We care about the environment

We have won multiple awards for our environmental focus including a Thistle Award for Sustainable Tourism, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise (Sustainability) three times and a Chamber of Commerce Environmental Award. 

TOWARDS NET ZERO

We have had studies undertaken to identify our emission sources (Scope 1-3) and are working through priority actions to reduce in particular, scope 1 and 2 emissions. Scope 3 emissions relate primarily to our wildlife boat experiences (3rd party operators) and to our product suppliers and are not within our direct control. Examples of our approach to having a business model that is more sustainable include:

Energy

• We use renewable electricity sources and companies that have appropriate offsetting for gas
• We have solar panels installed at our Centre both to heat our water and also to provide electricity on a feed in tariff.
• Many of our cameras on the Firth of Forth islands are solar powered, as is our car park ticket machine.
• We continuously monitor and take steps to minimise our water, gas and electricity consumption.

Products

• We have a sustainable, local and ethical purchasing policy and strive to use environmentally-sustainable products in our gift shop and when we have to replace assets.
• We use locally and sustainably sourced food products wherever we can.

Reduce, reuse, recycle

• We are a water refill station.
• We provide dedicated recycling units for customers and our team.
• We re-use furniture and fittings wherever possible.
• We use low energy and reactive light bulbs.
• We use water butts to catch rainwater for use in flower pots or washing our outdoor equipment.
• We recycle food waste and cooking oil.

Travel

• We encourage car share, cycling and walking to work.
• We offer discounts to customers who visit via public transport - ScotRail and East Coast Bus.
• We encourage hybrid working to reduce travel to work where this is operationally feasible.
• We encourage use of digital meeting platforms to reduce work travel time.

Team training

• We embed environmental awareness in our induction programme.
• We have a Green Team to help us develop and implement actions.
• We invest in further awareness raising and training for our team.

Nature and climate

• We raise awareness of the nature and climate crises through our Centre, conservation, learning and outreach programmes.
• We work with North Berwick in Bloom who manage our wildflower garden and have created a coastal grassland on part of our site.
• We are a Keep Scotland Beautiful Beach clean hub and loan out beach clean equipment.
• We organise regular social beach cleans within our community.
• We encourage participation in active volunteering for nature including island habitat management and seagrass restoration.
• We operate good biosecurity protocols to reduce the risk of transfer of invasive species or pests/disease within the environment.

Green Tourism

We are a Green Tourism award holder. We use the green checklist to help us continue to strive to improve our overall offer.