We’re delighted to share that our Peak District Environmental Quality Mark Award (PDEQM) has been revalidated for the next three years.
The award recognises our commitment to sustainable practices that minimise climate change impacts. It also acknowledges our dedication to supporting Peak District communities and businesses, as well as our commitment to widening access and reaching more diverse communities through our services.
But there’s more to do…
Transport and accommodation: We have purchased an electric vehicle and will use it wherever possible for journeys in the Peak District. We are also setting up a B&B walkers’ retreat from our home, offering free lifts from train stations and transport to walks using our electric vehicle.
Partnerships: We are working with local accommodation providers, hotels and retreat operators to promote “walking from the door,” reducing the need for car travel.
Purchasing: We have subscribed to Ethical Consumer, a web-based organisation that helps ensure our business purchasing is sustainable and ethical. It features many affordable, well-known brands, so this doesn’t increase our costs.
Accessibility: We are developing shorter and more accessible walks to encourage new visitors to enjoy and learn about the Peak District’s environment, wildlife, history, and culture.
We are a micro-business — is our impact really significant? What’s the point?
There are three reasons we support the Environmental Quality Mark:
First, however carefully we tread, our boots do have an impact on the upland environment. We have a responsibility to conserve the landscapes we walk on.
Second, being small doesn’t mean we can’t do our bit to support sustainability. Everybody’s “little bit” adds up to a big difference. Reducing waste also uses resources more effectively and supports effective governance.
Third, supporting access to the hills for wider and more diverse communities enables more people to benefit from the health and wellbeing the countryside offers. It also encourages better understanding of, and care for, the open countryside.
We’ve found the Peak District Environmental Quality Mark to be a valuable mentor, helping us set simple, incremental goals as our business develops.
It’s a rewarding journey with enduring outcomes.
For More Information:
Contact: Richard Tower, Peak Walking Adventures. M: 07913 549483.
info@peakwalking.com
– ENDS-
