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The Mersey Valley Warden Service is committed to working to improve the environment. We recognise that this means more than just looking after our sites for wildlife. We have written an ‘eco-code’ that will provide us with guidelines on how to be more environmentally friendly in our offices as well as out in the Valley.
In 2007 we were awarded eco-centre status. It confirms that we are working in the best way possible to protect the environment.
Many of the changes we are making are small, but altogether they will make a big difference. Here are some examples:
- Reducing the amount of water we use by putting a full bottle in the toilet cisterns. This saves a litre of water with each flush.
- Reusing envelopes and making sure we write on both sides of pieces of paper before we recycle them.
- Making sure we buy recycled paper.
- Reducing the amount of electricity we use by remembering to switch lights of when we leave the room
- Only filling the kettle with as much water as we need each time.
- Use energy saving light bulbs and re-chargeable batteries.
Mersey Valley Eco Code
The Eco-code for Chorlton Water Park Local Nature Reserve and the Mersey Valley Visitor Centre has been developed in order to demonstrate our commitment to environmental improvements across the whole service. The actions listed are either already in place or are to be addressed over the next year. The Eco-code will be updated annually and will incorporate new actions that we feel should be taken to achieve the objective of continual improvement in our environmental performance.
All Mersey Valley staff, visitors, volunteers and any other interested parties are actively encouraged to contribute to our Eco-code in the form of ideas and suggestions, whether formal or informal, we welcome all involvement.
- To review our Environmental Policy regularly and to endeavour to use the Eco-Code to plan future activities.
- To endeavor to involve the local community in our environmental work and to ensure all groups and organisations are aware of our Environmental Policy.
- To continue to work using the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle principle in waste minimisation.
- To reduce the amount of water consumed by the centre's activities.
To reduce the amount of energy consumed and energy wastage.
To endeavour to check suppliers’ environmental credentials and buy recycled and sustainable products when possible.
To care for our outdoor environment by managing the centre grounds in an environmentally sensitive way
The Mersey Valley Countryside Warden Service Environmental Policy
The Mersey Valley aims to lessen our impact and improve performance, environmentally, in the following areas;
1. LITTER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
We shall endeavour to;
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Encourage school groups and visitors attending events to bring waste items to be reused for models and other craft activities on their visit.
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Encourage visitors to reduce the waste produced in their activities.
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Involve school groups in a waste free lunch scheme.
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Reduce the amount of waste produced by the centres activities and monitor this waste weekly.
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Reuse envelopes for mailing.
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Recycle any waste that cannot be reused such as metal cans, newspapers and glass.
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Compost suitable organic waste to produce natural fertiliser for use on site.
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Arrange for our centres to host public recycling facilities.
We will continue to;
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Remove litter from our centres regularly and provide outdoor litterbins.
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Reuse paper only used on one side.
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Recycle paper once used on both sides.
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Reuse waste suitable for use in events and education activities, such as plastic bottles, yoghurt cartons and bottle tops.
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Recycle empty printer ink cartridges.
2. ENERGY USE
We shall endeavour to;
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Use low energy bulbs, fluorescent strips and starters in all light fittings.
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Clean windows on a monthly basis to improve natural light.
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Use thermostats on all heaters to maintain a temperature of
16°C.
We will continue to:
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Turn off lights and appliances when not in use.
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Use rechargeable batteries.
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Ensure the heaters are switched off when the windows are open.
3. TRANSPORT
We shall endeavour to;
We will continue to;
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Provide a secure cycle rack for visitors
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Use vehicles that run on diesel and keep them for at least five years or until they have done 150,000 miles.
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Share car use to and from meetings and courses when public transport is impractical.
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Promote cycling through our events and involvement with the Trans Pennine Trail.
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Promote walking through our events and involvement with the Health Walk initiative.
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Promote public transport by having timetables and other information available at our visitor centres.
4. WATER
We shall endeavour to;
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Use litre bottles in toilet cisterns to reduce the amount of water used each flush.
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Adjust maximum flow of taps to “just adequate”.
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Collect rainwater from the roof of our centre at Chorlton Water Park to be used in watering nursery plants and flower displays.
We will continue to;
5. PURCHASING POLICY
We shall endeavour to;
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Buy recycled paper for office use.
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Buy recycled pencils for use and for sale at the Mersey Valley Visitor centre.
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Purchase and use rechargeable batteries for all portable electrical equipment.
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Purchase compost, when required that is peat-free.
6. THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT
We shall endeavour to;
We will continue to;
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Develop the site for education, wildlife and demonstrate good practice.
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Plant native species of plants to attract native animal species.
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Reclaim waste and use it for building new features on the site.
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Monitor the site for damage and repair.
7. ACTIVITY SITES
We shall endeavour to;
8. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PRACTICE
We shall endeavour to;
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Display our Eco-code on website and display in public and staff notice boards.
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Use Eco-code when planning activities and events.
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Update Eco-code annually, incorporating new action points with continual improvement as an aim. Previous action points that have been addressed should be included and maintained.
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Encourage feedback from staff and public via questionnaires, e-mail, mail telephone and verbally. The channels of communication will be made clear on staff and public notice boards.
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Include environmental awareness and concerns into students/visitors learning experiences.
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Maintain several indoor plants in the buildings at Chorlton Water Park and the Mersey Valley Visitor Centre so as to improve the image and atmosphere of these working spaces.
9. LEGISLATION
We shall endeavour to;
10. PARTNERSHIPS
We shall endeavour to;
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Further the involvement of our local business and residential community in our environmental work.
