Creating a plastic free environment – How we are doing our bit

Creating a plastic free environment – How we are doing our bit 

Plastic free July – be part of the solution

The movement of plastic free July has inspired around 326 million participants in 177 countries to remove single-use plastics from their daily life. Actively going plastic free is a wonderful way to find alternatives for plastic packaging that you may never have previously considered. For instance, check out the beeswax wraps, a great alternative to plastic cling film, available in The Caff in the Courtyard.

Combe Grove is low impact

At Combe Grove we source thoughtfully. We choose products that are as environmentally friendly as possible or with limited packaging. We think about how you can achieve this in our everyday actions and want to help our community in making small changes that make a big difference. We will not stock single-use products and only stock long lasting quality brands. Feel free to browse the items that we have included in The Shop in The Caff in the Courtyard. 

How are we doing our bit?

 Our beverage cups are compostable

In our mission towards creating a plastic free environment, the cups that are used in The Caff in the Courtyard are supplied by Vegware and are commercially compostable.

What is the difference between biodegradable, compostable and recyclable? 

Biodegradable – This packaging breaks down into the ground, by a natural process.

Compostable – This type of material also breaks down but also adds nutrients into the soil, which enriches it. Compostable items have also been certified to break down completely into non-toxic components.

Recyclable – Recyclable materials can be broken down and then repurposed so that it can be used again.

We offer a 10p discount on drinks in The Caff if you bring a reusable cup

We also encourage people to bring their own reusable cups. Launching this week, we are offering a 10p discount on every beverage, if you bring your own reusable cup. If you don’t yet own a reusable cup, Huskups can be bought from The Caff in the Courtyard. Huskups are made from a natural waste by a biodegradable, renewable, and sustainable resource, rice husk. They are made with no melamine, no plastic, no BPA, and no toxins. They are wonderfully stain-resistant and both microwave and dishwasher friendly.

We are excited to offer you this discount, to encourage an even more sustainable Combe Grove.

We reuse coffee grounds

At Combe Grove we aim to reuse and reduce waste as much as we can as part of our sustainability ethos. Coffee grounds, a by-product from The Caff, contain several key nutrients required for healthy plant growth and are a highly beneficial fertiliser that provide organic matter to your garden, improving drainage and water retention. Pick up some coffee grounds next time you are passing through The Caff in the Courtyard and watch your garden flourish.

Our gym equipment powers back to the grid

Our newly refurbished, innovative gym is appointed with British-made equipment that has all been chosen for its sustainability and eco-credentials in support of our wider sustainability ambitions to become net zero. Free weights and weighted equipment use British Steel and the cardio equipment repurposes the kinetic energy of the user back to useable energy at Combe Grove.  Every thought has gone into creating a positive and socially responsible environment to benefit both you and the planet.

Free from toxic chemicals

Dovetailing with our work on the land and use of permaculture techniques to guide growing methods, Combe Grove prioritises products that are organic and free from toxic chemicals such as industrial fertilisers and pesticides. This applies to all produce, not just our homegrown food and homemade refreshments.

Ash dieback ground down to create mulch

You may have seen in the news recently that the whole of the UK has been infected by Hymenoscyphus fraxineus aka Ash Dieback. This means that we may lose all our Ash trees akin to the Dutch elm disease where we lost all our English Elms in the UK. Further still, Combe Grove’s dominant canopy species is Ash, so over the next 5 -10 years these will have to be removed leaving large areas of the woodland open. So far, we are only removing the worst affected trees that pose the greatest risk i.e. along roads.

As part of our Ash Dieback policy, we will be replanting to restock the woodland and with species that can host ‘Ash specific species’ so that this habitat is not lost.  Removing trees does disturb habitat, but it also creates new life. When trees fall within woodland when they reach the end of their life or from storms, light can penetrate the woodland floor allowing ‘field layer’ species to flourish and allows for tree and shrub saplings under the former canopy to grow.

The Ash trees will be ground down to create mulch, which will help to improve soil health and lock moisture into the soil. It’s a great shame that we may lose all our Ash trees in the British landscape as it is such an iconic tree much like the Elm was. But it is also an opportunity for other species to take its place and thrive.

We hope that you enjoyed our post on “Creating a plastic free environment – How we are doing our bit”, browse our other Journal posts or learn more about the estate at Combe Grove.