Our Climate Czar, Cllr Peter Schwier, visited a north Essex farm to mark the launch of a new climate action toolkit for businesses.
We have teamed up with the Essex Climate Action Commission to launch the new toolkits. They are designed to support Essex organisations to go green and protect natural resources.
The pack sets out the practical steps that each local business or organisation can take to kickstart their journey.
To mark the launch of the packs, Cllr Schwier visited Fairfields Farm.
Located in the Colne Valley, the family owned business grows and harvests potatoes. These are either packed and shipped or hand-cooked at the on-site factory to become artisan crisps sold across the region.
Fairfields Farm has begun a proactive journey towards net zero, reducing carbon emissions where possible.
Alongside hedgerow restoration and maintaining over 5% of land as carbon-capturing wild bird habitat, the farm has created a water management system complete with reservoirs to store excess water for use in the summer months.
The farm also recently embarked on an anaerobic digestion plant project. The plant generates methane gas, which is not only supplied to the gas grid as renewable energy but provides fertiliser to the farm’s potato crops as a natural by-product too. The waste oil from the production of the crisps is sent for refinement and recycling into biodiesel fuel for tractors.
Speaking after his visit, Cllr Peter Schwier said: “It was a pleasure to visit Fairfields Farm. They are a fantastic example of a local business that is already taking decisive action to combat climate change. The whole production line at the farm is all about sustainability as they grow, harvest and process all the produce themselves.
“Agriculture is responsible for 24% of greenhouse gas emissions and it’s really important to tackle this, with farmers playing their part towards becoming net zero. This type of sustainable business is exactly what we want to see more of in Essex, by taking the lead and being proactive towards becoming carbon neutral going forward.”
Businesses can find out more or download the action packs at the ECAC website.