Environment – What we are doing

In November 2014, as part of an island network, we installed a dual charging-point for electric cars. This means you can bring your electric car to the island, and charge your batteries whenever you need to, whilst you are staying here. Please contact us for further details if required.

Some of our guests arrive on bicycles having pedalled from the ferry, others come part way on public transport and cycle the rest of the way.  Please contact West Coast Motors to find out which buses allow bicycles.

There is also a very useful community bus service from Salen to Calgary… Read more… which passes the road end. This makes it easier to get here by public transport.
We have dry storage for your bicycles in the Recycling Shed.
There is additional clothes/kit drying space available in the Boiler House.

and employ local tradesmen.
Our eco friendly cottages meet or exceed current insulation in building standards – in some cottages we have used sheeps wool insulation, and in the farmhouse we have used wood fibre insulation.
Double glazing throughout with airtight doors to reduce energy wastage.
The wood fired central heating in Treshnish Cottages use thermostatic controls.
We have fitted low energy fittings as standard, and now installing LED where new fittings are required.
Natural paints used throughout, though sometimes necessary to use non natural paint (such as yacht paint on external doors!).
Wood burning (no coal) stoves.

Supports local firewood suppliers (North West Mull Community Woodland Company).
Uses Mull grown timber (softwoods).

which cut down on heating costs/energy use.
Using passive solar gain from south facing windows for drying laundry.
Concrete floor and masses of insulation to store solar heat.
Heated by woodchip.
Uses wind turbine electricity.
We use outdoor drying lines whenever possible for drying bedlinen and towels.

Bins for glass, plastics, paper, batteries, tins/cans, plastic bags, jam jars, compost, milk bottle tops
Each cottage has a compost bin and we use collected vegetable waste to make compost in our garden
Reduced waste going to landfill by 40% between 2010 and 2014.
Responsible disposal of redundant items
Use local recycling facility, both for recycling items we can no longer use but also for shopping – Castaways in Craignure (funds raised are distributed locally)

helps identify energy wastage/room for improvement.
Monitoring energy production v. energy use.
Guests take responsibility for their own energy use through metered usage.
Turning thermostats down by a degree – better to turn it up than waste excess.
We source the most energy efficient appliances – 95% are A+, A++ or A+++.
We keep records of Energy ratings of new appliances.
Minimmum standard of low energy light bulbs.
Programme of upgrading light fittings to LED.
We supply kettles with cup marks on the side to make it easier for you to only boil the water you actually need each time, thus saving energy.
Outdoor washing lines & indoor clothes airers for each cottage.
To comply with Visit Scotland requirement for tumble drier, we have one at the farm that guests can use.

for visitors – details in cottages.
We actively support Dervaig Producers Market, fortnightly during summer months.
Dervaig Village Shop – recently extended – you can get almost everything you might need here.
We supply guests with our own free range eggs when we have enough.
Our own beef and mutton/lamb for sale most of the year.
Would like to supply home grown vegetables but haven’t got there yet…
Carolyne is one of three volunteers who run the Mull and Iona Food Trail.

through energy savings, energy generation and carbon offsetting
In May 2014 we offset 75 tonnes of carbon dioxide (estimated consumption from 2014 to date) via ClimateCare, where the money is used on ‘greenhouse gas reduction projects in order to reduce the rate of global climate change’.

and strict monitoring.
Members since 1999, Gold Award holders since 2002.
We were awarded the GTBS Goldstar Award 2011 and the GTBS Carbon Footprint Award 2011.
Involved in organizing Holiday Mull ‘eco conference’ Feb.2012 to try and encourage further GTBS membership on Mull & Iona.

and encouraging local produce.