Green Thinking - Reducing Waste
22 April 2020
Our commitment to sustainability is far reaching and we are implementing changes across the business.
Something as simple as reducing the amount we print in our offices will over the course of a year, have a positive impact on our use of resources. We have therefore introduced ‘FollowMe Printing’. The system allows us to see how much we are printing in house at Phyllis Court and cleverly demonstrates how many resources we have used in the process. With these useful analytics we hope to reduce the reliance of paper and reduce the carbon footprint of our administration in the process.
In the kitchen we have been recycling food for over 15 years and it is turned into biogas. Not only does this mean we can reduce the amount of food waste and other organic materials being sent to landfill, it is also a renewable energy source. When organic matter, such as food waste biodegrades under anaerobic conditions, methane is produced, and this gas is a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. In a biogas system this methane is not released into the atmosphere, it is instead burnt and converted to CO2, which would end up in the atmosphere anyway through natural degradation, so biogas has zero net emissions.
Recycling has become common place in society now but there are some items that remain difficult to recycle and ultimately end up in landfill or our waterways. We are committed to overcoming the challenge of difficult to recycle items, by replacing them with environmentally friendly alternatives or finding a company that can recycle these items.
Through the #20percentless campaign, we are part of a collective in the hospitality industry, working together to lobby our supply chains to make changes and meet our pledge. We are also empowering our staff to put pressure on their suppliers to change the way items are packaged. Where we can we seek sustainable and locally soured items, and we are therefore will introduce a range of sustainable merchandise. These quality products will be made from materials that are produced in an eco-friendly way such as umbrellas made of recycled plastic bottles, notebooks made of apple peel, and phone chargers encased in bamboo.
If you have any ideas about how Phyllis Court may become more environmentally friendly, we’d love to hear them! Ideas should be sent to lucinda.mitchell@phylliscourt.co.uk.