Environment – What we are doing

In November 2014, as part of an island network, we installed a dual charging-point for electric cars.  The charge point is located in the farm yard near the farmhouse at Treshnish. There is a cost per use.

Visitors from outside Scotland are advised, before they arrive in Scotland, to apply for a Chargeplace Scotland card (£10) to use when the App doesn’t work.

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.
Low VOC and 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). (Kindling is sourced off island as there are no on island suppliers currently). 

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, there is one at the farm for emergency use.

for visitors – details in cottages.
We actively support island producers.
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 mutton/lamb is for sale in the Hub – subject to availability.
Would like to supply home grown vegetables but haven’t got there yet…
Carolyne is one of two volunteers who run the Mull and Iona Food Trail.

through energy savings, energy generation and carbon offsetting
There is a link in every booking summary for guests to offset the carbon from their journey via ClimateCare.

and strict monitoring.
Members since 1999, Gold Award holders since 2001.
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.