Ochai-de-carbon-neutral - Rufflets Hotel goes green
Apologies if Scots don’t really say this, but they really seem to be amazingly in touch with their environment. The five star 
Rufflets Country House in St Andrews will be certified carbon neutral from the 1st of June. It’s apparently the first official carbon neutral hotel in Scotland. What’s fantastic about their carbon offsetting scheme is that the luxury hotel will invest in the reforestation of the Carrifran Valley in the Scottish Borders. I’m still a tad bemused why offsetting normally entails wind turbines in India when healing the same environment we are damaging seems to make more sense. The reforestation will offset 3000 tonnes a year in carbon emissions, and even though this is a small dent in the hotel’s yearly carbon footprint, they’ve got the right idea. However, what is more innovative about this hotel is that they will harvest rainwater for use in all their loos, as well as for onsite laundry and irrigation for the surrounding garden.
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Working with The Carbon Neutral Company, the world’s leading carbon offset and climate consultancy, Rufflets has undergone a thorough assessment its emissions. As a result, the hotel will be investing in three projects to offset its carbon footprint. The hotel has also achieved the gold award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme for its operation such as using low energy lighting and encouraging guests to use showers instead of baths.
