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About Magazine Issue 19 - Spring 2003

Smart Action to Save Businesses £130K pa

Local businesses are receiving free assistance from the Hastings Sustainable Business Partnership (HSBP) to discover ways to work in more environmentally friendly ways.

Already, around 100 Hastings firms are now thinking smarter, environmentally, and several local businesses have developed action plans on a variety of cost-saving environmental initiatives. These include setting up recycling collections, composting, using sensor controlled lighting, organising switch-off campaigns for equipment and increasing the use of email to reduce paper waste.

Over 50 businesses have received free HSBP-funded environmental reviews which have identified annual savings of over £130,000. These reviews spot energy-saving steps, help companies to understand environmental legislation and advise on specific grants and loans available for environmental improvements. Many of the savings are made through simple, cost-effective actions such as:

• switching to low energy light bulbs
• recycling chemicals
• installing radiator valves to reduce energy use by 15%
• installing water-saving devices such as ‘hogs’ in toilets to save on water bills.

One of the star environmental performers which HSBP has assisted, Hollington-based ABC Family Nursery, puts the environment at the very heart of its business and was the only East Sussex business to win a SEEDA Sustainable Business Award in 2002.

The nursery’s winning initiatives included:

• installing a solar water heating system to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and cut greenhouse gas emissions
• using energy efficient lightbulbs and double glazing thoughout, to reduce energy use
• prioritising local suppliers
• using modern washable nappies, since supplies of disposable nappies have to be replenished and used nappies take up to 500 years to decompose
• having milk delivered in reusable bottles.

A total of £98,000 has been drawn into the project by a number of funding bodies including the Hastings Regeneration Partnership, Hastings Borough Council, the S.E. England European Regional Development Fund and East Sussex County Council, which, when combined, provides for the project’s operating costs.

After attending one of the Partnership’s training seminars, St Leonards-based Plastica Ltd bought a cardboard matting machine. The business now recycles its waste card and uses the mattings as packaging material for its products saving the company around £3,000 each year!

For more information on the free assistance available for businesses please contact HSBP co-ordinator, Sarah Watson on 781486 or email: swatson@hastings.gov.uk

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This page last updated: 04/04/2003