Sustainability

Environmental Sustainability Policy

The Sharpham trust recognizes that organisations can have a negative impact on the environment. We are committed to finding ways in which we can reduce the impact of our work in the following areas:

• Waste
• Energy
• Water
• Purchasing
• Food
• Transportation
• Land management
• Biodiversity
• Building Construction

Waste Management

1. We endeavour to minimise waste generation through reduce, reuse and recycle.
2. We utilise contract recycling services.
3. We work to minimise food waste in our kitchens and we compost any remaining food waste.

Energy

1. We contract a green energy company
2. We endeavour to minimise energy usage by turning off lights, heaters, appliances when not in use
3. We purchase low energy equipment
4. We keep doors and windows closed to avoid unnecessary heat loss when cold
5. We utilise heating controls to avoid unnecessary energy consumption
6. We use more sustainable heating fuels including woodchip and logs
7. We have installed solar PV panels on the estate

Water

1. The estate utilises it’s own water supply as much as possible
2. We minimise wastage of water
3. We do not use harmful chemicals and we do not put them down the drains

Purchasing

1. Use only biodegradable (eco) cleaning products.
2. Buy fair trade and organic if possible.
3. Where possible buy least packaging or re-useable (milk bottles, bulk buying etc.)
4. Purchase recycled paper and ink cartridges
5. Minimise printing and laminating
6. Utilise e-communications where possible
7. We contract an eco-friendly laundry company

Food

1. Operate vegetarian kitchens
2. Use estate produced food for courses, meetings, and at all opportunities possible, and ensure guests are aware the produce is grown on the estate.
3. Use local, seasonal (unsprayed if available) to supplement.

Transportation

1. Encourage guests to travel by train or bus
2. Maintain and encourage use of the cycle path from Totnes
3. Provide bus or taxi transport for volunteers

Land Management

1. We have converted all farmland to registered organic status
2. Our tenants pursue extensive grazing
3. We are Rewilding the estate to make space for nature
4. Do not allow GM crops to be grown
5. We do not use pesticides or herbicides
6. We plant Trees where possible
7. We protect the historic landscape
8. We use peat free compost

Biodiversity

1. We manage the estate to promote biodiversity
2. We have increased the area of land managed for rewilding
3. We do not allow practices harmful to wildlife including hunting and or badger culling
4. We plant trees where possible

Building Construction

1. We maximise the energy efficiency of buildings
2. We try to utilise more sustainable building materials
3. We do not use uncertified timber or tropical hardwoods