Emma Alesworth

Fifteen per cent of carbon in the UK comes from cars and we travel more for leisure than anything else – 21 per cent of all distance travelled. So visitor attractions need to start taking responsibility for the carbon footprint from visitors coming by cars powered by fossil fuels, by making it easier to use public transport, or electric cars, as well as investing in carbon offsetting.

By providing multiple charging points, there’s an opportunity for attractions to benefit from installing trickle charging units, so visitors stay longer, as well as adding donation buttons.

A number of Eco Attractions’ members are now successfully working with Good Journey to promote car free journeys to visitor attractions, including Wildwood Trust in Kent, UK. Blenheim Palace increased the number of car free visits from 5,000 to more than 24,000 in one year, through offering a 30 per cent discount on the ticket price and door to door travel information through Good Journey. The bottom line has not been hit as visits have increased from overseas visitors and those who don’t drive.

The café is another place where wins can be made. Ditch single use plastic and offer water fountains, jugs and reusable cups or those made from plant-based alternatives and say no to peat and palm oil. Stopping single procurement chains and sourcing locally can also have a huge positive impact. Offering homemade and vegan options also helps keep the carbon footprint down, as can developing composting facilities.

Energy production has a big carbon footprint and the more visitor attractions can do to reduce energy coming from fossil fuels, the better. Switch to a green energy supplier, or, even better, invest in on site solar, biomass, geothermal or wind generated power. All heating at Pensthorpe Natural Park is from a ground source heat pump from their lake. The Living Rainforest switched to solar panel and biomass heating in 2006, which has halved fossil fuel usage and energy bills and resulted in a saving of 220 tonnes of carbon each year.

Water is another important area to consider. The installation of low flush or dual flush toilets and waterless urinals, cuts down on water usage considerably. If space allows, wetland treatment systems reduce pressure and usage from the water industry and increases on site natural environments, which increases biodiversity and mops up carbon. The National Botanic Garden of Wales also uses wetland treatment systems to water their plants. 

Once you have made the changes, encourage your staff to do them at home and, most importantly, tell your visitors about these changes to inspire them.

A number of attractions are working to reduce their carbon footprint

John Challen

Having worked in the museums sector prior to joining CAT and being involved with a number of major projects, I saw that it was common for sustainable energy options and aspirations to be “value engineered” out as the projects progressed.

Twenty years later, this no longer needs to be the case and it’s worth taking the long view. Green technology has matured considerably, options have widened and become mainstream and there is also the opportunity to connect with other operators happy to offer their experience. If your attraction is undergoing any type of refurbishment, it makes sense to invest in making it as sustainable as possible. Investments will be clawed back in the future, as a sustainable building should be cheaper to run in the longer term.

Both visitors and funders are keen to know what actions attractions are taking regarding the environment. We’ve seen attractions operators being driven by legislation to be more robust about health and safety, as well as food and hygiene and I think green credentials will come next. There are various green accreditation bodies, including Green Tourism and Green Keys, and I would recommend an audit.

When reducing the carbon footprint, every area of operation needs to be considered. For example, attractions are very often on large estates which are constantly mowed. Leaving areas to become wild – or planted as wildflower meadows – cuts down on the work for the grounds staff and becomes a resource for mopping up carbon and supporting local biodiversity. If you make this clear to visitors, it becomes an important part of your message.

Sustainability efforts are being noticed not only by visitors but also funders of attractions

• Six Flags has committed to making all of its properties energy efficient and sustainable with the use of solar energy. Three of its parks are now run almost entirely by solar power: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, California; Six Flags Magic Mountain near Los Angeles and Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey, which has 60,000 solar panels. This will offset more than 24,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

• Disney uses LED lighting, has a robust recycling system and sends animal waste to a composting facility. Hotel guests are encouraged to reuse towels and sheets. Reclaimed water is used for 30 per cent of park needs and 80 per cent of irrigation needs. Disneyland’s park train is powered by used oil from its restaurants. The company is also involved with a number of charitable conservation projects.

• Merlin Entertainments is part of the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment energy efficiency scheme and each year budgets for environmentally focussed initiatives, such as low energy lighting and managing water efficiently. It is working to remove single use plastic from the business and seeking out environmentally responsible businesses through its supply chain.

Kath Cockshaw

It’s our long term aim to be a carbon positive site. As a starting point, during the past year we’ve gone through every area of our operation to look at simple changes we could make for sustainability.

To kick it off, we brought in a sustainability expert who did a presentation about climate change and empowered our staff to make changes. They immediately got on board.

It cost nothing to go pesticide free in the nursery and walled garden and no difference in cost to switch to peat-free compost. The installation of a drip irrigation system in the nursery incurred an upfront investment, but makes better use of water.

In the shop, we’ve done away with plastic bags and have a new line in eco-focussed stock, such as bamboo keep cups, bee related products and educational books from National Geographic and the Woodland Trust.

In the café, we’re going single use plastic free, offering glass bottle fruit juices and canned water. It will cost more but it’s the right thing to do. Going forward we will introduce a filtration system so we can offer free tap water.

In the office, we’ve introduced changes which don’t cost anything, but just require a mindset shift, such as printing less, implementing a reduced paper invoice system, using paper clips instead of staples and recycling cartridges from printers and photocopiers, as well as reminding staff to turn off lights and close doors.

In the next two-to-three years, we’re starting building projects and plan for these buildings to be carbon positive.

Gordon Seabright

Eden plans to be carbon positive by 2023. The main route to this is via our geothermal project, which involves drilling a 4.5km (2.8mi) hole down into the earth and pumping in cold water, which is heated by the volcanic rocks and returned to the surface at 185 degrees. This will then be pumped through a network of pipes around the site, providing heat to all the buildings. Phase two will involve a second hole, which would provide energy to power 4,000-7,000 local homes, making us a carbon positive business (See AM Issue 4 2019, p20).

On site, we allocate spaces to sequester carbon via wildflower meadows, tree planting and a bog. We compost waste food and don’t send anything to landfill. Staff uniforms no longer have microfibres.

People want to experience joy when they visit attractions, so our approach is nudging, rather than preaching. For example, we introduce them to veganism through delicious food choices. On Global Climate Action Day last September, we gave free access to the attraction and every visitor could plant an acorn on site to feel they were making a tangible contribution.

When visiting attractions, everyone has made a journey, will go to the toilet and have something to eat and drink, so those are three definite touch points to make a difference. Make it easy to arrive via public transport, make the bike parking the closest and make it possible to charge electric cars. Use grey water for toilets. Think about your food – is it fair trade? Is it local?

Remove single use plastics. Bottled water was a no brainer to stop. If you can’t do good business you shouldn’t be doing business at all.

Wildflower meadows act as carbon sponges

• The drawdown challenge can help you find out which solutions will have most impact on your carbon footprint:   www.trustforsustainableliving.org/drawdown 

• Eco Attractions Group is happy to give advice to operators looking to reduce the carbon footprint.

• Good Journey will help drive car free visits to your attraction.

• Ecocentricity and Good Energy provide energy purely from renewables.

• CAT has been pioneering heating technology since the 1970s and will give advice.