Solway Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

• 
• Contact
• Info
  • How to Get There
  • Solway News
• Projects
  & Events
  • Volunteer Group
  • Events Guide
  • Volunteer Work Days
  • Dunes Project
  • Banks Project
  • People for Peatlands
  • Greens Awards
• About the
  Solway Coast
  • Sites of Interest >
    • Salt Pans
    • Crosscanonby Carr
    • Roman Milefortlet
  • Family Walks >
    • Codes of Practice
    • Solway Villages Trails
    • Eden Estuary Trails
    • Beckfoot Burial Grounds
    • The Smugglers Route
  • Open Access
  • History >
    • History of the AONB
    • Holm Cultram Abbey
  • Landscape >
    • Agricultural Land
    • Raised Mires
    • Sand & Mud Flats
    • Sand Dunes
    • Salt Marsh
  • Wildlife
• Solway Coast
  Discovery Centre
  • The Discovery Centre
  • Tourist Info & Shop
  • Solway Art Gallery
  • Exhibitions
  • Star Profiles
  • Films
  • Publications
  • History of Centre
• Education
• Management
  • Staff
  • Job Descriptions
  • Management Plan
  • Draft Management Plan
  • Joint Advisory Committee
• Find it
  Locally
  • Local Businesses
  • Accommodation >
    • Hotel or B&B
    • Self-Catering
    • Camping or Touring Park
    • Alternative
  • Events & Attractions >
    • Whats On
    • Attractions
    • Eating & Drinking
    • Culture
    • Shopping
    • Leisure Activities
    • Places to visit
• Sustainable
  Development

1. What are the Greens Awards

The Bronze, Silver & Gold oystercatchers will be awarded to those busineses on the Solway Coast and Plain which show a commitment to the environment. A business can do this by completing the Greens Awards Audit Kit.

2. Getting Started

All you need to do to sign up to the Greens Award Scheme is pick up a copy of the Audit pack from Solway Rural Initiative (SRI). The pack encourages you to look at your business's environmental performance through seven studies:

ENERGY:

This looks at how much you use and the ways you could cut down, so saving money.

TRANSPORT:

This examines the transport you use and how often you travel. It also gives you a chance to comment on the state of local public transport.

PURCHASING:

Deals with what you buy, how far you travel to buy it and looks at areas in which you could save money and the environment.

WASTE & RECYCLING:

A realistic look at what you throw away and the ways you could cost-effectively recycle, re-use or buy alternative products.

HEALTH:

This encourages you to look at your own health and that of your staff. By doing this your business's health can improve.

LOCAL ENVIRONMENT:

Centring on the Solway Coast, this looks at the potential ways in which you can help preserve and enhance this important area.

WATER CONSERVATION:

Water is becoming an expensive commodity. How can you cut down and encourage others to do the same?

3. Why Should I Take Up the Scheme?

The scheme costs little to implement and is being run along the length of the Solway Coast. By taking up the ethos of the awards you will be saving money, doing your bit for the environment and working to create a new image for the area; one of a 'green', environmentally friendly place to stay.

The Solway Coast's designation as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty places planning constraints on local businesses. This scheme encourages you to use the designation as a positive marketing tool.

4. What Do I Have to Do?

Once you have worked through each section of the Audit Kit, SRI will evaluate your performance with you and help you make the changes that you feel could improve your environmental score.

5. How Much Will I Have to Pay?

A charge of £10 will be made for registration on the scheme. This is for your Audit Kit, marketing material once you have achieved the award and will go towards environmental projects to conserve the Solway Coast. SRI is a non-profit-making organisation, so you can rest assured that all money will be recycled back into the local area. There are no hidden costs and any changes made to your business will have been identified by you!

6. What Support is There?

SRI will take you through the audit, give you advice and support with marketing, marketing material, conservation projects and business development.

For further information contact Solway Coast AONB