As mentioned earlier, the foundation of our Environmental Management System comes from process mapping the activities on site and their inputs and outputs.
Naturally, many areas are very similar in these aspects of their operation and all these aspects and others relating to the site as a whole, e.g. traffic movement, are tabulated into a register and then each aspect is examined for its impacts on the environment.
We then make an evaluation of each aspect according to 5 criteria, which look at how often the aspect arises, how damaging are its impacts, how well is it controlled etc and assign a score to each aspect. This gives an indication of the significance of each aspect and therefore which should be addressed as a priority.
Energy is always in the top half of the list because it happens all the time and we use lots of it, but we have good controls although it would improve further if we could obtain “carbon neutral” wind or Hydroelectric power supplies. It is hoped that supplies will be available later this year. Other considerations include:-
 |
Greater segregation of the ordinary waste, in particular addressing junk mail and unsolicited mail order catalogues which can all go in the magazine bins.
Composting of canteen wastes mixed with sawdust from our carpenters without encouraging wildlife of the vermin variety!
Alternative hot water heating in summer which currently uses several electric immersion heaters.
A feasibility study to install local area electricity meters to monitor local demands and the results of improvement work.
A building study to see which, if any, have cavity walls (most are solid) we can insulate.
Make improvements to the River Misbourne (with Environment Agency funded works)
Continue to assist the Natural History Museum
And last, but not least, plant some more of your surplus trees and other plants for all to enjoy. |
This photograph of a male Kingfisher was taken by employee Colin Pickett. Captured on a perch over the river Misborne in Martins’ Meadow, this Kingfisher had just caught a small fish called a Bullhead.