Walking the talk

Right from the outset, we’ve invested in technology and design to keep our energy use to a minimum. For example, our buildings include super insulation, natural lighting and ventilation, plus energy-efficient lighting and boilers. More recently, we’ve started freezing our ice rink with a new super-efficient chiller, saving 135,000 kWh of electricity and the equivalent of 35 tonnes CO2e per year.

One of the most exciting tools we use is our Building Management System, which is like a giant TV remote allowing for very tight control of our heating and electrical systems. By integrating the multiple systems we have on site into just one, we efficiently regulate temperatures in the Biomes, the offices and other buildings across site, meaning that we are never using more energy than we need. Since fine tuning our Building Management System in 2012, we have reduced the annual carbon footprint of heating our Biomes by 140 tonnes CO2e.

Our geothermal plant has been producing heat since June 2023. This heats our Biomes, helping to completely phase out fossil fuel use. This also heats our new nursery facility, Growing Point, where we now grow plants for our gardens, restaurants and shop.

To become more self-sufficient we’re installing additional rooftop solar panels at Growing Point which will meet 4% of our electricity demand and save up to 31 tonnes of greenhouse gases each year.

We’re exploring opportunities for on-site generation projects but in the meantime, we source most of our electricity on-site from Ecotricity Energy which comes from 100% guaranteed renewable sources. 
 

We love our fleet of Volvo XC40 Recharge pure electric vehicles, which are used by a variety of teams around our site and gardens. The vehicles have zero tailpipe emissions so are able to work inside our Biomes where diesel or petrol vehicles can't because of pollution concerns. 

See a full breakdown of our carbon footprint and annual performance in our annual report.

We sort and measure over 20 different waste streams at our onsite recycling compound, enabling us to analyse the data to make decisions about where to focus waste reduction efforts. We make it easy for our visitors to separate their leftovers into our clearly labelled recycling bins, helping them connect with the sustainability story behind their food. 

We work closely with local recycling companies to ensure as much as possible is being recycled into new material or, as a last resort, into energy. 
 
We also turn kitchen scraps and compostable leftovers from our cafés into compost for our world-famous gardens. An on-site composter converts food waste created here into a nutrient-rich soil enhancement that our horticulture team use to feed our impressive collection of plants.

We also turn kitchen scraps and leftovers from our cafés into compost for our world-famous gardens. An on-site composter converts food waste created here into a nitrogen-rich soil enhancement that our gardeners use to feed their impressive collection of plants.

During the 80-day aerobic composting process, the contents reach more than 60 degrees C. We're able to deal with about a third of our food waste in this aerobic composter. The other two-thirds is turned into electricity and heat at a local anaerobic digestion plant. 

In 2018, we phased out all plastic bottles; now we encourage visitors to bring reusable bottles and offer drinking water taps on site.

To tackle single-use coffee cups we’ve transformed the way we do takeaway drinks and here's how it works:

• Bring your own reusable cup and get 30p off every hot drink
• Treat yourself to one of our beautiful Eden-inspired bamboo cups and enjoy a hot drink for free!
• Borrow one of our returnable cups for a £2.50 deposit, which will be refunded if returned to us on the same day

We've worked closely with thousands of suppliers since we opened to assess the impact of their products and even to come up with bespoke items that fit our ethical criteria. 

It's not only good news for our customers, but it has helped smaller, local businesses differentiate themselves by retailing new, sustainable goods.  

We’re proud that 85% of our food ingredients are locally sourced. We use only Cornish meat, dairy and eggs in our on-site cafés – as well as Cornish salad leaves, when they are in season. 
 
Plus, we avoid palm oil where possible. Where we do use it, it’s certified sustainable. 

Eden visitors love our on-site gift shops and online shop. We choose each product because it fits at least one of the five criteria we've set: locally produced, made of plants, promotes sustainable living, fairly traded or recycled.