Our environmental sustainability
We are fortunate enough to be based on an absolutely incredible 60 acre site, filled with diverse woodland and heathland habitats, water-filled quarries and a vast array of wildlife. We’re on an exciting journey to not only protect and enhance our immediate surrounds, but also to measure and reduce the environmental impacts of our company as a whole. From looking at the footprints that come with our operations, through to the sourcing and end-of-life of our products, we’re on a mission to put the planet and people first!
Our sustainability efforts so far
Our beginning
Sharing the same site and office buildings as us, our founding charity BF Adventure has had an ethos of reusing, recycling, reducing and repairing since it began in 1989. The activity centre was built from an abandoned brown field former quarry site into a haven for wildlife and vulnerable young people and now the wider public through our adventure activities. Most of our infrastructure is repurposed porta cabins and former work units which were destined for landfill.
Our carbon, energy, water and waste output
We’re tracking and putting measures in place to reduce our carbon, energy and waste impacts. Here are just a few of our initiatives:
- On our site we have solar panels and a wind turbine
- We’re big on car sharing!
- We’re recycling everything that can be, including soft plastics and tetrapaks
- We’re reducing the packaging that comes with our food and office supplies
- We use environmentally friendly cleaning supplies
- Our water is all self-contained and pumped from the ground on-site
- Our merchandise will only be sustainably sourced
- Our leaflets are printed by St Austell Printing Company, which offsets its carbon footprint to support endangered habitats worldwide.
- The Cornish Barista’s Café is also doing its bit – using locally sourced ingredients and composting its food waste, which is then used in BF Adventure’s poly tunnel where the young people they support grow salad! Some of that salad is even used in The Cornish Barista’s food!
Our wildlife stewardship
Whenever we develop anything new, we look to further reduce our environmental impact whilst taking care of the wildlife. When we built our Via Ferrata, we completed initial clearance works before spring and the nesting season so as not to disturb the wildlife, and we are working with Cornwall Wildlife Trust to minimise environmental impacts, enhance the overall habitat and encourage wildlife.
With the help of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, we’re restoring areas of rare open heathland. We’ve also created nature trails which are providing diverse habitats for our fauna and flora. There are some wildlife interpretation boards dotted along the trails with some further information about how to encourage wildlife – come and check them out!
Our site is home to 5 full bee hives, rabbits, squirrels, many bird species, frogs and newts, the occasional spotted deer and many more species. Around the time of our launch in 2020, we also planted 400 trees!
BF Adventure’s initiatives
Sustainability is at the heart of BF Adventure’s work with Cornwall’s disadvantaged young people. Whether they’re growing food with them and encouraging healthy eating, or engaging them with recycling, they’re focused building awareness about the environment in a way that’s fun, inspirational and builds the skills of the children. BF Adventure is also excited to receive its first electric van – the first of many we hope!
Our future goals
We have lots of initiatives in the pipeline, but to name a couple, we aim to generate more renewable energy on site and our mission is to go ‘off-grid’ by 2030. We also aim to buy eco- friendly/low power replacements and new equipment and switch to motion sensor lighting.
Got questions? get in touch!
If you’ve any questions then please do get in touch! You’ll get the fastest response by emailing us!
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