We currently pick orders using 6 small John Deere tractors, fuelled with red diesel. We have replaced one with an electric golf buggy as a trial and it has coped very well. We therefore plan to replace the rest of the tractors, one per year, with electric golf buggies/John Deere Gators. We run 2 electric John Deere Gators for various tasks around the nursery which are excellent.
We run 4 company cars, one of which is fully electric. The others will be replaced with hybrid/fully electric when the contracts are due to be renewed.
We run a VW Caddy, box van and a lorry. We plan to investigate whether the box van and lorry can use biodiesel or be converted to do so, and analyse the cost implications of changing over to this fuel.
We would like to install solar panels on our office and pack house roofs. We are investigating funding streams to assist with the cost of these.
Over the winter of 22-23, we will undertake research into changing our electricity supply to a renewable tariff and into installing smart meters to monitor our electricity consumption across the nursery site.
We currently use both 40% peat reduced and peat free growing media for our finished product. Our propagation unit is 100% peat free.
We will continue to reduce our peat use in our growing media in our finished product to zero by 2026
We currently collect rain water into a purpose built reservoir onsite and recycle this water for irrigation. A cost analysis is required for a bore hole to be drilled onsite to supplement this reservoir at times of water crisis. We anticipate that climate change impact will mean that the reservoir may not be sufficient for our ongoing needs
We only use mains water for kitchens and bathrooms but can replace taps with water saving versions in the future.
We plan to install separate bins in offices and staff rooms in order that paper and plastics can be recycled. These must be clearly labelled with images in addition to text, for staff who have English as a second language.
We currently use plastic cane caps on our finished product but, having undertaken extensive market research, will be removing the triple cane cap for 2023.
All cardboard waste is currently sent for recycling. From Autumn 2022 we plan to mix all cardboard waste into our green waste which is processed through our shredder onsite.
In order to implement these key changes, staff must be involved at all stages. We plan to canvass the opinions of key team members before SMT meetings to ensure we are on the same page.
We plan to give certain staff members extra responsibilities on site to help us to implement our challenging targets.
In order to achieve our challenging targets, we must ensure that we communicate with our staff so that we can all work together.
Many of our staff members have English as an additional language so we must ensure that all communication is clear and easily interpreted (pictures etc).
All new campaigns and targets will be shared with staff through appraisals and may be included in their personal goals.
Social media campaigns will include the ability to re-use canes/toppers/pots in gardens so that we communicate our goals with our customers and suppliers.