Sustainability

We’re introducing sustainability initiatives – big and small – across the site!

West Midlands Net Zero Business Pledge

Here at Queenswood we have been working hard for several years to reduce our carbon impact. As well as installing the renewable technologies shown below, we have been pro-active about involving all staff in our carbon reduction journey by:

  • Holding monthly sustainability/carbon reduction lunchtime meetings
  • Reducing travel impact by working at home and car sharing
  • Sharing monthly charts of energy use for each building

We have also signed up to the to the WM Net Zero Business Pledge and we’re doing our bit to make the West Midlands net zero by 2041. Why not make your pledge at www.wmca.org.uk/netzeropledge

Renewable technologies

We’ve teamed up with local firm Caplor Energy to install solar panels to generate green energy, solar thermal panels for hot water and a staff electric vehicle charging point.

Gareth Williams, MD at Caplor energy says: “we are very proud to have supported numerous local community based projects over the years. Queenswood project is hugely inspiring and such an asset to the county, we are very pleased to be working with the team on their renewable journey.”

The solar panels are in the yard and the solar thermal hot water system, located on the back of the Old Tannery building which houses the Visitor Centre, heats the water for the washbasins in the toilets and in the upstairs office.

Reducing Single-use Plastic

Drinks bottles are one the most common types of plastic waste. Around a million bottles are sold per minute and approximately 10 million tonnes of plastic currently ends up in the oceans each year. We have installed a water bottle filler in the foyer outside the Visitor Centre so you don’t have to go thirsty!

Inside the gift shop is a new range of eco-friendly products made from recycled materials in an effort to encourage sustainable living.

Queenswood was one of the first places in Herefordshire to recycle crisp packets and with your help we have prevented over 10,000 packets from going into landfill, however, this initiative has come to an end as you can now recycle your crisp packets at most large supermarkets.

Recycling

Reduce, reuse, recycle! Make sure you pop your rubbish in the right slot in our new recycling bin when you visit.

We have also become a drop-off station for the Walkers’ crisp packet recycling scheme; find the box outside the Visitor Centre.

Other Projects

  • There is now an electric vehicle charging point in the staff car par for volunteers and staff to use.
  • In 2018 we hosted a Carbon Trust workshop for businesses wanting to reduce their energy use and we have worked with the Carbon Trust, undertaking their energy audit and inspiring us to implement energy saving initiatives on site wherever possible.
  • In the toilets we have replaced the faulty hand driers with Dyson air-blade driers which have a low energy use and have installed percussion taps, which will help reduce water use on site.
  • We use an energy supplier who supplies energy from 100% renewables.

Our Vision

Our vision for Queenswood and Bodenham Lake is that the sites will increasingly showcase a range of both conservation and sustainability initiatives in practice.

The work of New Leaf on the two sites will be informed by the best in sustainability practice. We aim to develop buildings, energy generation, food outlets, travel links and use of water and waste in such a way that it exemplifies innovation – inspiring visitors to the sites about sustainable lifestyle choices. In particular, we aim to:

Develop the site’s buildings as exemplars of energy efficiency & renewable energy generation.

Develop the unique natural settings of Queenswood and Bodenham Lake as beautiful centres of experiential learning.

Promote a localised food economy.

Create an education & visitors’ centre at Queenswood, which will offer a range of revolving exhibitions and a growing variety of short courses and other educational initiatives

Build on the popularity of Queenswood – working in partnership with others to develop Herefordshire as a green tourist destination and one of the sustainable development centres of the UK

Create a sense of ownership, mutual responsibility and social cohesion around the sites – and around the sustainability principles that they will increasingly exemplify.

Sustainability Policy