Green Policy
Our Green Policy
We are committed to living as sustainably as we can: reducing our carbon footprint and creating a wildlife friendly environment. As part of our restoration work, we have removed the old oil-fired, inefficient rayburn, replacing it with a wood pellet burner. We have solar panels generating green energy and any further energy use comes from Ecotricity
the green energy provider. Our accommodation is highly insulated to reduce waste and appliances are all A efficiency rated. We have also planted a coppice and created a sustainable firewood program for the wood burner.
Reduce, reuse and recycle have been at the heart of our restoration work and our general ethos. The kitchen is handmade from reclaimed floorboards from the old threshing barn while the bath came from the metal scrapyard up the road and underwent hours of loving care to restore it! Much of the arts and crafts which make the cottage so special have either come from one of the antique fairs we love to trawl through, or are fairtrade, or locally produced. When new products are bought we are as keen to ensure they are ethically and environmentally sound as well aesthetically pleasing.
We use eco-friendly cleaning products and refill guests washing up liquid, cleaning sprays & washing powder with Ecover products. Linen and towels are laundered using eco-friendly detergents.
Our water comes from our own spring, and is treated for safety using low-energy and zero chemical processes. Our wastewater is treated to a high standard by a low energy treatment plant, before being returned to the environment. We hope to add a reedbed to the system in future to get even better treatment and wildlife benefits.
The seven acre site is rich in biodiversity and we have further encouraged wildlife with the addition of a seasonal pond, woodland and wildflower meadows. We’ve installed specialist hedgehog houses and bat boxes and have lots of ‘wilder’ areas with long grass and a range of plants which encourage insects
We politely request that visitors try to avoid unnecessary packaging in the first place, especially single use plastics, and where that is not possible, use the recycling facilities. Similarly please try to avoid food waste, and for what is left please use the composting bin. We ask that guests are mindful about their energy and water consumption and turn off any heaters they feel they do not need. We’d also love it if you bought local produce (we have some of our own available) and made use of local transport, bicycles or walked where possible.
