The Edge of the World Bookshop

Name: Rachel Howarth, co-owner

Actions to date:

• Provide glasses, mugs, tea coffee and squash for staff refills
• Use glasses for events
• No straws
• Provide reusable coffee cups for staff for takeaway coffee
• Banned balloons for displays/giveaways. Return to publishers if they are ever sent
• Encourage all our suppliers to move to all paper packaging
• Discourage customers from having bags unless they need/want them
• Mainly paper bags – stock of compostable carriers for wet weather emergencies
• Sell cotton reuse bags and offer free as part of some promotions
• Reuse bubble wrap among local businesses
• Use local high street suppliers to reduce packaging and support local
• Using biodegradable shower proof bags

Proposed actions:

• Ban all disposable coffee cups from building for staff
• Find out from waste collection company how they deal with the plastic we send them
• Put pressure on for better waste collections/recycling
• Source milk in reuse glass bottles
• Use pencils more often to cut plastic pen waste
• Find alternative to sponge/scourers in the kitchen

“Before we opened the bookshop eight year’s ago we thought about the environmental impact of the business and were keen to make sure we were as ethical as possible. We all have to do our bit for the environment and books are still the most environmentally friendly way to read.

“We have a large selection of books about the natural world and how to protect it. Knowledge and action are the way out of the mess we are in and there are some great books about how to live plastic-free, build ponds, plant trees and rewild.”