26/08/11…..Board gets Gold for being green

THE Chilterns Conservation Board, based in Chinnor, near Thame, has been officially recognised as one of the greenest organisations in Oxfordshire ? it?s just been given a Gold award by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

GTBS is the main scheme in the UK for accrediting tourism businesses that are operating in an eco-friendly way. Only two other businesses in Oxfordshire have achieved Gold awards.

“We’re thrilled to have this seal of approval on all our work to be as green as possible and to encourage others to reduce their impact on the environment,” says Claire Forrest, Information Officer at the Board.

“We?ve had a Sustainability Plan in place for some years now which guides the way we work and gives us targets to achieve every year. We are always trying to make improvements, whether it is replacing an old boiler with an efficient condensing one, or reducing the miles that staff travel. We also encourage other businesses to join the Green Tourism Business Scheme. Many of us are already operating in a green way so why not get some credit for it?”

The Chilterns Conservation Board is a public body charged with looking after and promoting the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. At its office in Chinnor it has installed photo voltaic panels to generate electricity, low energy lighting, extra insulation and a water butt. It has also planted trees and distributed low energy light bulbs to parishes to offset carbon emissions.

PHOTO: Flash back to when Boris Johnson, then Thame’s MP, attended the Solar panels switch on at the Chilterns Conservation Board’s HQ back in May, 2005.