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Ensure that all groups working with us are aware of our environmental policy.
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Inform our partners and funders of our environmental improvements.
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Publicise our environmental improvements through our website, leaflets, Eco-centre notice boards and local newspapers.
11. COMMUNICATIONS AND AWARENESS
We shall endeavour to;
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Promote our environmental improvements to the local community via the Ecocentre notice board, Local Area Partnership (LAP) meetings and website.
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Inform our suppliers of our new purchasing policy and ask future suppliers for their environmental policy.
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Publicise our first years achievements via coverage in a local newspaper
We will continue to;
ECO-CENTRE ACTION PLAN
1. LITTER AND WASTE MANAGEMENT
1.1 Develop a clear policy on waste and litter, for instance what we do and do not recycle. (By June 1st 2004)
1.2 Improve our recycling efforts by recycling paper, glass and cans. Purchace storage containers for the various types of waste.(By June 1st 2004)
1.3 Compost suitable organic waste produced by the facility in on-site compost bin. Purchace necessary composting equipment i.e: bin, stand, clean indoor tub and catalyst.(By June 1st 2004)
1.4 Arrange for Chorlton Water Park car park to become a host for public recycling facilities, if viable/possible. (By August 1st 2004)
1.5 Communicate the new waste minimisation policies to visitors/general public via notice board, website and leaflets.(By July 1st 2004)
2. ENERGY USE
2.1 Install low energy bulbs into all bayonet light fittings and low energy starters to all fluorescent light units.(By July 1st 2004)
2.2 Clean windows on a monthly basis to improve natural light.(By May 1st 2004)
2.3 Set all convector heaters to maintain 160C (11/3 on the dial).(By May 1st 2004)
2.4 Set water heaters to 350C so no cold water is needed to wash hands and less energy is used to thermostatically maintain this temperature.(By May 1st 2004)
2.5 Install room thermometers to monitor optimum room temperature.(By May 1st 2004)
2.6 Purchase and use rechargeable batteries for all portable electrical equipment.(By April 2005)
3. TRANSPORT
3.1 Promote cycling through events and publicise through leaflets and website also provide information on The Trans Pennine Trail and Manchester cycle routes at Mersey Valley information points. (By May 1st 2004)
3.2 Promote walking through the health walks initiative and publicise through leaflets and website.(By May 1st 2004)
4. WATER
4.1 Add water saving devises to all water cisterns e.g. litre bottles.(By June 1st 2004)
4.2Collect rainwater from toilet block/information point roof at Chorlton Water Park into newly purchased water butt. Water collected can be used for watering plants in the wildflower nursery. (By June 1st 2004)
5. PURCHASING POLICY
5.1 Buy recycled paper for office use.(By April 1st 2005)
5.2 Buy recycled pencils for use and for sale at the Mersey Valley Visitor centre. (By April 2005)
5.3 Purchase and use rechargeable batteries for all portable electrical equipment.(By April 2005)
6. THE OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT
6.1 Improve landscape and wildlife features in immediate area to buildings i.e. car park area. Such improvements should include;
- tidy hedges and flowerbeds and plant up beds (this will be maintained on a permanent basis)(By June 1st 2004)
- construction of bird feeding station(By October 1st 2004)
7. ACTIVITY SITES
7.1 Incorporate the subject of human impact and ways to minimise such on urban (and rural) locations when taking school/public groups out on site.(By May 1st 2004)
8. ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PRACTICE
8.1 Develop a Mersey Valley environmental policy and Eco-code. The Eco-code should be based on actions we are taking through this action plan and also existing measures to lessen our impact on the wider environment.(By May 1st 2004)
8.2 Publish Eco-code in leaflets and on website as well as displaying in public and staff Eco-centre notice boards.(By July 1st 2004)
8.3 Use Eco-code when planning events and activities.(By June 1st 2004)
8.4 Update Eco-code annually, incorporating new action points with continual improvement as an aim. Previous action points that have been addressed should be included and maintained.(By April 1st 2005)
8.5 Feed back in the form of ideas and suggestions should be encouraged from staff and visitors via Eco-centre notice boards and channels of communication made clear.(By July 1st 2004)
8.6 Plants should be purchased/acquired for suitable areas such as offices and information points. E.g. spider plants(By June 1st 2004)
8.7 Include environmental awareness and concerns into student/visitors learning experiences (see also 7.1).(By May 1st 2004)
9. LEGISLATION
9.1 Monitor (and subscribe to if necessary) publications to stay abreast of developments in relevant environmental legislation.(By June 1st 2004)
10. PARTNERSHIPS
10.1 Promote Eco-schools using leaflets and handbook to all visiting school groups and local schools via Mersey Valley Education Warden and any other liaison.(By May 1st 2004)
10.2 The Mersey Valley will seek out partners in the local community to help meet our environmental targets. These partners will include such organisations as Chorlton High School, Barlow Moor Community Association and Greater Manchester Waste Ltd, but the full list is too long to include here.(By June 1st 2004)
10.3 We will encourage local schools to play a part in our environmental development and offer help and support to them in ultimately joining the Eco-schools programme.(By June 1st 2004)
10.4 The Mersey Valley will promote the centre’s Eco-code whenever possible at meetings with local schools, community groups and other departments within the local authority.(By May 1st 2004)
11. COMMUNICATIONS AND AWARENESS
11.1 The Mersey Valley will promote it’s environmental improvements to the local community via Eco-centre notice board, local area partnership meetings and website.(By July 1st 2004)
11.2 When our first year action points are in place we will seek a local newspaper to publicise such.(By April 1st 2005)
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