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| Environment |
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Being a family ran local organisation we are more than aware of
our responsibilities when it comes to what we do and how
if effects the local environment.
Since moving to Heathfield we have made a
number of environmentally conscious decisions and introduced
a number of policies or initiatives, these include: |
1. Recycling Banks
2. Biofuel
3. Sourcing green
furniture
4. Waste packaging
management
5.
Lighting
6.
Water
7.
Re-using furniture
8.
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Recycling Banks
– We have recently took receipt of four recycling
banks within our car park – for the recycling of paper,
plastic, glass & cans – with a textiles bank to
follow.
According to Teignbridge District Council there is a “massive
demand throughout the Heathfield and surrounding areas for
recycling facilities” but they were struggling to
find a site to home their banks which is where we were happy
to get involved.
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Biofuel
– For over a year now we have been running our fleet
of vehicles on biofuel - produced using recycled waste vegetable
oil. |
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| Sourcing
Green Furniture – We stock a number of ranges
of furniture which carry either EFC or FSC certification -
demonstrating that the timber used in the furniture’s
manufacture has been sourced from well managed forests. |
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Packaging
Waste – In early 2007 we invested in a plastics
bailer & polystyrene compactor to eliminate sending packaging
waste to landfill. We also have our cardboard collected by
a Licensed Waste Management Company.
As a company we have always removed all packaging from
our customers homes to again prevent any of the packaging
waste we produce, ending up in landfill.
We have taken this one step further with our polystyrene
waste and are currently awaiting our first batch of picnic
tables which are made of over 90% recycled products including
the polystyrene waste which we produce. |
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Lighting
– in 2006 we replaced nearly 500 light bulbs (approx
95% of our showroom) throughout the store – converting
them from 50 watt to 9 watt bulbs. |
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Water
– Customer toilets have been upgraded to 6 litre WC
cisterns, and taps have been fitted with pressure reducers
to minimise the amount of water used. |
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Re-Using
Furniture – We have teamed up with a local
organisation, Refurnish to offer our customers the opportunity
to re-use their old furniture, electrical equipment and
white goods. |
The
initiatives we have put into practice were recognised in
2007 when we were nominated as finalists for the Devon Environmental
Business Initiative (DEBI) Award - Low Carbon Footprint
category. |
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| Car Sharing – Not only do we promote car sharing within Prestige, we also are happy for members of the public to meet at Prestige and leave a car here, enabling them to car share. |
Useful links • Teignbridge District Council Rubbish
& Recycling http://www.teignbridge.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=548
• greenearth biodiesel
http://www.chipfatfuels.co.uk/
• Bovey Climate Action is a Devon
community group to educate, encourage and enable local people
to combat climate change.
http://www.boveyclimateaction.org.uk/
• Ecofurn – manufacturer of
furniture who have EFC certification that the timber sourced
in the for the manufacture of their products comes from
well managed forests. Ecofurn – also donate 10% of
profits to Tree Aid.
http://www.ecofurn.co.uk/
http://www.treeaid.org.uk/ |
