Environmental issues continue to be on the equine community’s radar with more “doing their bit” to reduce plastic use — as Horse & Hound starts to use paper packaging for sending out subscriber issues of the magazine.
Businesses say they are continuing to look at ways to be eco-friendly and introduce new steps with which everyone can be involved.
Equine supplement manufacturer the Golden Paste Company, which introduced dissolvable packing peanuts in place of bubblewrap in its packaging last summer (news, 13 June), has since removed the plastic scoop from its TurmerAid tubs.
Sales manager Hattie l’Anson told H&H the company is “committed” to minimising the impact of its activities on the environment.
“We are constantly evaluating our operations to ensure they are as efficient as possible. We take care to recycle and reduce our waste internally, and have applied this thought process to our products and packaging,” she said.
“One-and-a-half level tablespoons is equivalent to one of the scoops previously included in the tub.”
The Alkham Valley Community Project, a Kent charity that aims to make riding affordable to everybody and offers it as therapy to disabled people, announced it was “going green” this year, asking visitors not to sit in cars with engines running, to bring reusable drink bottles, and take plastic rubbish such as food packaging home to be recycled.
Project manager Jo Murrell told H&H the charity aims to be sustainable by using solar lights in stables and low-impact lighting in its indoor school, and by reusing rugs rather than buying new.
“It’s about making a small start, but hopefully people might think about things like their packed lunches,” she said.
“We have around 300 people attend a week and I thought we have to do something to reduce the amount of plastic going in the waste bin.”
Ms Murrell added that people are often unsure how to do their bit.
“People are becoming more aware, but everyone thinks they need to do something huge when it can be as simple as not coming here with plastic bottles and leaving them,” she said.
“There is a lot people can do. For example, you don’t need a new rug every season because it’s a different colour; it’s all nylon and going to end up in landfill. If we all do a little bit, it will hopefully amount to a big bit.”
From next Thursday (16 January) H&H magazine will be delivered to subscribers in recyclable paper envelopes, replacing the plastic packaging.
“We are really happy to have found a way to get our magazine to subscribers in a more environmentally-friendly fashion,” said editor-in-chief Sarah Jenkins.
“Along with the rest of the equestrian community, we are keen to play any part we can in protecting our environment for future generations. We frequently receive letters from readers asking what equestrian manufacturers and event organisers are doing on this issue — and the answer, more and more, is ‘quite a bit’. Happily, with our sustainably sourced, carbon-balanced paper wrapping, we are now able to play a small part ourselves, too.”
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