Green Bristol: The awesome Bristol-based companies greening the economy

Bristol harbour

Bristol has long been the home of all things eco and environmentally friendly and this passion for the sustainable also extends to the iconic businesses based in our city.

Long standing businesses like Triodos, The Soil Association and Sustrans all call Bristol home, so let’s take a look at these awesome Bristol companies who are helping to green the economy, our environment and make life just a little better every day.

Triodos Bank and Thrive Renewables

Triodos are at the top of the ethical banking tree. They use the power of finance to invest in businesses, entrepreneurs and projects that are good for people and the planet.

Its UK operations are based in Bristol, with branches in the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Germany and France. Banking may not be the first industry which springs to mind when thinking of how to green up your life, but more and more people are concerned about how their money is invested once it’s handed over to the banks.

Thrive Renewables was originally established by Triodos Bank in 1994 as ‘The Wind Fund’ but has developed into its own independent business. It offers businesses and individuals the opportunity to invest in clean energy projects. Giving people the opportunity to choose to invest in a cleaner future whilst getting financial rewards from the project’s success.

These two organisations are certainly putting Bristol on the map when it comes to greener banking.

The Soil Association

The Soil Association is the UK’s leading charity campaigning for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. They are also the UK’s largest organic certification body.

Based in Bristol’s city centre, they believe that human, health, environmental and animal welfare need to be tackled collectively, not in isolation. They campaign for change in government legislation around farming, support farming innovation, serve healthy food, support and grow the organic market and protect forests.

The Soil Association believes that healthy soil is the key to producing healthy crops, protecting our environment and growing enough food to sustain our population. Industrial farming is degrading soils making them uninhabitable and covering food in chemicals.

Better Food

Better Food are a local independent retailer and café in Bristol specialising in organic, local and ethical food and household products.

Their shops and cafes give Bristolians access to food and drink that’s made in a way that respects the people producing it, the animals involved in making it, whilst protecting and respecting the natural resources it comes from. All of their products are organic, local and ethical.

Sustrans

Sustrans are a charity who are on a mission to make it easier to walk and cycle in the UK.

We face profound challenges in society, from climate change and air pollution, to an epidemic of mental health issues with the pressures of a growing population. Sustrans works with partners and communities to see cycling and walking as part of the solution to some of these issues.

They help make places walkable and cycle friendly, support people and communities in having access to walking and cycling, and work with the government to create policies to make it easier for communities to be able to cycle and walk.

Fareshare South West

Part of the UK’s largest food charity – Fareshare. A community of independent franchised charities, all fighting food waste and hunger.

Over 27,000 tonnes of surplus food is thrown away each year. Helping tackle fuel poverty in the south west by redistributing food to those in need. They are turning an environmental problem of waste into a solution.

Retailers take food directly to Farehare (that’s been over ordered or has something ‘faulty’ such as a spelling mistake on the packaging) it then reaches their warehouse in Bristol where volunteers sort and store, then they distribute to charity members such as community cafes, schools or homeless charities.

Bristol Energy

Now – we don’t mean to blow our own trumpet BUT we are doing some pretty great things in the renewable energy sector right now that is helping green the energy landscape.

We’re green; Bristol Energy are getting greener as we grow, we’re now only offering customers green tariffs in our bid to make a cleaner, greener, healthier Bristol. We currently offer customers 100% renewable electricity and 15% green gas.

We work with local generators and generators across the country; Our renewable energy is PPA backed. We develop relationships with generators locally and across the UK to get you your wind, solar, hydro and anaerobic digestion.

We create our green gas from Bristol poo; We provide our customers with 15% green gas, and most of that comes from Bristol sewage.

We’re ethical; We are one only of the only energy companies who is looking to give back to people and communities using energy. We are a sustainable energy with social value at our heart.

We take pride in giving our customers the best customer service from our Bristol based call centre, whilst investing in communities and developing new innovations in energy to make sure no one’s left behind whilst creating a cleaner, greener Bristol and helping to prevent fuel poverty. We ranked 3rd out of 22 suppliers on ethical consumer, scoring 13 out of a possible 14. Something we’re very proud of.

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