We cared about our world long before there was a yellowwedge cheese, and that doesn't stop just because you open a cheese shop. In fact it gives you even more opportunities, to do business responsibly, to involve other people in sharing that responsibility, and YES, to have some fun while you're doing it!

• We keep all waste to a minimum.
• All major packaging items are returned directly to suppliers for re-use.
• Suppliers chill wrap is re-used for postal deliveries and off site events.
• All other cardboard is re-used and then re-cycled.
• The corn-starch 'poly-drips' used in much of our suppliers' packaging bio-degrades harmlessly, but we supply this free of charge to several other local traders [or anybody else who wants some] to use again first.
• If you are moving house, or need cardboard boxes and packaging for any other reason, please let us know - we receive plenty and you're always welcome to re-use, but please re-cycle afterwards.
• Local schools are welcome to any packaging materials for use as arts and crafts supplies - Brie boxes makes brilliant 'wheels on a bus' amongst other things.
• We re-use wooden cheese boxes as gift hamper packaging. We can also supply these as gift packaging to you on request.
• If you see some packaging you think you can use please ask - we recently gave away some small wooden goat's cheese crates for someone to paint and use as a spice rack.
• We use our packaging for innovative creative events like the 'Decorate a Cow' competition.
• There are several ways to use up cheese rinds or smaller scraps in delicious recipes - like Parmesan rind to give depth of flavour to soups and stocks, or mixed cheese sauce for cauliflower or broccoli - do ask if in doubt.
• Where safe and relevant we give foods which cannot be sold [but are fine to consume] to a local homeless charity.
• We use only paper bags, and we always ask if you want one. By all means say no if you don't need a bag, but at the same time don't struggle if you do! If you take one we'll be more than happy to see you bring back again for a refill, as lots of people do.
• We're also a proud supplier of the 'Love St Margarets' re-usable shopping bag. Look out for a prize promotion coming here...!
• We do use more clingfilm than we'd like, but in a small shop like ours and with existing health and safety legislation there doesn't seem to be an easy way round this. We're on the look-out for alternatives, do come to us with your suggestions.
• If you run a cheese shop, you need fridges - there's no way round that one - so we try to do what carbon offsetting we can, whether by planting trees in South Africa, or helping to build urban community kitchen gardens.