Tel. +44 (0)1273 600030 (UK)
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Environment
Our mission is to provide unique, accessible and sustainable surfing without compromising on luxury or the environment. Further to this we employed Cornwall Sustainable Tourism’s benchmarking system by trying to make all we do match their tenets of sustainability: Social, Economic and Environmental Sustainability.
In April 2006 we became (we think the first) Carbon Neutral Surf School, Surf Vacations Company and Surf Shop in the world. We achieved this by carbon offsetting with a company called C02 Balance. In our office we use recycled paper and envelopes all from sustainable sources, as well as eco friendly cleaning products and Fairtrade tea and coffee.
Our desk inbox shelving and folders are all made from recycled material, our self adhesive labels are solvent free, we even have a staple-less stapler and most of our bags are recycled or recyclable. Our electricity is provided by Eco-tricity, we encourage an ambient temperature of 17 degrees or below, low energy bulbs are used where possible and we encourage the turning off of all lights and electrical items when not in use. In our own accommodation we have installed combination boilers which reduce the need to heat and store water. We strongly encourage travel to and from Cornwall by train; more than 50 % of our clients reach us this way.
Community
Our staff are all locally recruited and are chosen for their professional attitude and accessible manner. We also care about our local environment, those who work and live here and in our policies we advise groups that we do not tolerate any loud or offensive behaviour. For Breakfast supplies we mostly shop at Co-op and recommend locally produced food sources, local shops, pubs and restaurants.
Awards: Cornwall Tourism Awards 2008/09 Triple Winners – Leisure Experience of the Year Gold; Sustainability Award Silver; Winner of Winners. South West Tourism Excellence Awards 2008/09 Tourism Experience of the Year Silver. Surfers Path Best Green Travel Company 2007 and we are also nominated for 2008/09 – results pending. Green Tourism Business Scheme Silver.
We realised that working as an island was not going to help achieve true sustainability so we partnered and reached out:
- In May 2006 we worked with local schools offering affordable surfing. This relationship has continued into 2009 but uniquely we have now included further educational elements to this with “Surf and Learn.”
- Surfing Birthday Parties: This is open to all locals offering a 40% discount on our usual prices.
- Corporate Surfing Experiences: Offering the local council and local companies the opportunity to incentivise / reward or assist with team building.
- Sure Start government initiative: We worked closely with the WILD group with under 19 single mothers and facilitated a number of courses with very positive results.
- Surfers Against Sewage: In 2007 we became the very first corporate members of Surfers Against Sewage and support their cause.
- Green Tourism Scheme: Silver Award.
- Pupil Referral Units: We have successfully worked with 2 local units and 3 for 2009 Links: We share links with the following: Green Seat, The Hunger site, One Percent for the Planet, Global Angels, Traidcraft, Ecover, Ecotricity, The Soil Association, Recycle for Cornwall
We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
