Environmental Credentials

Every industry and business today seems to want to shout about how 'planet friendly' it is. This includes Oil companies, Multinational banks and Airlines - patently a ridiculous claim (this is called 'green washing'). The fact is 'big' can never be 'green' and in all honesty no business can be perfect - only better; better than other businesses and better than perhaps it used to be.

Harveys has been recognised as among the most environmentally friendly businesses in the Country. Most recently by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), winning their medium sized 'Sustainable Business Award'. That means the greenest business between Oxford and Dover. Why? What is our greenest facet?

Is it perhaps:

• The use of local hops and barley?
• The ground extraction of our spring water?
• The zero levels of effluent discharge into the neighbouring river?
• The tower brewery configuration maximizing gravity, minimising pumping?

I know, it must be:

• The return to agriculture of by-products like spent hops as mulch fertiliser or spent grains as cattle feed.

No, then how about:

• The heat exchanging Paraflows minimising the boiling of water for mashing?

No, of course:

• It's the returnable packaging: casks and bottles returned to the brewery for washing and reuse. Packaging Waste is almost non-existent from Harveys.

Something else ...even more important?

• It's local deliveries: Harveys have turned away trade if it's too far away (more than about 50 miles away). Beer is over 90% water. How many food miles have other drinks clocked up?

There is perhaps something even more important than all of the above put together - Attitude. Harveys genuinely cares about our community and our future. We are however by no means satisfied, we still have a lot of improvements to make before broadcasting that we are 'good for the planet'.