{"id":31241,"date":"2025-01-14T16:35:51","date_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:35:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.green-tourism.com\/?p=31241"},"modified":"2025-01-14T16:35:51","modified_gmt":"2025-01-14T16:35:51","slug":"9-ways-to-boost-sustainability-into-your-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.green-tourism.com\/2025\/01\/14\/9-ways-to-boost-sustainability-into-your-business\/","title":{"rendered":"9 ways to boost sustainability into your business"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Person<\/p>\n

Small measures can combine to have a great effect on your sustainability. You might be tempted to believe that smaller businesses can\u2019t make that big a difference but is worth noting that 80% of the tourism industry is made up of small or micro businesses so, combined, they can have a huge effect on the sustainability of the sector as a whole. In this blog we\u2019ll look at a range of areas where you can improve your overall sustainability. You may already be doing some of these things already but you\u2019ll find plenty more inspiration from the members\u2019 Green Stories and Case Studies<\/a> on our website.<\/p>\n

1 Putting the circular economy at the heart of your thinking<\/h2>\n

In its simplest terms, this means ensuring that everything you use in your business can be kept in use perpetually. So, anything you procure should be able to be repaired, reused or recycled indefinitely.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take bed linen as an example. Whereas 100% cotton sheets are fully recyclable, it is effectively impossible to recycle polycotton blends. Of course, cotton has sustainability issues of its own and requires a lot of water for cultivation so, if you can\u2019t find recycled cotton options you might want to consider other biodegradable options such as bamboo or linen. The important thing is that you know that there is an environmentally positive outcome at the end of every product\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

2 Say goodbye to single use plastics<\/h2>\n

Many of you will already have dispensed with the little complimentary plastic shampoo and shower gel containers, once ubiquitous in hotel bathrooms but could you go further? Buying in bulk and using refillable containers for cleaning products is a simple and effective way to begin to eradicate single use plastic waste.<\/p>\n

3 Go with the flow<\/h2>\n

A recent survey of America\u2019s National Parks revealed that 80% of the litter was single use plastic. Providing water stations and supplying reusable water bottles is a great way to avoid the risk of litter and reassure guests that you are committed to sustainability. Aluminium water bottles are reusable and 100% recyclable at the end of life. They are also a great branding opportunity for you or for a chance for local charities to sell bottles to visitors for a good cause.<\/p>\n

4 Brand new second hand<\/h2>\n

Reusing things is a key part of any Circular Economy model. Things like antique or vintage furniture are a classic example. They are typically made of wood, so they are a carbon store in their own right, and they are often cheaper, better built and more interesting than newly made alternatives. If you want to create your own style, upcycling furniture items can be extremely rewarding and create a unique, bespoke feel. And it doesn\u2019t just have to be furniture \u2013 we know of one enterprising caf\u00e9 which repurposed old jumpers to create new cushion covers.<\/p>\n

5 Go loco for local<\/h2>\n

More and more businesses are ensuring that they use local suppliers wherever possible. This reduces carbon miles, but it also helps support local businesses and the community around you – all factors in your sustainability performance. Knowing something is from just down the road will resonate with visitors, conscious of their carbon footprint and seeking a more authentic local experience. If you run a self-catering accommodation business, what could be more welcoming than a curated selection of local delicacies or local artisan beverages. It all adds to the uniqueness of your destination.<\/p>\n

6 Decarbonising your destination<\/h2>\n

Travel to tourism destinations is always going to be the single biggest carbon impact your business faces but one simple way to get this down is providing EV charging for visitors. In 2024, over 16% of new car registrations were purely electric and the UK has the goal of raising that figure to 100% by 2035. This doesn\u2019t have to be a major cost, as many regions and electricity suppliers will either fund or part-fund EV charging point installation. With range anxiety being the biggest worry for EV drivers, the knowledge that they can recharge at your destination will help them sleep easier and make yours a more attractive proposition. Coupled to a solar array, and deploying batteries to store off-peak renewable electricity, your charging station could also help generate additional income for your business.<\/p>\n

7 Get active with active travel<\/h2>\n

Tourists concerned about their carbon footprint will naturally seek out active travel options during their stay with you. As well as providing visitors with detailed information on getting to your destination using public transport (and offering EV transfers if you are in a remote location), part of your decarbonisation strategy should be to promote active travel during their stay with you. You can detail the best walking routes through the area on your website and many of our members have a supply of umbrellas to lend or hire to guests. Another popular option is to supply visitors with rental bikes and e-bikes to explore the area. Specialist charging points will also act as a draw to tourists bringing their own e-bikes.<\/p>\n

8 Add nectar to your menu<\/h2>\n

Planting bee-friendly plant species is a great way to attract and increase the number of pollinators to your local environment. They, in-turn, will draw other species to the area. And being in the city needn\u2019t restrain you – one of our members is a leading Edinburgh visitor attraction and their window boxes were planted with wildflowers to help create a nature corridor through the heart of the city.<\/p>\n

9 Expand your accommodation for non-paying guests<\/h2>\n

Bug hotels are a great way to enhance the habitat options for invertebrates in your area and are easy to introduce in even the most urban environments. If you are in a more rural setting, you could be more ambitious and create habitats for larger species such as bats, hedgehogs and birds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Small measures can combine to have a great effect on your sustainability. You might be tempted to believe that smaller businesses can\u2019t make that big a difference but is worth noting that 80% of the tourism industry is made up of small or micro businesses so, combined, they can have a huge effect on the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":31242,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31241","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blogs"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n9 ways to boost sustainability into your business - Green Tourism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.green-tourism.com\/2025\/01\/14\/9-ways-to-boost-sustainability-into-your-business\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"9 ways to boost sustainability into your business - Green Tourism\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Small measures can combine to have a great effect on your sustainability. 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