Being Green and Sourcing Locally
There is increasing motivation - both moral and commercial - to become greener and source locally.
Explore the links below to find out how being green and sourcing locally can save you money, win new customers, give you a competitive edge and help you make a positive contribution to the economy.
Being Green & Local
Why go green and local? What are the benefits to your business.
Green Case Studies
Be inspired and impressed by what other North East Tourism Businesses are doing.
Green Checklist
Taking some steps is far better than taking none at all. Use our simple checklist to get your business moving in the right direction.
Saving Energy
Saving energy can dramatically cut your operating costs, as well as reduce your carbon footprint. Find out how to identify and put into place energy cuts right across your business.
Saving Water
Find out why saving water is important in this country, and how to measure your usage and make cuts.
Reducing and Recycling Waste
Reducing what we send to landfill - and what happens to what we do send - is an increasing concern for us all. Find out your waste obligations, investigate your options and find practical tips.
Greener Purchasing
One of the biggest ways we can influence pollution and the impact on the environment of manufacturing is how we spend our money. By purchasing greener products, made ethically and, wherever possible, locally, we influence the effect of suppliers on the the environment and the quality of life of base producers.
Local Food & Drink
Lindisfarne oysters, rare breed sausages, blue potatoes and 60 different types of chili... What could be on your menu? Find out how using local food and drink can boost your business and your local economy.
Encouraging Wildlife & Nature Based Tourism
Encouraging wildlife and greener gardening practices not only affects the diversity and quality of your immediate environment, but can also help you attract and win new customers.
Green Tourism Business Scheme
The well respected GBTS is more than ten years old. 1400 tourism businesses across the UK can't be wrong. Find out what the scheme can do for you.
David Bellamy Conservation Awards
These high profile awards are specifically geared towards holiday parks and camp sites.
Getting Help
Find the best websites, resources and organisations to help you get further information on green topics and legislation.
Quick Links
- Go to the Green Tourism Business Scheme website
- Use Business Link's environmental compliance tool
- Find business advice on the Envirowise website
- Find environmental regulations for tourism businesses on the NetRegs website
- Find out more about local food at the Local Food Works website
- Visit Northumbria Larder for regional food ideas
- Local Produce Case Study - Grindon Cartshed
- 153 Kb
Local Produce Case Study - Grindon Cartshed have a passionate commitment to the environment and are particularly strong on supplying local produce, cutting out food miles and the middle man, supporting the local economy and introducing guests to a real taste of the North East
- Greener Purchasing Case Study – Polemonium
- 216 Kb
Greener Purchasing Case Study – Polemonium Plantery is a GOLD winner. This case study focuses on their outstanding commitment to local sourcing, particularly of local organic milk delivered in re-usable glass bottles
- Buyers Invite to Greener Suppliers event
- 236 Kb
Invite for buyers who wish to attend the Meet the Buyers greener purchasing event at Wetherby Racecourse, Leeds, July 2nd 2008.
- Green Gardening Case Study - Birkheads Secret Garden
- 135 Kb
Green Gardening Case Study - Birkheads Secret Garden hold a Silver Award. The owner is a qualified garden designer and many different techniques have been employed in the garden to minimise the impact the operations are having on the environment.
- Composting Case Study – Simonburn Tearooms
- 177 Kb
Composting Case Study – Simonburn Tearooms have earned a Silver Award having reduced their general waste by 90% following the introduction of a three bin recycling system.
- Hotel Case Study – Dustanburgh Castle Hotel
- 179 Kb
Hotel Case Study – Dustanburgh Castle Hotel is a GOLD award winner for their overall excellent green measures.
- Combined Heat & Power Case Study – Gisborough Hall
- 111 Kb
Combined Heat & Power Case Study – Gisborough Hall have a range of energy conservation measures and a Combined Heat and Power System which is up to 85% efficient which together have earned them a Silver Award.
- Marketing Case Study - Wansbeck Caravan Park
- 153 Kb
Marketing Case Study - Wansbeck Caravan Park has attained a bronze award through a range of basic environmental measures and particularly through good communication with customers.
- Re-use Case Study – Ninebanks Youth Hostel
- 144 Kb
Re-use Case Study – Ninebanks Youth Hostel has gained a Gold Award for their excellent environmental practices. They are particularly strong on re-use: their extension was built from reclaimed stone, one set of their tables and chairs came from the national gallery and even their curtain have been reclaimed.
