Summer 2011

Well, the first item to report is that we've been classified as one of the 50 Greenest companies in Anglia. As a result of that, we've got some lovely coverage in the East Anglian Daily Times, which mentions this blog. Hence sitting here writing it!

A quick review of our last blog first. We've definitely signed up with Haven Power with their 100% renewable biomass generated electricity, and it all seems to be going fine. As I write, Mosaic is also out at a 'Pig Club' meeting, and they are currently planning to start in late November. At the moment the work is all planning, and hence indoors. But at some point very soon it will involve building an ark for the pigs, which will be outdoor, cold work. I'll take along a flask to warm them all up.

As you will appreciate, it gets ever harder to make big strides in reducing your environmental impact, but we think we've recently made another one. As I'm Chair of the local hoteliers association, I got contacted by a company called SaveMoneyCutCarbon.com, and I assumed it was another website selling aerated shower heads and water displacement devices for toilet cisterns (we use old plastic milk cartons). And whilst it is, it is so much more. They have invested a serious amount of time - and hence money - into road testing the gear they sell. To cut a long story short Mark - the guy behind the business - lent us an EcoCamel JetStorm shower head. As a result of that test (Mosaic, who hates 'dribbly' showers, gave it the thumbs up) we have invested in 10 JetStorms for our own property, and we also - courtesy of Suffolk County Council - gave some samples to other local hoteliers.

The JetStorm shower head looks good, feels robust, and gives a hell of a shower. It's a bit noisier than a normal shower head, but it uses about 40% less water than a normal shower head. We actually just got a guest review which referred to the 'powerful shower'.

The basic fact is that water is relatively cheap. However, hot water ain't cheap, and saving potentially 40% of the hot water that is used in our showers, whilst actually enhancing the guest experience, is a no brainer. I can't remember the exact numbers, but the payback for the shower heads should be within a year (they are £40'ish each from memory).

We have also invested in a load of soaker hose and a pump to water the garden direct from the - now 1500 litres - of rainwater storage we have around the house. It saves us a bit of time, which we wish we spent sitting down instead!

Finally - not in terms of importance or achievement I hasten to add - Mosaic was recently filmed by the Green Suffolk team as part of a promotional video - you can see the results here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuD8WVjCnPI

If I think of anything else, I'll add it when I do!

Thanks for reading.

Martin and Mosaic

Spring 2011

Well, it's been a while since we updated our blog.

We've still been plugging away doing what we do, and we've made good progress with the garden this year. We've also just started on painting the exterior of the windows with Holkham Linseed Oil paints. This is the sane stuff we used on the porch a couple of years ago, and that still looks as good as new.

What's really prompted this update is that we got a letter from Ecotricity today advising us of a near 20% increase in our electricity rates. Ouch. So, seeing as we're on a rolling 28 day contract (hats off to Ecotricity for that at least), we got on the phone and made a couple of calls. One of the potential suppliers is an expanding local company called Haven Power. We looked at them last time round, but they failed at the first hurdle, as their sales people seemed to know very little about their own green product. A quick check of their website showed an improved set of information, so we called them, and they do have a 100% renewable product, powered by biomass. This has come in at £400 a year below the increased cost of staying with Ecotricity, so we've switched. As well as being 100% renewable still, we're also supporting a local company and local employment. That's a winner as far as we're concerned.

We've also engaged with the local Transition Ipswich group, and hope to be supporting the establishment of a 'pig club' on a small farm just a few miles away.

Our local butchers and greengrocer are already very good on local sourcing, but as a result of our recommendation, they have both just started stocking the same apple juice as we serve our guests.

Not really an eco thing, but some news hot off the press. Instead of closing down when we want (read 'need') a weekend off, we're going to be letting Lattice Lodge as a whole house on a self catering basis. Fingers crossed!

Cheers,

Martin and Mosaic.

Local Sourcing...

Just a quick update to prove that our claim to use the best possible local ingredients is 100% true.

Two of our suppliers are covered in Rose Prince's column in the Telegraph today.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/8373066/Meet-the-fresh-young-foodies.html

Stephany provides our jam and marmalade, and Katherine our yoghurts and some of our milk.

Delicious they all are too!

Martin and Mosaic