Zero waste!
At Cape Clear B&B/ Ard na Gaoithe we are very fortunate to be in a place apart(literally!) Even though we live here we are not blind to the natural beauty that surrounds us on land and at sea. For our part here at Cape Clear B&B/ Ard na Gaoithe we are doing our bit to ensure that the generations after us will be able to enjoy the beauty of our homeplace too. Zero waste is a lofty aspiration- too lofty perhaps, but we are not going to let perfection become the enemy of the good! Every day in many small ways we operate our B&B as close to the ideal as we can. Avoiding waste is the most pro-active thing any of us can do and after that make sure that the waste generated can be recycled or reused as far as possible.
At Cape Clear B&B/ Ard na Gaoithe we are just about to move from plastic bottled water to tetra pack water. Many might say why not glass? We also must ensure the safety and comfort of guests and to that end we have a policy of zero glass in guest rooms. Tetra pack suits our desire to improve sustainability, respect the environment, and move towards the goal of zero waste while at the same time offering a solution that also accommodates the zero- glass policy. Tetra packs are made from 70% paper from sustainably managed forestry which is in turn a carbon sink. During the manufacturing process a plastic bottle require 1 to 2 litres of water while a tetra pack requires 200mls. It is a good option for us and the water is from Ireland- so we are also supporting local Irish business.
In the bathroom we have also banished the mini single use plastic bottles of body wash and shampoo in favour of Doy- packs. Doy-packs use less raw materials, cause considerably less Co2 emissions and are lighter to transport than traditional bottles while offering you the same individual amenities. Our new soon to be unleased Anyah amenities are also eco-friendly with no nasties such as parabens and they are also vegan friendly!
We are glad to say that we have also banished the single plastic portion packs of marmalade and jam and other condiments.
As regards food waste we do all we can to minimize it we turn what waste there is into ‘back gold’ in our composter. The composter is specially insulated to achieve the best temperatures even in cold weather. The compost then ends up in the garden adding to the hummus in the soil and enriching it so we can enjoy a good display of flowers and foliage through most of the year.
Our dependence on fossil fuel remains an issue for us, while we would love to move away from them to photovoltaic solar panels at present the time required to make a return on a considerable investment is far too long; so in the meantime, we plant more than 20 trees a year which sequester carbon as they grow. We are adding new trees to the woodland every year and over time there will be trees at various stages of development in the plot offering a wider variety of habitat for wildlife and those trees should also maximize the sequestration of carbon thus reducing our carbon foot print.
We have installed LED lighting all over the house, the benefits of LED’s are their long life and energy efficiency.
We are very lucky that there is a waste disposal service here on the island where we can recycle our tins, bottles and glass as well as paper and plastic and have our landfill dealt with as well. One of the main types of packaging we encounter here is cardboard. I have found that it is an excellent weed suppressant. The cardboard blocks the light from the weeds stopping them in their tracks! When It rains the cardboard becomes softer and then worms and fungi get to work and take very litte time to break it down into the earth adding to the hummus in the soil. While the cardboard is breaking down it also offers a home to all kinds of insects who seem to seek out the warmth and shelter it provides. The cardboard also goes into the composter to add carbon to the mix and it is quite good for absorbing excess moisture too. The only downside is the time it takes to break the boxes down flat and removing tape and staples! While we are glad to share our efforts with you we are also very aware that this is not the all we can do, like the old school report cards there is always room to improve! zero waste is a huge challenge but bit by bit we are steadily reducing waste and every bit of waste reduced or prevented is surely a good thing!
loking forward to welcoming you over Easter Holidays!
Díothú Dramhaíola
Is dúshlán leanúnach é fuíoll nó bruscar a sheachaint nó a laghdú ach anseo ag Cape Clear B&B / Ard na Gaoithe táimid ar ár seacht ndícheall chun dhíothú dramaíola a bhaint amach nó iarracht mhaith a dhéanamh.
Seo liosta de 9 ngníomhartha atá ar siúl againne chun tacú leis an timpeallacht!
1. Athchúrsálaimid gach rud ar féidir é a athchúrsáil.
Cuirim I gcás, scagaimid an brúscar idir ábhar ar féidir é a athchúrsáil agus ábhar eile.
Cuirim na seanbhoscaí cartchláir sa ghairdin chun na fiailí a smachtú agus solathraíonn an chartchlár gnáthóg dos na feithidí agus de réir a chéile briseann na peisteanna agus fungais síos an chartchlár uaireanta úsáidim é chun ábhar carbónach a chur isteach sa mhuirineoir.
2. Cuirimid aon bhia ámh isteach sa mhuiríneoir agus úsáidim é sin ar an ngairdín méadaíonn sé sin torthúlacht na talún go mór.
3. Tá soilse LED ar fud an tí, is iad na buntaistí is mó a bhaineann leo ná go bhfuil siad fadsaolach agus go bhfuil siad tíosach ar fhuinnimh.
4. Tá biachlár ar fáil don bhricfeasta agus is féidir leat do bhéile a roghnú an lá roimhré chun cur amú bia a sheachaint.
5. Táimid ag fáil réidh de réir a chéile leis na gloiní plaisteacha nuair a bheidh an méid atá fághta imithe cuirfear soitheach in-athúsáidithe ina n-áit. (Ní féidir linn gloiní a chur sna seomraí codlata toisc an baol go mbrisfí ceann agus go ngortófaí thú.)
6. Táimid ag bogadh ó uisce I mbuidéil go huisce pacáistithe I mboscaí Tetrapack a úsáideann níos lú uisce ná buidéil phlaisteacha sa phróiseás déantúsaíochta agus is páipéar é 70% den tetra pack ó fhoraoisí bainistithe. Súann na crainn carbóin isteach agus iad ag fás. Cé nach féidir na tetra packs a athúsáid tá siad níos fearr ná pláisteach agus níos sábhailte ná gloine sna seomraí codlata.
7. Cuirimid shampú agus folcadh colainne ar fáil sna seomraí agus cé gur ábhar aon úsáid iad táid pacáistithe I ‘doy packs’ is ábhar é seo atá níos lú ná na buidéil traidisúnta ar an gcaoi sin laghdaítear an pácáistiú agus tá siad níos eadtroma ná na buidéil agus laghdaíonn sé sin an lorg charbóin I gcoitinne. Níl daoine róthógtha leis na dáileoirí móra toisc go mbionn obair mhór I gceist chun aon bhraon den glóthach cithfholcadh a fháil!
8 Tá deireadh curtha againn le míreanna de mharmaláid agus subh ar an mbord.cuirim iad I soithí anois.
9 Gach uile bhliain cuirim timpeall 20 crann chun ár lorg charbóin a laghdú agus tá ár ngairdín tosaigh saor ó chemiceáin.
Cé nach bhfuil gach rud foirfe go fóill táimid ag smaoineamh I gcónaí ar bhealaí eile chun gnó a reachtáil sa tslí is measúla don timpeallacht cinnte bíonn comhghéilleadh I gceist ach nach fearr I bhfad an iarracht a dhéanamh?
bainigí sult as an saoire na cásca!