- Biodiversity Case Study – East Briscoe Farm Cottages
- 138 Kb
Biodiversity Case Study – East Briscoe Farm Cottages have won a Gold Award for their biodiversity. These self-catering cottages have a strong focus on managing their woodland and surrounding grounds with a sensitivity towards the flora and fauna.
- Self-catering Case Study – Springhill Farm Cottages
- 166 Kb
Self-catering Case Study – Springhill Farm Cottages has won a Silver Award through a range of green methods - including a reed bed waster water system.
- Composting Case Study – Newt Cottage
- 144 Kb
Composting Case Study – Newt Cottage have earned a Gold Award for features including the use of sheeps wool insulation, use of eco paints, a heat pump, solar panels, use of green energy tariffs and low energy lighting. The owners supply homegrown organic produce, use fair trade items, recycled products recycling facilities such as composting systems as well as provide excellent walking and wildlife information. One of the most novel features in the development is the option to use a COMPOST TOILET.
- Greener Purchasing Case Study – West Coates BB
- 400 Kb
Greener Purchasing Case Study – West Coates Bed and Breakfast is a GOLD winner for their overall excellent environmental practices. Not only is local sourcing a key part of their green strategy but local producers are promoted on their breakfasts menus and the proprietor gives cookery lessons to promote local ingredients and local dishes.
- Energy Saving Lighting Case Study – Haggerston Castle
- 129 Kb
Energy Saving Lighting Case Study – Haggerston Castle have earned a Silver Award having replaced the light bulbs in their main entertainment complex with energy saving units which will save around £600 of electricity per year.
- Greener Purchasing Case Study – Killhope
- 175 Kb
Greener Purchasing Case Study – Killhope Lead Mining Museum is a GOLD award winner. They have an excellent overall range of measures but the case study focusses particularly on their green purchasing strategy for the museum shop which includes a wide range of ethically sourced and recycled products.
- Pub Case Study - Twice Brewed Inn
- 157 Kb
Pub Case Study - Twice Brewed Inn has won a Silver Award for a range of measure which include local produce, recycling, environmental cleaning, a display case for local artists and planting hundreds of trees in a ten acre plot.
- Guest Information Case Study - Pasture Cottage
- 134 Kb
Guest Information Case Study - Pasture Cottage is a Silver Award winner for overall very good measures. It scored well across the whole GTBS scheme and provides particularly good wildlife information for guests.
- Green Building Case Study – County Durham Tourism Partnership
- 131 Kb
Green Building Case Study – County Durham Tourism Partnership have won a Gold Award for the construction of their new offices. Features include rammed earth construction, wood pellet fed biomass boilers and rainwater collection for toilet flushing and irrigating the buildings sedum roof.
- Envirowise Factsheet - Managing Oils, Fats and Grease
- 1000 Kb
A factsheet from Envirowise. This PDF Factsheet looks at how to better manage oils, fats and grease to save costs and reduce your impact on the environment.
- Self-catering Case Study - Durham Cottages
- 161 Kb
Self-catering Case Study - Durham Cottage has won a Bronze Award for their overall green approach which includes recycling, green housekeeping and maintenance and excellent guest information on walking and cycling.
- Insulation Case Study – Boot and Shoe Cottage
- 151 Kb
Insulation Case Study – Boot and Shoe Cottage have a Silver Award through a range of good environmental practices which include sheeps wool loft insulation.
- Green Business Case Study - Northumberland Cottages
- 178 Kb
Green Business Case Study - Northumberland Cottages are a letting agency who are aiming to become a Green Business. The business may join the GTBS through a stepping stone approach known as Going Green “Committed to the GTBS”
- Green Business Case Study - Firwood
- 176 Kb
Green Business Case Study - Firwood has achieved a Green Tourism Business Scheme Silver award through general good practice in most areas, with particular focus on energy, water and waste.
- Special Diets Case Study - The Byre Vegetarian B+B
- 147 Kb
Special Diets Case Study - The Byre Vegetarian B+B is an all round green B&B, serving only vegetarian food. There is a sound environmental principle behind vegetarianism - meat production requires significantly more land area per product.
- Suppliers Invite to Greener Buyers Event
- 350 Kb
Suppliers invite to greener purchasing event held at Wetherby Racecourse 2nd July 2008
- Car Free Case Study – Argument Cottage
- 127 Kb
Car Free Case Study – Argument Cottage have won a Silver Award. The owners have excelled in providing the resources to allow their guests to give the car a holiday. They have produced an 8 day itinerary of suggestions that provide details of interesting places to visit in the local area.
