Buchan accommodation in Aberdeenshire

We aim to grow as much of our food as possible in the garden. We have hens to give you eggs for breakfast. Wherever possible we will source quality produce from Aberdeenshire and Scotland. This not only helps the Scottish economy but reduces the pollution that transporting goods emits. For the visitor it means that we will use best Aberdeenshire beef, Scottish bacon, locally made black puddings and home made white puddings. We also try to source food from organic farms. Where food has to be obtained from abroad we will use only fair trade products where these are available.

We get our electricity from Scottish Hydro-Electric through the RSPB. They guarantee that the electricity we use will come from renewable sources. This will help prevent the build up of ‘greenhouse’ gases that contribute to global warming. The RSPB also get a yearly income from the scheme. However we also want to reduce our overall consumption of electricity so we use low energy lighting or dimmer switches where we can.

Where possible we try to reduce the amount of waste that we produce. This means avoiding over packaged products. You will not find little sachets of shampoo or little tablets of soap in the bathrooms these are provided in dispensers avoiding the packaging and making them more assessable; we find it difficult to open the things. Similarly we do not have those little pots of jam, butter and milk. We take our own bags to the shops so we don’t get plastic bags. We have rechargeable batteries and will provide you with a recharge service free of charge. We like to conduct as much of our business via the internet so that we reduce the amount of paper we use.

Useable containers are put to a good alternative use in the house or garden. Waste paper is reused as note pads. In our renovations we have reused timber whenever possible, used reclaimed wood and if wood has to be new it has come from sustainably managed forests.

As much waste as possible is recycled. Aberdeen Council provides facilities for the recycling of paper, glass, cardboard, metals, batteries, oil and plastic bottles. Waste food products are recycled through the compost heap or the hens. Greenbrae is not on the main sewerage system. We have a septic tank. This processes the wastewater in the tank and ‘clean’ water is drained off into the fields. All our cleaning products are environmentally friendly.

We donate to the RSPB and undertake volunteer surveys for them we have an RSPB collection box in the reception area. Jill undertakes the British Trust for Ornithology garden bird count and winter garden bird feeding survey. Mike is an RSPB volunteer working on their Volunteer and Farmer Alliance project by undertaking farm surveys. We are individual members of the Scottish National Trust.

We use local services such as the plumber from the village. He fitted all our showers in the ensuite bathrooms using his contacts for the electrical work and tiling.