Electricity
In 2013 we installed LED light fittings in the shop which, combined with our use of LED bulbs, has lowered our power usage significantly.
At the end of March 2019 we also installed 40 solar panels which will generate on average 7% of our annual power needs. That works out at 50,890kwh, which is enough to power 13 average households for a year. You could even say our bread is now baked by the power of the sun every day!
Zero to landfill
Working with our waste contractor we are proud to say that none of our waste goes to landfill. We separate all our recyclables (plastic, cardboard, paper and glass) into different bins and all our general waste is sorted and recycled or sent to be turned into electricity.
Food waste
Along with limiting how much food we throw away, since 2017 we have ensured any food we do waste is separated and sent to an anaerobic digestion facility that converts the waste into renewable energy (biogas) and other useful products.
Packaging
In 2018 we declared war on plastic. We have since been working to move away from plastic packaging where possible or move to more recyclable friendly plastic.
So far we have:
- Stopped offering single use plastic carrier bags and replaced these with paper bags.
- Provided the option of using paper bags for fruit, vegetables and bread, reducing the amount of single use small bags that are used.
- Introduced aluminium foil trays for pre-packed products from the butchery.
This year we are also working to eliminate the use of black plastic trays from our product packaging to ensure that all the packaging we use can be recycled easily.
One of the most common questions we are asked is “why do we use plastic egg boxes for our eggs?”. The reason is, the plastic used for these boxes is made from recycled plastic drinks bottles; these are produced in the UK and can be recycled over and over. Paper egg boxes are produced in Germany and have to be shipped to the UK. With eggs being such a popular product, this creates a substantial carbon footprint.
Sourcing locally
More than 50% of our farm shop products are either produced or prepared on the Chatsworth Estate. We are also lucky to have a wealth of talented producers within easy reach of our farm shop, and prefer to source our other products from small local suppliers wherever possible.
Find out more about sustainability across the Devonshire Group.
