Toilet roll Whilst using these tools , we found out this amazing fact ….. you can actually buy toilet roll that is made in the UK out of the waste paper that you put in your recycling bins . This means that no trees are cut down specifically to make this product . And as it ’ s made in the UK , it also has a lower carbon footprint than other manufacturers toilet roll .
Of all the changes we have made along the way , this is my favourite . It was such a simple change to make and yet , it feels like you make such a big difference . If you only take away one thing with you today , please try this .
Shop Counter & Sign Our shop counter was made by a local carpenter out of scrap material he found lying around his home . It was made to our specification and we are really proud of how it has turned out . He even finished it with a burnt wood finish to match our reclaimed crate shelving .
For our shop sign , we really didn ’ t want to use plastic or vinyl if at all possible . We were looking at using wood or maybe cork . However , when working with the local signwriter , he pointed out whilst measuring up that there was an existing sign board in the mount and that it had already been printed on one side with the previous occupant ’ s details . It suddenly didn ’ t make any sense to remove this board and dump it in landfill , so we worked with the signwriter to see if it was possible to print on the reverse . This is not ideal as the finish isn ’ t perfect and we have had a few bubbles in the printing that have needed to be repaired . However , you can ’ t really see these from afar and we feel better knowing we have used this particular piece of plastic as much as is possible .
Team Work As part of our Green Tourism journey , we had to demonstrate how we worked with other organisations to combine our environmental efforts . This was easy as we love getting involved in projects and causes , especially if they involve diving ! Arran Coast – for several years we have worked with Arran Coast to facilitate seabed surveys in the No Take Zone and Marine Protected Areas ( MPA ’ s ) around Arran . Seasearch – We work with Seasearch carrying out seabed and marine life surveys of all our dive sites to monitor changes . Marine Conservation Society ( MCS ) & Argyll Beach Cleanups – We arrange informal and formal ( recorded ) beach cleans in Dunoon and
Arran Coast MPA & NTZ Scallop Surveys
surrounding beaches . Jason set up a Facebook group soon after moving to Dunoon which encourages people to go out and clean sections of beach . This has been highly popular with over 330 members who regularly post photos of all the rubbish they have cleaned up . Ghost Fishing UK – This is my proudest team work event to date . We alerted Ghost Fishing UK to a large amount of lost fishing gear on one of the shipwrecks in the Clyde . The issue with this is not only the damage this causes to historic wrecks but lost fishing gear can trap marine life and leave plastic in the sea . On this occasion , the team retrieved several lobster pots and rope which was in a good enough condition to be reused . We were able to give it back to one of the local fishing boats so they could reuse it all . This saves their company money and saves the gear from going to landfill .
Awards After a long interview with the Green Tourism team , we were delighted to be awarded a Silver Green Tourism Award . This does mean we still have some work to do to reach Gold , but we are determined to get there . The knowledge and awareness we have gained from the award scheme has been invaluable in changing our business for the better .
As part of the journey , we also picked up a number of other awards and accreditations . WiSe ( Wildlife Safe Scheme ) – we completed this course about minimising disturbance to wildlife whilst out on the water . This course provided us with a better understanding of the different species we encounter , allowing us to be able to identify and understand their behaviours . Marine Conservation Society – We were awarded a Sea Champions large beach cleaning kit to encourage Dunoon to carry out more beach cleaning activities . And to prove that being a good customer focused business does not need to conflict with being a business good to the environment , for the third year running , we have been awarded the TripAdvisor Traveller ’ s Choice Award .
This shows that our customers are onboard with our mission , and we are grateful to all of them for helping us through this journey . We are always keen to hear feedback on things we can do better or for suggestions on alternative products , so please get in touch .
! www . wreckspeditions . com / environmental-policy e info @ wreckspeditions . com
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