Dunoon Community Development Trust / Environmental Policy 

 

​

 

Statement  

Dunoon Community Development Trust recognises in fulfilling its core aim of sustainable community-led development for Dunoon that it has a responsibility to the environment beyond legal and regulatory requirements. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact and continually improving our environmental performance as an integral part of our strategic planning and operating methods, with regular review points. We feel by embedding care for the environment within our planning and operating methods we are working towards making Dunoon a better place to live, work and visit for all for both now and future generations. We will encourage members, volunteers, suppliers, and other stakeholders to do the same.  

​

Net Zero  

The Scottish Government declared a climate emergency in May 2019 and launched The Environment Strategy for Scotland in February 2020. The Scottish Government Climate Change Update, published in December 2020, set out a target of reaching net zero carbon emissions nationwide by 2045. Net Zero is defined as a target of completely negating the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activity, to be achieved by reducing emissions and implementing methods of absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Our approach to net zero emissions for Dunoon is to work with partners, stakeholders and our community on initiatives which reduce carbon emissions with consideration of carbon offsetting a secondary initiative. 

 

Just Transition  

We support a just transition to net zero. A just transition means taking an approach to reducing carbon emissions and adaptation to climate change that is as fair and inclusive to everyone concerned, creating decent economic and societal opportunities, and leaving no one behind. 

​

Responsibility  

The Partnership & Development Manager is responsible for ensuring that our environmental policy is implemented. However, all Board members, members, employees, and volunteers have a responsibility in their area or during events and activities to ensure that the aims of the policy are met.  

 

Policy aims:  

We endeavour to:  

• Comply with and exceed all relevant regulatory requirements. 

• Continually improve and monitor environmental performance. 

• Continually improve and reduce environmental impacts. 

• Incorporate environmental factors into business decisions.  

• Actively seek funding, event and initiative opportunities that encourage reduction in carbon emissions within Dunoon and take care of our environment 

• Increase employee awareness and training. 

• Increase community awareness 

 

Energy and Water: 

• Our energy supplies for any facility operated by the Trust shall always be from a supplier who sources 100% renewables. 

• We will seek to reduce the amount of energy used as much as possible. 

• Heating systems must be operated on a timer basis  

• Lights and electrical equipment will be switched off when not in use. 

• Heating will be adjusted with energy consumption in mind. 

• The energy consumption and efficiency of new products will be taken into consideration when purchasing. 

• When considering any new development or building where energy is required, we will only consider a renewable energy system. 

• We will minimise water required from mains systems, particularly in gardening activities by adopting rainwater collection systems and growing systems ensuring natural water reserves  

 

Paper:  

• We will minimise the use of paper at all levels of functions from Board meetings to employees within the office and in use at events. 

• We will reduce packaging as much as possible. 

• We will seek to buy recycled and recyclable paper products.  

• When printing we will use vegetable-based inks. 

• When printing in bulk we will aim to use printing firms who have the function to carbon offset. 

• We will reuse and recycle all paper where possible. 

• We will recycle all ink cartridges used. 

 

Plastics:  

• We will not use disposable plastics in any of our events or activities. This includes cups, containers, cutlery, plates, or any other form of disposable items. 

• Avoiding the use of disposable items includes ‘compostable’ as compostable items, while not containing plastics, use more carbon emissions in manufacturing than plastics.  

• Where plastic use is unavoidable, for example in packaging from suppliers, we will ensure that it is firstly put to a new use, if possible, or otherwise recycled  

• Argyll & Bute Council recycling does not currently accept soft plastics. We will endeavour to recycle these through an alternative waste supplier. 

 

Procurement – For Office, Events and Activities 

• Before purchasing new items, we will evaluate if the need can be met in another way 

• We will evaluate if renting/sharing is an option before purchasing new equipment 

• If new equipment is required to be purchased, particularly IT, we will always favour purchasing refurbished systems.  

• We will evaluate the environmental impact of any new products we intend to purchase. 

• We will favour more environmentally friendly and efficient products wherever possible 

• We will reuse and recycle everything we are able to 

• We will endeavour to always source suppliers locally whenever possible to do so 

• Where it is not possible to procure locally, we will always order in bulk to minimise deliveries and will aim to procure from suppliers who have an eco-credential or operate as a social enterprise in line with our purchasing policy. 

 

Transportation 

• We will minimise the need to travel, restricting to necessity trips only 

• We will promote the use of travel alternatives such as email or video/phone conferencing 

• We will make additional efforts to accommodate the needs of those using public transport or bicycles 

• We will favour E-vehicles and maintain them rigorously to ensure ongoing efficiency 

• We will actively promote within our community ‘active travel’ via walking and cycling 

• We will proactively invest in electric vehicles – bikes, cars, etc. should they be required by our community and business needs 

​

Maintenance and Cleaning  

• Cleaning materials used will be environmentally friendly 

• Materials used in building or infrastructure development of any type will be as environmentally friendly as possible 

• We will only use licensed and appropriate organisations to dispose of waste 

• If we can find an alternative for any item going to landfill, we will actively seek this out 

• We will encourage and support our community to make environmentally friendly choices and dispose of waste appropriately in a way that lowers carbon emissions and prevents unnecessary items going to landfill. 

 

Food  

• We will source food from local independent suppliers as our first option  

• Where locally sourced food is not possible, we will procure ethically from co-operatives or social enterprises 

• We will make use of surplus food in our events and activities 

• We will follow the waste hierarchy of reduce, re-use, recycle in how we deal with food waste by firstly only providing as much food as is needed, and not over cooking or over supplying. Secondly, we will deal with any food waste by firstly finding an alternative use for them, whether this be redistributing or freezing un-used food. If this is not possible, we will make every attempt to compost any food waste.  

 

Growing & Gardening 

• Where we are growing food, we will grow to permaculture standards of growing free from fertilizers and pesticides 

• We will ensure that watering is from rainwater collection  

• We will actively compost  

 

Waste  

• We follow the waste hierarchy of reduce, re-use, recycle with recycle being the option of last resort 

• All facilities operated by the Trust should have composting facilities attached to them, in the office this means the use of compost caddies for canteen and other waste, in the garden, composting bays 

• Where recycling facilities are not available, for example soft plastics we will find alternatives to Argyll & Bute Council collections 

 

Monitoring and Improvement  

• We will comply with and aim to exceed all relevant regulatory requirements 

• We will continually improve and monitor environmental performance 

• We will continually improve and reduce environmental impacts 

• We will incorporate environmental factors into business decisions 

• We will increase employee awareness through training 

• We will review this policy and any related business issues at our Board meetings 

• We will incorporate sustainability/net zero/environmental considerations in all project planning and project proposals through to business plans  

 

Carbon Audit 

• We will conduct an annual carbon audit and act on any recommendations for improvement  

 

Culture  

• We will involve staff in the implementation of this policy, for greater commitment and improved performance 

• We will encourage our community to also take the necessary steps towards protecting our environment 

• We will update this policy at least annually in consultation with staff, members and other stakeholders where necessary 

• We will provide staff with relevant environmental training 

• We will support and encourage our community sharing environmental campaigns and encouraging involvement  

• We will use local labour and materials where available to reduce carbon emissions and help the community