“The plus side of shopping small and local: Not only is it a great boost to the local economy but it has a significant positive impact on our carbon footprint as well.”
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How can we be both business-minded and green?
Over the last days, there has been a special series on ECOpreneurship, looking at how new and established businesses are doing their bit for the planet:
How to help the environment through your new business – Vision Group for Sidmouth
How established businesses are reducing their impact on the planet – Vision Group for Sidmouth
How to make your business more eco-friendly – Vision Group for Sidmouth
There are lots of positive steps companies are already taking.
Part three: “How are Sidmouth businesses reducing their impact on the planet?”
Business really does have a role to play in helping the environment:
Charles Sinclair: COP26 and the role businesses have to play | Sidmouth Herald
Last year’s Sustainable Sidmouth Champions Awards recognised the positive contributions from local businesses:
The Champions Awards 2021: a profile of FillFull – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards
The Champions Awards 2021: a profile of Woolbrook News – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards
And the Plastic Warriors lists businesses who have done their bit to reduce their plastic footprint:
Businesses – Sidmouth Plastic Warriors
Other businesses re making real contributions – Vinnecombes the bakery, for example:
We are developing a new line of natural and sourdough baked goods using only organic ingredients, to help our business transition towards a more environmentally sustainable bakery, whilst upholding our traditional reputation. We are working with the In My Back Yard local producers cooperative to test and market this new direction.
Hartstongue – Vinnicombes Bakery, Sidmouth
And the Dairy Shop:
Kirsty was very keen to look at becoming more environmentally conscious and one of the first things we did was to sell coffee at a reduced price for people who bring their own cup. … We try to source products that are as local as possible and as good quality as possible (with exception to our authentic Spanish range!). As this is our ethos, we decided to make and sell Sidmouth Gin, where we work very closely with several local business like Ebb Tides.
The Dairy Shop shares what it loves about business in Sidmouth | Sidmouth Herald
Here’s a recommendation for an eco-minded shop in Sidmouth:
My mum owns and runs a beautiful, sparkly shop in our home town of Sidmouth called Flutterbys @flutterbyssidmouth. She works so hard and sells some absolutely gorgeous things including gifts, beads, charms and jewellery findings so pop in if you are ever in the area! She also has a website www.flutterbyssidmouth.co.uk which will direct you to her eBay store which has some of her products listed. There are so many other wonderful businesses I could mention but for now, @sparklesecoshop (eco gifts and lifestyle products) and @vidabeauty_ecosalon (trailing the way in the beauty world in terms of using sustainable and earth friendly products- shes amazing!)
Small Business Showcase – Hilda’s Planet – All Blog Posts
To finish, here is another excerpt from a blog from a Sidmouth resident:
I am really aware that there are so many new, and well established small businesses in Sidmouth that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Before becoming a mum and developing a deeper fear and guilt about the state of the planet and how we are leaving it for our children and grandchildren, I didn’t really consider the plus side of shopping small and local. Not only is it a great boost to the local economy but it has a significant positive impact on our carbon footprint as well. We don’t have to drive for miles, thus polluting the atmosphere, and often our small local shops use local suppliers so we can also cut down on the transport miles for the goods that we are buying. As well as our local independents which are great for children’s gifts; Flutterbys, Crane and Kind, Paragon books and Gliddons Toy shop to name some of my favourites