The Green Tourism Business Scheme is a Europe-wide initiative recognizing tourist attractions that make considerable efforts to help protect and conserve the local and wider environment.

Clare Davies, Environment Officer for Living Coasts, said: “We are extremely pleased to receive the Gold Award. The staff at Living Coasts are very aware of green issues and are committed to the improvement of sustainable operations on site. This is a reflection of the hard work staff have put in and shows we are all prepared to walk the walk and talk the talk.”

All three sites already have the ISO 14001 international environmental accreditation.

Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) award winners have to demonstrate that they are taking action in a wide range of areas such as energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, support for local suppliers, ethical products and contributing to wildlife and the environment.

Winners are evaluated by independent qualified assessors who visit businesses, examine records and talk to staff. They assess the extent of the business' effort. These assessment visits provide businesses with helpful advice as to where they can continue improving.

Living Coasts won the award because of staff commitment to a range of good practice measures throughout the site including waste management, recycling, and the use of environmentally-friendly materials and produce across the site whenever possible. Living Coasts was also one of the first retail outlets in the UK to ban plastic bags in its gift shop and carries out regular events to help promote environmental awareness to its visitors.