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Sustainability & Green Tourism

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It’s official: The greenest golf & leisure resort in the UK!

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club is pleased to announce that they are one of the major prize-winners in the annual International Green Apple Awards.

The resort collected the National Gold Award in recognition of their hard work and best practice in the Health, Leisure and Travel category with an invitation to have the coveted Green Apple trophy presented by botanist and TV personality David Bellamy OBE at the House of Commons.

The environmentally friendly practices at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club have ranged from the “reuse, reduce, recycle” scheme to their “switch on to switching off campaign”. All staff inductions incorporate the club’s environmental policy and the club has a “Green Committee” who meet regularly to continuously review and improve in all areas.

These practices have reduced electricity usage by 20%, gas consumption by 10%, water usage by 40% and a reduction in waste going to landfill of 40%. Approximate cost savings amount to £18,500 per year amongst a variety of other positive improvements to the business, the environment and benefits to the local community.

The award for Dartmouth Golf & Country Club, follows recognition by the Green Tourism Business Scheme as one of the Top 50 Green Hotels in the UK and previously winning the Devon Environmental Business Initiative Award for Sustainable Tourism last year.

The Green Apple Awards campaign is an annual international scheme to recognise, reward and promote environmental best practice around the world. The awards are now in their thirteenth year and well established as one of the major environmental recognition schemes, both in the UK and internationally.

The awards scheme is run by The Green Organisation; their supporters include the Environment Agency, the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. In addition, the awards are an official feeder scheme into The European Business Awards for the Environment.

Roger Wolens, of The Green Organisation commented, “We had hundreds of nominations this year, so they did particularly well to triumph against some very strong competition.”

Jamie Waugh, Manager Director at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club says, "We are absolutely delighted to receive such recognition, especially on a national scale! Due to the hard work and commitment of all the staff at the club, along with the cooperation of our members and visitors, the team effort has been phenomenal. Since 2004, we have strived to reduce the impact of our business on the environment and have been successful in doing so in a number of areas. We will endeavour to keep up the good work!”

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club is Devon’s Premier Golf & Leisure Resort. Facilities include two golf courses: the 18 hole Championship Course and 9 hole Dartmouth Course along with extensive practice facilities and pro shop. In addition, the resort boasts a 35 bedroom 3* hotel, restaurant, bar and large function suite – perfect for private and corporate functions.

The Green Apple Awards scheme is run by the Green Organisation; an independent, non-political, non-profit organisation that recognises, rewards and promotes environmental best practice around the world.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) is Europe’s largest “green” accreditation scheme for the tourism sector, and rewards businesses for measures taken in a range of business practices. The Scheme is operated by Green Business, with over 1400 members.

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Dartmouth Golf & Country Club named as one of the UK's 50 Top Green Hotels

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club have been identified as being at the forefront of sustainable tourism.

The Green Tourism Business Scheme has handed out gold awards to those companies which have demonstrated a firm commitment to safeguarding the environment and promoting sustainable tourism.

The list was compiled by a team of independent assessors who individually verified each establishment's green credentials before granting them the highest possible grading, according to the organisation.

They had to achieve a minimum standard from more than 120 separate measures ranging from best management practice and energy saving to buying local produce and caring for wildlife and the landscape.

Green Tourism Business Scheme director Andrea Nicholas said: "This is more than just a list it is a sign of the future as more people are demanding that hotels have to be environmentally aware.

"Our assessors visited every hotel on the list and verified their claims to be green.

DGCC was the only golf resort included in the list and one of only 4 hotels in the South West of England.

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Devon Environmental Business Initiative - Winners of the Sustainable Tourism Category

There is an amazing team effort in implementing a simple, practical, and comprehensive environmental policy. Dartmouth Golf and Country Club is a medium sized business which has to be run efficiently and profitably. With considerable early support and encouragement from South Hams District Council, the Golf Club have embraced environmental issues across all areas from house-keeping to green-keeping. Indeed the judges were particularly impressed with the involvement of staff and regular meetings and internal environmental audits. Also noteworthy were the efforts that the Club have gone to with their suppliers, resisting the easy option to compromise, but instead seeking out the sustainable option whenever possible. There are a number of new initiatives the Club are looking at particularly with regard to energy efficiency and possible alternative green energy sources.

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Green Tourism Business Scheme

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club are proud to have recieved the 'Gold' level standard in the Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) which shows the club is committed to the environment and its eco friendly products and services. The GTBS commented "The site is an excellent local Green Champion." DGCC joined the Green Tourism Business Scheme three years ago with a view to changing its products and services to become more eco-friendly by reducing carbon emmissions, recycling waste and promoting practices that both staff and visitors could employ to 'save our environment.' An environmental policy was adopted and a Green Committee established to focus on 'Green' developments and initiatives throughout the company and to encourage employees to become more energy efficient and eco-friendly. As to the future, DGCC will be working towards the Queen's Award for environmental achievement and are exploring using alternative energy or renewable energy which could save the company is excess of £25,000 per year.

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Green services offered at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club

All plastic, glass, paper, cardboard, metals/cans, toner cartridges at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club are now recycled by tqrecycling. For more information, please visit their website at www.tqrecycling.co.uk

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club prides iteself in sourcing only the best local produce as well as offering fair trade coffee, tea and sugar.

Every member of staff, on starting at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club , partakes in an induction process which covers all green issues.

Please find a link to the Environmental Policy at Dartmouth Golf & Country Club: Environmental Policy

Dartmouth Golf & Country Club offers Wireless Internet Access to all of its guests in the public bar area and in the President's Suite.

Please find a link to a presentation explaining why we have gone green?!: Why Go Green

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Alternative Travel

Please find below a list of alternative travel links to Dartmouth Golf & Country Club:

National Public Transport Information: 0871 200 22 33

By rail: Direct to TotnesNational Rail Enquiries 08457 484950 or www.thetrainline.com

By coach: National Express travels to Totnes and Plymouth www.nationalexpress.com

By car: Follow the M5 to Exeter then take A38 Devon Expressway for Torquay/Plymouth. Turn off slipway for Totnes. At Totnes turn right at traffic lights following sign for A381 Dartmouth/Kinsbridge.

Other: The nearest international airport is Bristol from which trains run hourly to Totnes.