Coolings Garden Centre - Kent

Reducing our impact on the limited natural resources is always important at Coolings. We are always looking for ways that a green and environmentally friendly business can limit waste and resources we use.

These are just some of the areas where we try to lessen our impact on the environment:

• Green waste from our coffee shops and nursery is made into compost
• Glass and metal (bottles and cans) from our coffee shops is recycled
• Solar heating is used in Arthurs to heat the hot water
• Paper across both sites is recycled
• Cardboard is made into boxes to help all our customers package their purchases
• Water runoff from our glasshouse roofs is recycled to water our plants
• Broken stoneware is used as crocks for customers to collect free
• Plastic and pots are recycled, reused and made available to customers free

Green Waste

Prunings, spent compost, dead plants and coffee shop vegetable waste is put on a compost pile to rot down for use as a soil improver.
We do not pot plants on our nursery with this product, but mulch flowerbeds and incorporate it prior to planting. This is also sold to our customers as a low cost alternative soil improver. Please ask a member of staff or email us if you are interested in using this product.

Recycle Banks

We have bottle and clothing recycle banks at both our sites, fully accessible to the public. The coffee shops also use this facility to further reduce their waste, recycling all glass bottles and cans used.

Solar Heating

Arthurs coffee shop has solar heating panels which are used to assist in heating the hot water for the wash room facilities. This helps in reducing the resources needed to provide hot water and relies on renewable energy.  A read out of roof temperature is situated adjacent to the ladies' cloakroom door in Arthurs.

Paper and printing

Our regular newsletter sent to over 24,000 customers now uses 100% managed forest envelopes. All trees removed to produce our envelopes are replaced.
All our team are also encouraged to keep paper use to a minimum and recycle all paper where possible at both sites.

Broken pots and stoneware

Any broken terracotta pots are smashed up to be made available to all customers as crocks. This is an ideal way to increase drainage in the bottom of container grown plants when potting them up.

Cardboard reuse

Wherever possible, cardboard from packaging waste at Coolings is made into boxes that customers can then use to carry products out to the car.

The Future

Our fabulous new eco-building at our Coolings Green & Pleasant site is one of the most environmentally friendly buildings in Kent. For more details (click here)

If you ever have any ideas that can help us become even more environmentally friendly,  please let us know.