Going Green Checklist

1a - Communication & Social

How we interact with society at large has a pivotal role in sustainable tourism. This is largely determined by the way in which you as a business contribute to the wider community. A vital part of this involves good communication. A combination of social involvement and good communication will make sure your business is seen as a contributor to sustainability in the local and wider community. When communicating with customers, be encouraging and positive. Put yourself in the guest’s position, and bear in mind that everyone has a slightly different view on life. Go for clear, targeted messages rather than all encompassing statements.

Please tick all that apply.

1	Have you got an environmental or green policy for your business?
2	Do you encourage your guests and visitors to be more environmentally responsible when on holiday?

1b - Communication & Social

Your Green policy and encouragement of guest/visitor responsibility (ticked in the previous questions) are counted as positive communication and social measures.

Please tick all that apply.

3	Do you encourage your guests to support local green initiatives through voluntary donations?
4	Do you have green / environmental information on your website?
5	Is your business involved with any local environmental initiative?
6	Does your business support any local social projects?

2 - Management & Marketing

To make your business more sustainable, it’s vital to put in place robust management systems, which provide a framework to help you implement specific actions. The success of the process depends on leadership, teamwork, networking, staff awareness, good record keeping, and monitoring. Besides being environmentally sound, it will help to improve your general business performance. You’ll identify and reap cost savings resulting from improved efficiency, and you’ll increase revenues by attracting green-conscious customers. Remember, green is now mainstream.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

7	Have you and key members of staff attended a green training course?
8	Do you keep regular records of your energy consumption?
9	Do you keep regular records of your water consumption?
10	Do you keep regular records of your waste and recycling?
11	Are you trying to improve the company’s awareness of environmental issues? Do you have a green plan for future improvements?
12	Do you ask your guests for feedback on environmental issues?

3 - Energy

When you save energy, you help to conserve natural resources. You also cut your running costs, and you’re more likely to attract the growing number of customers who are environmentally aware. They know that the over-consumption of fossil fuels has released vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, damaging the planet’s eco-systems. The answer is to use energy more efficiently as well as switching to less polluting forms of energy.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

13	Do you have high efficiency fridges and freezers?
14	Are your fridges and freezers in good condition with clean door seals and positioned for maximum efficiency?
15	Do you have low energy lighting in all areas where they are appropriate?
16	Do you have loft insulation that is at least 300mm thick or equivalent?
17	Are your buildings well sealed with no draughty doors and windows?
18	Do you have good insulation on your hot water tanks?

4 - Water

Water is of vital importance for health, refreshment, cleansing and sanitation. It should not be wasted through pollution or thoughtless consumption. Neither should drinking water be squandered, as it requires chemical and energy input to be treated and transported. Water costs can be high, especially in tourism businesses. Water efficient appliances and devices are available on the governments Water Technology List which can be accessed through http://www.eca.gov.uk. This section covers measures to reduce your consumption while maintaining a high standard of service for your guests.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

19	Have you checked or made efforts to ensure that taps and showers do not use excessive water and avoid drips and leaks?
20	Have you installed water efficient toilets or reduced the flush by using a displacement product?
21	Do you collect rainwater in water butts, use a rainwater harvesting system or re-use grey water to reduce the amount of mains or private water you use?
22	Do you make your guests and visitors aware of being responsible in disposing of sanitary and bathroom waste and not to flush it?
23	Do you use phosphate and chlorine free soaps, detergents and cleaners?
24	Do you use chemical free cleaners such as microfibre cloths, vinegar etc.?

5 - Purchasing

Purchasing is a powerful tool to influence change and one of the main ways to green your supply chain is by supporting the most progressive ecofriendly options including products made from recycled materials, natural products with no chemicals and products that can be recycled or are biodegradable.

Local produce, particularly food, is very important not only to reduce transport and carbon emissions but to support the local economy and ensure your tourism product provides a real taste and experience of your destinations special attributes. When dealing with suppliers ask them to provide details of what makes their products or services more eco–friendly.

