The Green Room
Water Efficiency Presentation (MS PowerPoint)
The SDTN Green Tourism Business Club
Following a meeting of a handful of GTBS accredited businesses in November, 2005; it was decided to establish a Green Tourism Business Club.
The aims of the Club were subsequently agreed as to:
- build on the ‘sustainability momentum’ created by business participation in the Pilot GTBS;
- share best practice in sustainability amongst club members;
- provide a means of obtaining up to date, specialist advice on relevant issues, best practice and products etc;
- act as ‘ambassadors’ to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability to the tourism industry in the South Downs and more generally;
- raise the profile of GTBS accredited businesses with the public at large, TIC staff, tourism officers, the environmental business community and others;
- Help to raise support funding for sustainable tourism initiatives in the South Downs.
- Assist with the development of the ‘South Downs Quality Assurance Scheme’.
The Club will be open to all Network members. It is anticipated that Club meetings will be organised quarterly but that members should also organise local meetings to share ideas, contacts and general best practice in ‘sustainability’. The ethos of club members should be to share information as openly as possible and to learn from each other.
A number of other potential activities for Club members to develop were also discussed, these being:
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
- Bulk purchasing Ecover and other products used by Members to reduce the cost of purchasing / packaging required etc. Distribution might be organised at the quarterly meetings and from agreed distribution points.
- Benchmarking, for example water consumption. Reference was made to a CD Rom produced by Ecosys (DH to investigate), along with the inherent difficulties of benchmarking amongst small businesses.
- Developing a ‘good suppliers / services’ list or directory (also web based)
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
- A mentoring service for businesses interested in improving their sustainability
- A staff exchange (for larger businesses) to further encourage the sharing of best practice / ideas
- Developing a credit system within the GTBS national membership to encourage and enable short breaks to member properties in other parts of the country
MARKETING / NETWORKING
- Organising more local opportunities for Club members to meet, eg coffee mornings, where sufficient businesses are clustered relatively close together
- Organising familiarisation visits to GTBS properties for TIC staff
- Raising awareness of the GTBS amongst local authority tourism officers and the need for the GTBS to feature in visitor guides, destination websites (with links) etc
- Targeting groups who are likely to share sustainability interests, such as Ramblers Association and South Downs Society, to encourage their members to use green accredited accommodation and other ‘green’ businesses
DEVELOPMENT
- Developing and supporting suitable bids to the AONB’s sustainable development fund e.g. for local ‘green trail’ development
- Building links with local universities / colleges to assist the development of specific projects
- Lobbying for the accommodation grading process to take account of sustainability issues and good sustainable practice
Green goods and suppliers, advisory organisations and agencies
Eco-friendly cleaning products, bulbs, gizmo’s and gadgets
Ecozone - www.ecozone.co.uk
The Green Shop – www.greenshop.co.uk
Natural Discovery - www.NaturalDiscovery.co.uk
Sunpipe – www.sunpipe.co.uk
The Good Shopping Guide – www.thegoodshoppingguide.co.uk
Green and Easy - www.greenandeasy.co.uk
The Low Impact Living Initiative's information sheet on natural cleaners can be downloaded below or via www.lowimpact.org
Information on natural cleaners (Adobe Acrobat)
Advice on environmental best practice and resource efficiency
Go to www.egeneration.co.uk and then follow the links to obtain information on the work of the three Sustainable Business Partnerships for East Sussex, Hampshire and West Sussex.
Envirowise - www.envirowise.gov.uk - offers UK businesses free, independent, confidential advice and support on practical ways to increase profits, minimise waste and reduce environmental impact. A number of helpful information sheets are also produced, including on Re-using and Recycling Waste, both of which are available below as PDF's
The Environment Agency's website contains a wealth of information on the wiser, sustainable use of natural resources, including water and waste management.
www.energywatch.org.uk is the website of the independent gas and electricity watchdog. It provides information on energy companies and tips on how to reduce energy use and make savings.
The Energy Saving Trust is a non-profit organisation, funded by government and the private sector to encourage energy saving and the integration of renewable energy sources into our society's economy.
Ever thought about using wood as an alternative fuel? BioMAP offers help to potential wood heating projects across the South Downs, including the urban settlements on its borders. Wood heating systems - also called Biomass heating - are becoming a popular choice in the UK, offering both cost effectiveness and environmental benefits. Open the attachment for further information and contact details.
Envirowise - Re-using waste (Adobe Acrobat)
Envirowise - Recycling waste (Adobe Acrobat)
A Buyer's Guide to Reducing Utility Costs in the Hospitality Sector can be downloaded free of charge from the Considerate Hoteliers Association website.
The Sustainability Centre at East Meon in Hampshire offers an enormous range of sustainability focused courses year round. Subjects include Organic Gardening for Beginners, Make Your Own Green Cleaning Products, and Recycled Lighting Art. Low cost accommodation for residential courses is available on-site in the Wetherdown Hostel, a gold accredited member of the Green Tourism Business Scheme.
Information on The Green Tourism Business Scheme
