This environmental policy statement will be published and reviewed at three yearly intervals.

Background

Oriel Môn is a gallery and museum, managed by the Isle of Anglesey County Council.  Oriel Môn is located on the outskirts of Llangefni in modern building dating to 1991.  Oriel Môn employs 11 staff working 10.5 FTE.  The venue attracts c.80,000 visitors per annum.

Our environmental policy

Oriel Môn fully supports the adoption of sustainable practices, is committed to reduce its impacts on the environment and is committed to championing sustainability.  

Environmental training

Oriel Môn strives to raise staff and volunteer awareness of environmental issues by in-house training, and through the use of shared resources, such as those provided by the Carbon Trust.  Oriel Môn will also brief staff and volunteers on this policy and the council’s environmental policy.  Oriel Môn strives to raise visitor awareness of environmental issues through key messages within the building. 

Continual improvement

Oriel Môn is committed to continuing to improve its environmental performance and the way we manage our environmental use.  Oriel Môn staff will liaise regularly with Is Isle of Anglesey County Council’s ecological and environmental staff, will follow Isle of Anglesey County Council’s environmental policies and be aware of current national environmental legislative and regulatory requirements, including the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015.  Isle of Anglesey County Council in its Energy and Water Policy and in its Energy Management Strategy is committed to reducing its energy use by 15% by 2022.

Oriel Môn will look into registering and achieving the Green Dragon Environmental Standard System.  Oriel Môn will strive to implement measures to monitor and reduce energy usage. For example, our lighting efficiency has been calculated and new more efficient options designed, costed and implemented. 

Sustainable procurement

Isle of Anglesey County Council considers sustainability as a basis for purchasing decisions.  The whole life costs and impacts of products and services, and the evaluation of the environmental performance of our suppliers and contractors are taken into consideration by the Procurement Team.  

Oriel Môn will shop locally where possible for materials and supplies and is replacing existing packaging with packaging that can be recycled, such as cardboard rather than bubble wrap, paper tape in place of plastic sticky tape.

We will also reuse packaging when we send out orders from our online shop. We are working to become a plastic free business on Anglesey – and working with our catering contract to achieve this.  Anglesey has been declared a plastic-free island – a scheme run by Surfers Against Sewage.

The shop also stocks work by local craftspeople and suppliers from Anglesey and north Wales. Postcode details of all shop suppliers are recorded, and all postcode details of café suppliers are also recorded. 

Waste

The minimisation of waste through increased recycling and promotion of re-use and reduce is actively encouraged at Oriel Môn and we encourage our franchised catering company, Caffi Bach y Bocs to do the same.

Oriel Môn will keep aware of new products that may help to reduce the impact, such as energy efficient lighting, cleaning products and other materials, paper, printing inks.  Isle of Anglesey County Council is committed to working paper-free and therefore is investing substantially in improving ICT infrastructure. The Covid period and working from home has had a positive impact on reducing wastage. 

Energy and water

Isle of Anglesey County Council has a key role to play in ensuring that our communities are prepared for the future. Oriel Môn supports the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Through energy management, and the implementation of systems for monitoring and targeting consumption, Oriel Môn strives to minimise both energy and water consumption. It also strives to actively research sources of grant funding that may be available for energy saving initiatives and improve infrastructure.

Oriel Môn has also benefited from Welsh Government’s Refit Programme and put in place solar panels (installed July 2020) that will reduce our energy consumption as well as smaller energy efficiency measures around the building including modest changes to the existing air conditioning system. 

Construction

Any Construction projects will be subject to Isle of Anglesey County Council’s framework for ensuring that construction projects are designed, procured and constructed in accordance with the appropriate environmental sustainability best practice whilst always ensuring that value for money is achieved.  

The property and legal departments have appropriate expertise and frameworks. 

Pollution prevention

Oriel Môn aims to minimise and avoid the release and emission of pollutants that may cause environmental damage to air, land or water and minimise and eliminate noise pollution where practicable. 

Transport

Oriel Môn promotes and encourages the use of environmentally friendly modes of transport during working hours including car sharing, public transport(particularly rail) and cycling.  

Four cycle racks are located near the front entrance to encourage visitors to cycle.  Oriel Môn also supports the ways that reduce the need for staff to travel between sites (such as through appropriate use of video conferencing and since Covid, the use of Teams and Zoom).

Oriel Môn follows Isle of Anglesey County Council’s guidance of hiring cars for necessary travel to reduce environmental costs of using staff’s own cars.  Most of these cars are dual fuel cars. 

Biodiversity

Oriel Môn aims to protect, conserve and enhance the diverse natural flora and fauna at all of its sites.  We have planted native flora in the Oriel Mon gardens that will help to attract insects and birds.  

There is scope to expand on this work. They include a native Welsh orchard, wild flower seeds, herbs and shrubs, including those which inspired the Massey sisters. 

Learning

Oriel Môn strives to encourage sustainable development through inclusion of sustainable development issues in our interpretation of all subjects on site.

Environmental policy

Oriel Môn follows Isle of Anglesey County Council’s environmental policy, which appends to this document. Oriel Môn will carry out an annual environmental sustainability audit and review its action plan accordingly.

_{Date:  23 September 2020}