- North East Farmers' Markets
- 81 Kb
A PDF factsheet of the dates of Farmers' Markets throughout North East England
- Light Pollution Case Study – Border Forest Caravan Park
- 157 Kb
Light Pollution Case Study – Border Forest Caravan Park is on the edge of the Kielder Forest. As a large rural park they were very aware of the effect their external lighting was having on the local night sky. Their efforts to shade lights and reduce light pollution has won them a Silver Award.
- Renewable Energy Case Study – Whitelee Cottages
- 173 Kb
Renewable Energy Case Study – Whitelee Cottages have won a Silver award for their outstanding use of renewable energy. They have a 2.5kw wind turbine, solar water heating, solar photovoltaic panels and two ground source heat pumps.
- Green Building Case Study – The Hytte
- 163 Kb
Green Building Case Study – The Hytte has won a Gold Award. It is a luxury norwegian inspired log construction with a turf roof and ground source heat pump.
- Wildlife Case Study – Old School B&B
- 141 Kb
Wildlife Case Study – Old School B&B has won awards in the Winner of the North East B&B of the year as well as a Gold Award winner in the Green Tourism Business Scheme - for its Hedgehog Hospital.
- Biomass Case Study – Strathmore Barns Woodchip
- 168 Kb
Biomass Case Study – Strathmore Barns have won a Silver Award for good practice including a 100kw woodchip boiler powering 51 radiators and 9 bathrooms which runs on waste from a local kitchen manufacturer.
- Appliances Case Study – West Longridge Cottages
- 137 Kb
Appliances Case Study – West Longridge Cottages
- Ground Source Heat Pump Case Study – Deneholme
- 143 Kb
Ground Source Heat Pump Case Study – Deneholme use solar water heating, solar panels and a 37kw ground source heat pump to heat the Edwardian mansion. Other measures include a rainwater harversting system for flushing the toilets.
- Eco-Products Case Study – Low Urpeth
- 146 Kb
Eco-Products Case Study – Low Urpeth have earned a Silver Award having introduced a range of eco-cleaning materials and water saving systems.
- Habitat Case Study – Low Cornriggs
- 171 Kb
Habitat Case Study – Low Cornriggs self catering is a Silver Award winner. The farm is managed in a traditional way and there are parts which are designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. These are species rich upland hay meadows and the business is involved with the AONB Hay Time project. They are working closely with the AONB to ensure the preservation and enhancement of this rare habitat.
- B&B Case Study - Saughy Rigg
- 165 Kb
B&B Case Study - Saughy Rigg. How one B&B earned a Silver Award through extensive use of renewables (solar, ground source and biomass) and good use of local produce.
- Envirowise Factsheet - Drinks Service, Reduce Waste and Costs
- 398 Kb
A factsheet from Envirowise. This PDF Factsheet looks at how to better manage waste, water, energy and materials in bars, nightclubs and other premises serving drinks to save costs and reduce your impact on the environment.
- Envirowise Factsheet - General Hospitality Factsheet
- 524 Kb
Envirowise Factsheet for general managers and hotel receptionists that provides advice on improving resource efficiency and minimising waste.
- Solar Hot Water Case Study – 8 St Aidens Park
- 140 Kb
Solar Hot Water Case Study – 8 St Aidens Park has installed solar thermal to generate hot water for their 4 diamond bed and breakfast.
Green & Local
- New Food and Drink Waste Training for Staff at All Levels (09/26/2008)
- North East Ice Cream Producer wins UK Fortnum and Mason Supreme Champion Award (09/19/2008)
- Sales Can Be Up As Much As 34% During British Food Fortnight 20 Sept - 5 Oct (09/10/2008)
- New Opportunities for Meat Producers (06/10/2008)
- New Fund to Help Businesses Go Green (06/09/2008)
- Calling All Food Producers (06/09/2008)
Green & Local RSS News Feed
Features and Articles
Training & Skills
Developing your staff's skills and approach will pay huge dividends to your business - and to your staff themselves.
Using Research
Who comes here? Why? Where are they from? What do they want? How long do they stay? What tourism businesses are already here? How busy are they?
Who's Who in Tourism
Who's out there to help you and what they do