12 Steps to a more Sustainable Holiday
Below are the 12 key steps from our Climate Change Impact Plan - an actionable strategy designed to minimize the environmental impact of our business activities and ensure ongoing sustainability of the Old Coach House, Nettlebridge.
Our Commitment:
We are dedicated to creating a holiday experience that is as kind to the planet as it is relaxing for our guests. By implementing and continuously improving this plan, we aim to lead by example and contribute positively to the fight against climate change.1. Electricity Tariff
In November 2023, we switched energy suppliers to Octopus Energy, who are one of Europe's largest investors in renewable power.
They are transparent about all their operational procedures (from man power to generating power) and have won several important awards within their industry.
You can read more about them here (takes you to an external site)
✅ As of April 2024, we had saved 77kg of CO2 emissions, which is as much as 39 trees absorb in a year!
✅ By November 2024, we have saved 425Kg of CO2 emissions.
2. Energy Consumption
✅ Our external lighting is either solar powered, or motion sensor
✅ We now check before buying, that appliances we have provided are as energy efficient as possible. Our shower, dishwasher and washing machine all have 'eco' settings, allowing guests to help us save water and energy.
✅The appliances are checked on every changeover and externally PAT tested every year to ensure they are still safe to use and working to optimal efficiency.
✅ Our gas boiler, providing heating and hot water, is part of the Vaillant ecoTec range, and is regularly maintained and serviced to ensure it continues to work in a highly efficient manner.
✅ When we converted the OCH, we insulated the property with ecocork lime plaster. This, combined with our slimline double glazed windows ensures the minimal amount of heat is required to maintain a warm and cosy environment for our guests.
✅ We monitor energy use with regular meter readings and are able to spot unusual surges in power consumption.
3. Sustainable transport
✅ We provide clear instructions and an annotated map in our digital guidebook to show the safest route to and from our nearest bus stop.
✅ As a community here in Nettlebridge, we are continually campaigning to have our bus stop reinstated.
✅ We provide secure bicycle storage facilities - and a bicycle first aid kit to aid guests who want to cycle once they are here. Our digital guidebook also contains links to local cycle routes and local bicycle hire shops to promote eco-friendly exploration of the local area
✅ Our guide book also contains walking routes from the cottage around the local area, along with a map of the best places to spot the local wildlife.
✅ We have analysed our own business mileage and now combine Coach House business trips with other journeys in order to reduce our transport emissions.
4. Water Use
✅ When we converted the building, we installed dual-flush toilets to reduce water use
✅ We have external water butts in use and use the water from the Old Coach House's roof to irrigate the garden.
✅ Our digital guidebook and sustainable visitor charter contain tips for guests to minimise water wastage.
✅ In November 2024 we retro-fitted an aerated shower head to minimise water and power use, whilst at the same time, boosting shower pressure
5. Website & Website Hosting
We strive to make every aspect of the holiday experience as environmentally friendly as possible.
With this in mind, our website is hosted on certified "Green Servers" and has been independently assessed with a C rating for carbon emissions by Kakadu Creative. We have received recommendations for improvements, primarily related to picture sizing, and are actively working on these to further enhance our website’s sustainability rating.
6. Product & Supplier Selection
✅ We have a digital guide book which we email to guests prior to their stay with details of the best attractions, shops and restaurants in the locality. We will also be highlighting eco-friendly destinations over the coming year.
✅ All of our remaining purchases for the business are made from UK companies wherever possible, especially those whose ethos aligns with our own
7. Waste & Recycling
✅ We provide our guests with clearly marked recycling bins for use during their stay.
✅ We have partnered with local waste management company, JWitt - who have a zero to landfill policy, to remove all our rubbish and recycling from site.
✅ We reduce our reliance on single use plastics by using refillable bottles of cleaning products and handwash refills.
✅ We also leave reusable lidded tubs for guests to store food in / take for picnics and have a drawer full of reusable shopping bags for guests to use during their stay.
8. Sustainable Grounds Management
✅ We avoid the use of any chemical fertilizers or pesticides throughout our land and gardens
✅ We use compost bins on a 3-year rotation cycle combined with llama beans (poo) to create all our own natural fertilizers
9. Carbon Footprint
We have lodged our data with the Carbon Data Initiative as a form of accountability and increased transparency. We will then revisit the figures every year in order to ensure we are making effective changes to the way we carry out our business. We are also following their guidelines in order to fully compensate for our carbon emissions through recognised and approved programmes in our bid to be able to offer fully carbon neutral holidays!
10. Carbon Offsetting
We also chose to officially offset 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide through verified Gold Standard Cookstoves and Clean Water Community Projects in deprived areas of the world. These carbon offsetting projects have not only all been verified to a Gold Standard for carbon offsetting, but they also provide additional benefits such as biodiversity, education, jobs, food security, clean drinking water and heath & well-being within the communities that they are helping.
In 2024, the projects that we supported were the: Zambia Western Province Safe Water Project; Eritrea Community Boreholes; Up Energy Improved Cookstoves Programme, Uganda – CPA No 002 and African Biomass Energy Conservation Poa Malawi Biomass Conservation
Further information about these projects can be found here (opens in a new window).
On a local level, I regularly volunteer in the neighbouring nature reserves, planting young trees, helping improve the biodiversity and helping limit the spread of non-native invasive species found throughout the sites.
11. Monitoring and Continuous Improvement
We will continually monitor our progress and make ongoing improvements to ensure that this climate action plan remains effective.
We aim to do this by:
✔ Regularly reviewing our energy, water and waste management practices to identify any opportunities for improvement
✔ Setting measurable goals to track our progress, so that we can adjust our strategies as required
✔ Keep ourselves updated with newly emerging ideas in order to incorporate the most effective and eco-friendly strategies and technologies into our business model
12. Communicating our Achievements
Moving forwards we will be inviting feedback from guests to improve our eco-friendly initiatives.