Abseiling Archery Assault Course Boogie Boarding Bridge Jumping Climbing Coastal Walking Coastal Traversing Crabbing Cratestacking Hartland Day High Ropes Kayaking Off-Road Cycling Overnight Bivi Rafting RIB Powerboat Snorkelling Surfing Surf Skiing Swimming Team Challenge Tunnels and Traps Zip Wire

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

Skern Lodge is committed to sustaining our natural surroundings by reducing our environmental impact and promoting good practices through:

• Training employees within their working practices, ensuring reduced impact in all areas.

• Educating clients in the sound understanding of environmental impact and reduction.

• Complying with relevant environmental legislation and implementing systems and procedures to assure compliance.

• Instil the philosophy of continuous monitoring and improvements of practices and procedures throughout the company.

• Monitoring our environmental action plan at the quarterly Health & Safety meetings.

 

Key areas for continuous improvement

• Reduce our energy consumption by increased energy efficiency

• Reduce our water consumption by improving water usage and waste

• Create less waste by the adoption of waste reduction and recycling

• Reduce our activity impact

• Reduce our impact on air and land through sound transport management

• Continue with our tree planting and land management plan

 

Work so Far

Waste

• Reduced bottled water usage

• Recycling scheme in place throughout the centre for all of the waste paper, cardboard, aluminium and plastic.

• Any toiletries that are left on site are used instead of being thrown away.

• Increased and continue to increase e-mail correspondence throughout the bookings procedure

• Printed material is put on to double sided wherever possible and reusable paper (blank on one side) is reused in printers

• Printer and toner cartridges are taken to our local Lifeboat Station

• Reuse Jiffy bags/packaging material

• Old mobile phones are given to charity

• Waste textiles are given to charity, our local women's shelter or made in to rags

• Used cooking oil is returned to supplier

Energy

• Light bulbs on site have been changed to low energy

• Reinsulated loft areas and hot water tanks where required

• Fitted SavaWatt plugs have on all compliant machines

• Ensuring new appliances are A or B energy rating

• Maintaining fridge and freezer seals

• Light sensors in most communal shower/toilet blocks

• TRV radiator valves on all radiators

• New high efficiency boilers for heating and water

• Thermostatic controls fitted and regularly monitored

• New energy efficient washing machines and dryers

• Self-closing mechanisms placed on appropriate doors.

Water

• Taps are regularly checked by maintenance team for drips/leaks

• Dishwasher recycles the water through the day

• All run-off goes in to soak-away

• Timers on watering system for hanging baskets

• All hoses use a trigger to let out water

Purchasing

• We have changed to environmentally friendly cleaning products where possible

• All fresh foods are sourced as locally as possible

• Use water based paints

• Changed to paper lunch bags

• Print main brochure on sustainable paper using biodegradable vegetable and Soya based inks.

Transport

• Change to transit minibuses

• Systems in place to reduce the number of trips made each day

• Help organise clients transport to and from the centre

Wildlife and landscape

• Tree planting scheme in place

• Natural hedgerows for wildlife to live in

• Natural bird nesting areas

• Garden waste from around site is left to rot naturally

General

• Key employees attended the IOSH Managing Environmental Responsibility Course

• Work towards recognised environmental tourism awards

 

Our Future Plans

• Continue research in to glass recycling

• Continue research in to plastic cup recycling

• Continue research into disposal methods of food waste

• Continue research into suppliers of recycled stationery

• To install solar power to main buildings

• To install solar power in swimming pool

• Print all other brochures in an environmentally friendly way

• Continue research into rainwater-harvesting system for cleaning vehicles and activity equipment.

• Fit SavaWatt controllers on types that cannot take the simple plug

• Fit light sensors in other communal areas

• Find solution to continual flushing urinals

• Continue responding to Environmental audit

• Respond to meeting with Devon Wildlife Trust about enhancing our grounds