Green Awareness
Strattons has its own unique environmental policy rewritten every year. All members of staff are made aware of the policy and trained to adhere to it, whilst encouraged to come up with their own ideas. By purchasing locally and asking suppliers to respect our environmental principals, we have greater control over packaging and food is fresh and not in cold storage or has been subjected to significant travel time.
Weighing all types of waste including grey water enables reduction targets to be set. Recording waste streams has allowed Strattons to pinpoint how much waste goes into landfill currently around 2%. With a careful policy of awareness of packaging combined with buying local fresh ingredients the total waste produced has dropped steadily reducing from just under 10 tonnes five years ago to a 2005 total under 5 tonnes despite significant increases over the same period in occupancy which last year averaged out at 82% and currently running at 92%.
Luxury bathroom miniatures have been replaced with refillable pump dispensers helping to reduce plastic bottles to landfill by 97%, instead one excellent product that can be used as shampoo, bath foam or shower gel, manufactured by a company which does not test on animals and has their own environmental ethics which re-endorses Strattons own position.
Low energy light bulbs have replaced 70% of bulbs. The rooms also have thermometers (supplied by the Carbon Trust) to empower staff to adjust heating levels accordingly, in line with their energy reduction training, and radiators have thermostatic valves enabling customer’s control of their room temperature.
All toilet cisterns are fitted with ‘hippos’ made from recycled plastic bottles. This saves 20% water on every flush. Wherever possible the en-suite bathrooms have been fitted with showers to reduce water consumption.
To make the garden wildlife friendly, we have tried to ensure it offers a variety of habitats, shelter, a place to breed, a place to feed, water and native plants. Information folders in the lounges, bird-feeding stations using seeds sourced from a local farmer and membership of the RSPB are all part of this commitment. Binoculars and a recording book for garden birds are also in the public areas, frog boxes, bat boxes and various bird nesting boxes have been incorporated in the grounds. A sculpture of a red deer stag by local artist Rachael Long made from recycled iron & steel highlights the areas wildlife and the material endorses the recycling philosophy at the hotel.
For the past 7 year’s a spotted flycatcher has nested in the early spring months on the south facing wall of the house within the ‘Rambling Rector’ rose. Guests staying in the Seagull Room have had a ringside view of the nest and young.
 Sustain www.sustainweb.org
The Green Tourism Business Scheme www.green-business.co.uk
Hospitable Climates www.hcima.org.uk
Considerate Hoteliers www.consideratehoteliers.com
WRAP www.wrap.org.uk
Green Apple www.thegreenorganisation.info
ENVIROWISE www.envirowise.gov.uk
DEFRA www.defra.gov.uk/environment
Responsible Travel www.responsibletravel.com
Eco Tech www.ecotech.org.uk
EDP Your rubbish, your choice new.edp24.co.uk/content/yourrubbish
EABEC www.eabec.com
RSPB www.rspb.org.uk
Carbon Trust www.carbontrust.co.uk/default.ct
Environment Agency www.environment-agency.gov.uk
Organics on line www.organics-on-line.com
RSPCA www.rspca.org.uk
Organic Places to Stay www.organicplacestostay.co.uk
Good Hotel Guide
Green holidays & Green Places to Stay www.greentraveller.co.uk
Sustainable Tourism Ireland www.sustourism.ie/links.php
Background about Sustainable Tourism Ireland:
STI was launched in 2005, and continuously strive to strengthen its membership base in order to foster support for sustainable tourism principles. The newly updated website boasts a unique space that highlights Irish sustainable tourism destinations. All the showcased enterprises are inspired by principles of minimal environmental impact, respect and support of local cultures and traditions, economical sustained growth; they strive for sharing experiences and knowledge, while preserving the quality and the 'green' image of Ireland.
Please e-mail Vanessa Scott if you want the full environmental policy forwarded
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