Sustainability and social responsibility policy
At Larkbeare Grange we are committed to working in a sustainable way. We are undertaking the following actions in order to achieve this.
We comply with the requirements of environmental legislation and approved codes of practice to:
· Continuously seek to improve our environmental and social performance.
· Conserve energy – reduce energy by switching off lights and closing windows if heating is on. We only heat areas which are being used; we use low energy bulbs where appropriate; we have a wood burner in the guests’ sitting room. We have a 60kW biomass boiler which provides all our heating and domestic hot water needs. We generate electricity by a 4KWp photovoltaic array on our barn. The Energy Saving Trust provides information on what you can do at home.
· Shop locally – including our village community shop and Post Office. We are fortunate to have some fantastic producers of food, drink, arts and crafts in our region. Ask us about local markets and regional organic produce.
· Reduce, reuse, recycle – we reduce wastage to a minimum and recycle to the maximum. We will gladly accept all your recyclable waste and we compost all kitchen and garden waste.
· Use water wisely - we line dry all our laundry, except towels. Our machines are AAA rated and we buy non-phosphate cleaning materials from Green My Business. We have a private supply for use in the garden. Please help by turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, not overfilling the kettle and support our towel policy.
· Provide facilities and information for walkers and cyclists – we have two ‘Specialized’ bicycles for guests to use, free of charge. We have a selection of maps and routes for walkers and cyclists. Secure bicycle storage is available on site. For information on hiring bicycles in Exeter, see Devon County Council.
· Treat sewage without chemicals; we have our own Bio-system which discharges clean water into the ditch at the bottom of our field. We plant trees every year to help offset carbon emissions and support The Tale Valley Trust.
· Provide a 7kW Pod Point for charging your electric car. Give the car a rest; combine journeys and car share. Leave the car behind, if only for a day; walk, cycle or use public transport.
These are a sample of the steps we undertake to minimise damage to the planet. They are taken from more than 120 measures which make up qualifying membership of Green Tourism.
Most importantly have a great time when you are here – we’d like you to come back!