Our Green Policy

We are committed to making our home and Sara’s Cottage as eco-friendly as possible, our aim being to reduce waste as much as possible.  As a guest and visitor to Cornwall you can also help to reduce our impact on the environment and help to conserve our beautiful county, its coastline and seas. Set out below are some suggestions on how you can help.

Single use plastic and recycling

We supply guests with a Sara’s Cottage jute bag for your holiday shopping and to take home afterwards.  There is a second bag hanging in the hall.  Please use these in preference to plastic carriers. Try to avoid overly packaged goods by purchasing from local markets and say no to unnecessary plastic packaging especially on fruit and vegetables.

Sir David Attenborough’s Blue Planet highlighted the tragedy of plastic in our oceans.  This has become a huge concern and we need to reduce plastic waste.  We therefore do not provide cling film or single use plastic.  Instead you will find in the cottage many reusable food boxes, paper compostable sandwich bags, reusable food wraps and reusable water bottles.

We recycle as much as possible including food waste which is composted in our compost bin.  Please use the bins provided in the cottage.

Conserve energy

Our electricity is supplied by Octopus Energy which is 100% renewable electricity. Please help to reduce usage by switching off lights and closing windows if the heating is on. The central heating is timed to come on in the morning and evening for a generous amount of time. The wood supplied is free of charge and is direct from our fallen trees or branches. Please use the wood-burner during the day rather than switching on the central heating.

Shop locally

Use local produce and products.  They give you a taste of Cornwall and help to support local communities. We are fortunate to have some fantastic producers of food, drink, art and crafts. There are details of local produce markets in the cottage information folder.

Water

The UK has rising costs for water treatment and flood defence, so please use water wisely. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth and please do not leave taps running unnecessarily.

Respect nature

Help us to look after our beautiful landscape and wildlife by not littering, by guarding against fire and by using footpaths and cycle-ways responsibly.  On our land there are many bird boxes, bird feeders and a field left uncut for the owls to hunt mice.  We are lucky to have both nesting barn and tawny owls.

Products supplied

Many cleaning products, shampoos and shower gels contain chemicals. Some products are tested on animals in extremely painful procedures.   We supply and use environmentally friendly products that do not contain chemicals and are cruelty free. Toilet and kitchen rolls supplied are made from 100% recycled paper from a company that gives 50% of its profits to improving sanitation in underdeveloped countries.  Cole & Lewis products are free of sodium laureth sulphate (SLES), parabens and propylene glycol and are not tested on animals.