animals are fed on Sainsbury's leftovers. They work closely with Eastex, the Essex Material Exchange, which redistributes unwanted materials from cooking oil to cable reels, out to people who need them.
Community involvement is also a big part of what they do at the Farm. They give free entry to families of servicemen and women, work with schools, supported a local vet to undertake African conservation work, and fundraised for a local animal sanctuary.
So Old Macdonald has everything on his farm. Except good local transport, according to Smith; "Lack of local transport is excluding non-car owners from getting here, which seems unfair. We are hoping the Council will provide a bus service from Brentwood, so everyone can enjoy the show". For now, they are giving 100000 annual visitors a great day out, providing a strong, sustainable message, and putting Brentwood firmly on the tourist map.
www.omdfarm.co.uk
The Palace Hotel, Manchester
One of Manchester's towering architectural glories, this 200 year old hotel is actually a small fish in a very big pond. It is only one of 22 UK city hotels and conference centres which come under the umbrella of Principal Hayley.
The Palace Hotel was, however, the first one in the group to really fly the flag of sustainability from its landmark clock tower. Not literally, of course, although the bat and bird boxes installed there by General Manager, Richard Morrell, are equally symbolic.
In 2007 the Palace Hotel hosted a conference, which immediately changed the way it approached its business operations. The client was The Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). According to April McCaig, the Business Centre Manager, "In order to win this contract, we had to learn what the IEMA was all about. That's how it all started!"
With a list of 125 changes to the hotel's operations under her belt, McCaig's colleagues now call her the ‘Green Goddess'. These include reducing bed changes to every second day, bicycles for guests, weekly meter readings, bedroom lighting controlled by keycards, showers with aerated water flow control, dual flush toilets, and low energy lighting used in most areas.
The Executive Head Chef, Jason Littlejohns, plays his part too. He introduced food portion control to avoid waste, and sources locally, with sustainable banqueting menus an important part of their pitch for corporate events. At five banquets a week, that's a substantial amount of money going back into the local economy. Similarly, he stopped deliveries of fruit and vegetables in boxes, using returnable containers only. All in all, a reduction of deliveries by fifteen a week. Additionally, Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar are used for conferences and bedrooms.
Recycling is important to The Palace Hotel, with a constant flow of unused conference paper, complimentary toiletries, lightbulbs and office stationery. However, the Hotel's mission is to focus on the three R's ; "At first, we all felt as if recycling was hard work. But now we remind people that if we reduce and reuse as well, then that lessens the hard work in recycling", says McCaig.
In two years, The Palace Hotel has achieved a lot, and similar environmental changes are now being rolled out throughout the rest of Principal Hayley. It is a true flagship, with a green goddess at the helm.
www.palace-hotel-manchester.co.uk
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