Green leaf tourism scheme
The Green Leaf tourism is a local scheme which rewards accommodation providers for taking a sustainable approach to running their businesses.
The key points of the scheme involve the support of: Car-Free Tourism, New Forest Marque Produce, Energy, Waste & Recycling initiatives, Landscape Conservation, Forest Friends – Visitor Stewardship and Community Tourism. https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/app/uploads/2018/03/tourism_2_managingimpacts.pdf
What are we doing here?
A great number of projects have already been started here at the Cottage Lodge Hotel. We are 100% committed to making changes that benefit our local economy and the environment. We have a dream to make the hotel the first fully sustainable hotel in The New Forest.
Car-Free Tourism
By actively encourage our guests to use public transport and bike hire whilst they are visiting us. We send pre arrival emails to our guests. This is to inform our visitors of activities to enjoy on foot, by bike and by bus or train. We encourage travel to us via the rail network. We promote the convenience of the train station to Brockenhurst and our hotel. Another service that we provide is 2 electric car charge points. These can be pre booked by our guests and hired by visitors.
New Forest Marque Produce
We have chosen to work with a number of local suppliers already that hold the New Forest Marque. Each week we are discovering more! Our dream is to lower our carbon footprint. We only buy from dedicated local suppliers who’s environmental policy and ethos is similar to our own.
Based in Brockenhurst we wish to support local businesses wherever possible, which then benefits our local community and economy. Our team actively encourages our guests to buy local and we promote and up sell our wonderful artisan produce.
Energy, Waste & Recycling initiatives
We have already chosen to work with a number of local suppliers to cut down on CO2 emission. We have made changes to remove single use plastic from our hotel use.
https://www.cottagelodge.co.uk/eco-friendly-hotel
Our bathrooms have refillable toiletries for our guests. Handcrafted by a local company New Forest Aromatics based in Brockenhurst.
Another choice that we made was to have our bed linen is provided by Southampton based Elis laundry. They have eliminated the plastic wrapping on their deliveries and are market leaders in ecological initiatives.
As we launder our own guest towels harsh chemicals are removed from our washes. As a company, we have initiated better guest information so that our guests can be proactive and be greener tourists.
We also use paper not linen napkins in our restaurant to cut down our laundry bills and detergent usage.
We are doing more eco-friendly actions that will impact positively
on your experience whenever you stay with us in the New Forest