Greenwood Plants pioneers new practices for a more sustainable future

Over the past year, Greenwood Plants has initiated a number of pioneering sustainability practices, to use resources efficiently, reduce waste, encourage biodiversity and improve its carbon footprint. 

Greenwood cares deeply about sustainability and exercising responsible planetary stewardship, and a key aspect of its strategy is the demonstration of sustainability leadership by using innovative processes and techniques to minimise its imprint on the planet.

“Our aim at Greenwood is to become carbon neutral so we are innovating and introducing sustainable practices that will together help us to achieve this vision”, explains Managing Director, Glenn Devenish. “Some of our environmental initiatives include switching our diesel forklifts and other vehicles to electric, becoming 100% peat-free, reducing waste, recycling water, and promoting biodegradable sundries.”

In October 2021, Greenwood launched its innovative G-cycle scheme, where crates, pallets and pots are reused, preserving valuable resources and significantly reducing the amount of waste going to landfill. Greenwood collected more than 4000 crates and pallets between October and December last year, and aims to reach even higher figures this year. 

Unsurprisingly, water conservation is a priority for Greenwood, it has its own water harvesting systems, which collect thousands of litres of water each year, enabling the majority of its nurseries to be fully sustainably watered. Greenwood has also invested in state of the art sprinkler systems which use a minimal amount of water in a highly efficient manner, to ensure minimal reliance on external water sources.

Introducing biodegradable and environmentally friendly products has also been a further element of Greenwood’s sustainability initiatives, and it now sells fully compostable tree and shrub shelters, and rabbit guards. 

Greenwood works closely with the local community as part of the Greenwood in the Community scheme, donating plants to schools, mental health charities and village gardens. Recently, donations of plants were made to two local schools—Barnham Primary School and Walberton and Binsted C.E. Primary School—for the children to enjoy. Greenwood is proud to be supporting these community planting schemes and aims to complete twenty four community projects this year. 

Greenwood aims to be fully peat-free by the end of 2023. Peat is an excellent growing medium; however, its harvesting process releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which has an adverse effect on  greenhouse gas levels. Greenwood is currently undertaking extensive trials at its nurseries to identify the best possible peat-free alternatives. As growers of around six million plants a year, this is a huge undertaking, but Greenwood has fully embraced the peat-free challenge.

If you’d like to find out more about Greenwood’s sustainability and community efforts, click here.