It is important that social values are also included in any assessment of products. This is particularly true for products which come from the developing world where exploitation can be extensive. Labels such as fair trade for products such as bananas, sugar, chocolate and coffee all help to support those communities to become more sustainable and self-sufficient too.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

25	Do you use recycled paper products for office, kitchens and or bathrooms?
26	Do you use or promote local food and drink?
27	Do you use or promote organic food, drink and other products?
28	Do you use or promote Fair Trade food, drink or other products?
29	Do you use or promote local crafts or traditional building products and techniques?
30	Do you buy energy from a renewable energy supplier?

6 - Waste

Local authorities collected around 3.5 million tonnes of waste last year, only around a quarter of this was recycled or composted. You can do your bit to reduce this by reducing waste and recycling more.

Waste is a massive issue for the hospitality industry which could be avoided in the first place by purchasing products with less packaging. Waste may also contain valuable materials, many of which are easily recoverable if segregated. How you deal with waste can have a significant effect on customers’ perception of your business. Any waste customers see may undermine the green efforts you have made in other areas. Ensuring guests are aware of your waste reduction and recycling efforts is important in gaining their support for other “green” activities. (Statistics in following sections taken from Waste Aware Scotland website - http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk)

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

31	Do you recycle glass, cans or plastic?
32	Do you recycle paper or cardboard?
33	Do you know where and how to safely dispose of any hazardous/special waste?
34	Do you avoid waste packaging by buying in bulk, having returnable boxes / containers, having soap dispensers in bathrooms?
35	Do you reuse or recycle textiles, furniture or printer cartridges?
36	Do you compost or have an organic waste collection?

7 - Transport

Tourism businesses can help reduce the carbon emissions produced by their visitors travel by encouraging them to use less polluting options. By providing travel information you can influence customers to make their journeys with a lower carbon footprint. Encourage the use of public transport and suggest eco-friendly travel plans. Inspire your staff to adopt greener travel habits by offering incentives and providing facilities such as a bike rack and staff showers. Travel presents the opportunity to introduce visitors to new experiences and positive lifestyle choices through environmentally friendly forms of transport, such as walking, cycling, bus and coach travel and eco-friendly fuelled vehicles. Carbon management may be promoted as a way for visitors to help counter the adverse effects of travel on the environment.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

37	Do you have information on public transport on your website and within your other marketing literature?
38	Do you have clear, relevant and up to date public transport information for your guests and visitors?
39	Do you promote Car-Free activities such as excursions which include walking, cycling and other forms of ecofriendly travel?
40	Are you a member of VisitScotland's Walkers or Cyclists Welcome schemes?
41	Do you have information on local bike hire or do you provide cycle storage on site?
42	Are you offsetting your carbon footprint through a carbon management scheme?

8 - Natural & Cultural Heritage

The preservation of our natural and cultural heritage is essential to maintaining our quality of life and the value of our tourism destinations. Scotland has one of the most diverse landscapes and one of the richest cultures in Europe. It has a great history and a varied natural heritage which are valuable assets as demonstrated by the value of tourism to the economy. The public’s fascination with our natural and cultural heritage is reflected in the great popularity of TV programmes and books about history, culture, landscape and wildlife.

The minimum requirement is 3 ticks ('Yes' or 'Planned') with at least one 'Yes'

43	Do you support a wildlife or cultural heritage organisation or initiative through donations, sponsorship or membership?
44	Do you promote and have information on the local nature attractions, reserves, parks, etc.?
45	Are you actively involved with festivals or events that support local culture and identity?
46	Do you have information, guides or identification books for wildlife that can be seen in your grounds or near your business?
47	Have you planted native trees on your site or contributed to a native tree planting scheme off-site?
48	Have you created a wildlife area or installed bird, bat or insect boxes to encourage more wildlife?