Sustainability Policy

 

We are committed to Sustainable Tourism and are making every effort to create a business with zero negative impact on the environment and our beautiful local area.  We are incredibly lucky to be located right in the heart of the beautiful Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Unesco Biosphere - a UNESCO designated area where we value and protect the world class environment we live in.  We love to tell our guests all about what makes this place so special and magical! We are proud to have been awarded the Biosphere Certification Mark, which recognises exemplars in local sustainable enterprise. Biospheres are the only internationally recognised "badge" for demonstrating excellence in sustainable development.

We are strong supporters of UN Sustainable Development Goals and work towards achieving these as far as possible within our own wee microbusiness!  We want to promote conservation and respect for the environment both locally and further afield think global, act local .  We also want to promote health and wellbeing for our visitors, helping guests connect with nature, the environment and local culture.

Caring for our Planet and Encouraging Wildlife

• We have eliminated all single use plastics from our business.
• We do not use pesticides or weedkillers in our gardens.
• We provide nest boxes for birds in our gardens.
• Dave volunteers with the Southern Upland Way, helping with trail maintenance locally.
• Beth volunteers with Extinction Rebellion, working as part of the UK Talks & Trainings Team.

Supporting Local People, Community and Businesses

• We promote local events, shops, eateries, activities and attractions to guests, both through paper versions in the cottages and links on our website, supporting fellow local businesses.
• We are Proud Supporters of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere.
• We look after the cottages ourselves as our full time job but when we need extra help (for example if we go away) we employ local people from the village to do changeovers for us, and pay a rate above the Living Wage.
• We work with local businesses wherever we can. We buy our wood and heating oil locally, we use local firms for all our cottage plumbing/repairs/maintenance, and we buy our cottage supplies in local shops.
   

Promoting Sustainability

• We promote sustainable tourism, asking guests to turn down heat and turn off lights whenever they go out.
• We recycle our own waste and we promote recycling, asking guests to make use of the recycling bins on the property.
• Where kerbside recycling is not offered (glass and soft plastics) we collect waste from guests and recycle it ourselves.
• We encourage less use of cars by offering suggestions for excellent walking & cycling options, and have created our own map of routes direct from the front door for guests.
• We encourage electric car owners by promoting the electric charging point at Glentrool Hive.
• We inform guests about public transport options to encourage them to visit without a car.
• We provide secure bike storage and bike wash facilities, to encourage our guests to cycle. We can also recommend bike hire for our guests.
• We use refillable dispensers for shower gel, reducing plastic.
• We use Raindrop plastic-free handwash in the cottages.
• We use Neat eco cleaning products in the cottages with refillable aluminium bottles, zero plastic and natural ingredients.
• We operate a paperless booking system and save paperwork as pdfs rather than printing paper copies.
• We provide guests with washable, reusable dishcloths and washable Seep sponges for washing up, eliminating plastics.

Reducing Energy & Water Consumption

• We have installed energy saving LED lighting in our cottages.
• We have invested in new boilers, insulation and double glazing to make our cottages more energy efficient.
• We provide unlimited free logs and kindling, to encourage guests to use the log burner (wood is a carbon neutral energy source) rather than using the oil central heating.
• We have dual flush toilets in our cottages to reduce water consumption.
• We hang our cottage laundry outside to dry whenever weather permits, reducing use of the dryer.
• We have a green towel policy, providing only one large towel per guests unless they request more, to eliminate unnecessary washing.
• All cold water from our taps is drinking water. 
• There is an EV charging point at Glentrool Hive in the village, just 100m from the cottages.