Environmental Policy Statement
Cafe Linnalla is committed to the preservation and sustainability of the coastal Burren for local communities and visitors alike, and to facilitating and enabling visitors, staff and suppliers to understand the natural and cultural heritage of the region. Cafe Linnalla is committed to minimizing its own environmental impact, as well as that of its visitors. We are continually looking at ways to improve by measuring our waste, water and energy. We are committed to the Geopark sustainable code of practice.
The Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark
Café Linnalla is committed to respecting the geopark sustainable code of practice for tourism so that we can help protect our natural and cultural heritage.
• Café Linnalla provides information on the Burren and cliffs of Moher geopark to visitors. We provide information in the Café and encourage people to download the app. or visit the website. We provide books, maps and DVD`s We talk to our visitors on the geopark and all staff can provide some level of interpretation.
• Leave no trace. All our visitors are made aware of Leave no trace procedure. highlighted in our café are the seven principles
Plan Ahead and Prepare.
• Be Considerate of Others
• Respect Farm Animals and Wildlife
• Travel and Camp on Durable Ground
• Leave What You Find Dispose of Waste Properly
• Minimise the Effects of Fire
Our policies in regard to walking dogs on the shore are highlighted in the café.
Energy
• Lighting in the Cafe is minimal and low energy bulbs and motion sensors are used.
• Recognizing that freezers are the heaviest users of energy in the Cafe, we continuously seek to review and reduce energy consumption and have a policy in place to do so.
• Heat generated from the freezers is used to heat the visitor premises and no additional heating system is installed.
• When purchasing and replacing electrical equipment, A-rated appliances are sourced.
Water
• Water is sourced from the local public group scheme which supplies water directly from AillweeMountain.
• Water is heated with the use of under sink heaters, therefore only the required amount of water is heated as it passes through the tap.
• Waste water is plumbed to the waste management system.
• Some of the roof rain water is diverted to a trough for drinking water for the cows (which supply the milk for the ice-cream factory).
Toilets are fitted with a short-flush option.
Waste
• Reduce: Non-recyclable waste is kept to a minimum and is only generated where necessary to satisfy visitor needs e.g. serviettes. We have very little for the general waste bin.
• Reuse: All ice-cream containers are re-used and re-filled. Plastic spoons are washed and reused.
• Recycle: All waste is separated and recyclables are handled by the local waste collection service.
Use of detergents/disinfectants
• Where possible, a steam cleaner is used to clean industrial equipment.
• Dishes, utensils, glassware and work surfaces are washed by hand using eco-friendly detergents
Green Purchasing Policy
• Cafe Linnalla operates a green purchasing policy which is reviewed bi-annually.
Impacts on biodiversity
• Cafe Linnalla is conscious of the need to protect the local biodiversity, both on sea and land, and is committed to planting native shrubs and bushes along its new walkway to the shore, this will compliment the foraging products we use in our ice cream.
• We are committed to protecting the shoreline from erosion and pollution. We provide information on the diversity of the shoreline and take part in shore clean up days.
Transport
• Visitors to Cafe Linnalla are encouraged to walk or cycle part of the way to Cafe Linnalla, and a walkway to the shore is provided. A cycle stand is available at the café.
Contributing to Conservation
We take an active part in preserving our environment the farm of Brid and Roger is part of the REPS program and lands at the shore are Special area of conservation. Our land at Lough Muree is a protected Bird Sanctuary. We are members of Bird watch Clare and Burren Beo. We are members of comhaltas ceoltari Eireann and Scor na Clar . We plant native trees and bushes and protect the coastline from erosion without affecting tide energy or direction. Café Linnalla informs visitors of the lower coastal Burren, its marine life and its importance. We have set up a campaign to try and save the pond arches of Finaverra as they are an important part of our structural heritage, we will work with the hertiage council 1n 2015 with this. We help Burren beo with its walks and talks and with its school program. We will take part in the adopt a road campaign in 2015, we will take part in two road and shore clean up initiatives in 2015 and the Meitheal give back initiative the the autumn of 2015.
Benefiting Local Communities
We encourage visitors to walk and cycle on the Peninsula and use other services that are available. We give talks for our local schools on ice cream and creating flavors from wild ingredients such as wild Burren hazelnuts. We use most of our local services at different times of the year and buy as many products as we can in local stores.