ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
Notcutts makes an unequivocal commitment to high standards of eco-efficiency whilst balancing the needs of commercial sustainability. All of our employees, our suppliers and customers have an important part to play in the successful socio-economic implementation of our strategy.
Notcutts recognizes the necessity for responsible environmental protection. prudent use of natural resources; stable levels of economic growth and social progress which recognises the needs of everyone. Notcutts recognises the global nature of sustainability and the importance of cooperation in achieving these aims.
The creation of gardens makes a very positive contribution towards the beautification and improvement of the environment. Apart from the aesthetic effect of the garden, it contributes substantially towards the creation of wildlife habitats and a favourite social pastime of many millions of the UK population, contributing to both their physical and mental well-being.
We are lucky to be in a business which has natural environmental and sustainability benefits but we are striving to constantly improve.
Notcutts believes that it can make its business more sustainable and kinder to the environment in the following key areas:
1. REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT
Reducing energy consumption for lighting, heating, cooling and transport with a view to reducing the carbon footprint of Notcutts. This will also include reducing the carbon cost of the supply chain and provision of lower carbon cost products.
2. REDUCING WATER CONSUMPTION
Reducing water consumption by ensuring that retail and agricultural irrigation activities are carried out in accordance with best practice and by promoting water recycling and rainwater harvesting in refurbished and new build projects.
3. ENHANCING OUR COMMUNITY
Ensuring that the quiet enjoyment of our neighbours is not unreasonably degraded by our close physical proximity and through working with our community to enhance their well being.
4. PROMOTING WILDLIFE CONSERVATION
Promoting Notcutts as a wildlife friendly organisation by reducing, minimising and where practicable, eliminating any impacts on any regionally significant wildlife populations affected directly or indirectly by the activities of the business.
NOTCUTTS POLICY ON PEAT
Notcutts believe in informed independence of mind and consumer freedom as well as promoting responsibility towards the environment.
Notcutts Garden Centres actively promote and stock a choice of organic, peat-free, reduced-peat and peat-based growing media to their customers. Notcutts believe that it is the right of the customer to make their own selection and will continue to inform the customer so that they make considered decisions.
We are very conscious of customer preferences and have doubled the range of organic and peat-free growing media for this season. We have changed both layout and signage in store to make the selection of organic, peat free and reduced-peat growing media as easy as possible by the customer. Organic and peat-free growing media is an important and growing part of the range, with the majority of sales now of reduced-peat growing-media; peat products are in decline.
Notcutts has undertaken significant plant production trials of its own over the past 20 years and continues to work with major plant suppliers to identify alternative growing media, but has not yet identified a suitable growing media for reliable, environmentally friendly and cost effective high-quality production across a wide spectrum of plants supplied to its customers other than by utilising peat based growing media.
We recently re-issued our peat policy to staff and in our training programme we highlight the features and benefits of all the growing media products.
FAQs on Peat
| Q |
Why is good growing media important? |
| A |
When plants are grown in containers, (rather than the soil), a fundamental requirement for healthy growth is a growing medium that supports a healthy root system. Plant roots in a container have access to a much smaller volume of compost than they would when grown in the soil therefore the air and water capacity of the growing media used is much more critical. |
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| Q |
What does a good growing media have to do? |
| A |
The compost that you use in your containers and tubs has: to provide anchorage for the plant; to provide adequate air spaces for root respiration; to hold sufficient available water, to hold sufficient available nutrients; to be free of plant pathogens, pests and weeds; to be safe when handled by people |
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| Q |
Why use Peat? |
| A |
Peat is an ideal base for growing media as it has good air and water holding capacity and contains few nutrients so fertilisers can be added to suit the plants to be grown. Peat-based growing media is used by most commercial growers through out the world to produce high quality plants. |
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| Q |
What is Peat? |
| A |
Peat is formed from the partially decomposed residue of plants, such as moss, which accumulates in certain high rainfall environments, mostly in Northern Europe, the Baltic area and Canada. |
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| Q |
Why all the fuss? |
| A |
Lowland raised peat bogs are one of Europe's rarest and most vulnerable habitats. Harvesting of the naturally occurring peat on these English bogs has reduced the availability of this habitat to native and migrating birds. Peat also naturally occurs in great quantity in Ireland where it is so plentiful that it is burnt in power stations, as well as Eastern Europe |
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| Q |
What is Notcutts doing about it? |
| A |
Notcutts believe in informed independence of mind and consumer freedom as well as promoting responsibility towards the environment. We therefore promote and stock a choice of organic, peat-free, reduced-peat and peat-based growing media for our customers. We believe that it is right for our customers to make their own selection, but we must inform them of the issues so that they make considered decisions. This year we have doubled the range of organic and peat-free growing media and have changed both layout and signage in store to make the selection of organic, peat free and reduced-peat growing media as easy as possible.
The plants that we sell are mostly produced in reduced peat growing media, but that is because our suppliers have not yet identified a suitable growing media for reliable, environmentally friendly and cost effective high-quality production across a wide spectrum of plants supplied to its customers other than by utilising peat based growing media. |
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| Q |
What are the alternatives? |
| A |
We stock:
- Organic products – which are made from composted bark and other green waste,
- Peat free products, which are made from composted bark, or coir or other naturally occurring materials,
- Reduced peat mixes within which the proportion of peat has been diluted, mostly with composted bark.
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