Sustainability is an important topic for us here at DRK. We encourage sustainable lighting solutions through our Remanufacturing and Repurposing, but it is also essential for us as a company to incorporate as many sustainable practices as possible.
The roof of our Chessington factory is covered in solar panels that power us. We work with our community by getting involved with local charities such as Dons Local Action Group. Then this year, in our most ambitious green venture yet, we bought four acres of land in Powys, Wales, fortuitously named Hope Meadow, with the specific aim of rewilding and aiding in offsetting our carbon footprint.
Why Hope Meadow?
The idea for Hope Meadow was born out of the desire to begin offsetting our carbon footprint. We could’ve made donations to one of the many services online claiming to do so, but we wanted to take a more direct approach, safe in the knowledge that our money was going towards our exact goals and not only were we carbon offsetting, but we were also rewilding an area and providing homes to the local wildlife. Rewilding is a powerful method to offset emissions because it restores natural ecosystems, enhances biodiversity and promotes resilient landscapes that capture and store carbon long-term.
The First Step in a Long Journey
Recently, ten members of our team, aptly named ‘The Planting Party’, headed to Wales to tackle planting our first 200 trees. With the weather on our side, our determined team got the challenging task done with the classic DRK combination of humour, alacrity and tenacity.
“Our rewilding project is about more than just planting trees—it’s about restoring a thriving ecosystem for future generations. Seeing our team come together to plant the first 200 trees was truly inspiring, and it’s only the beginning of our commitment to making a positive environmental impact.”
– Greta Smetoniute, Head of Sustainability at DRK Lighting.
Incorporating trees that are native species and will enhance biodiversity and support local wildlife was a priority for us. All saplings were purchased from a local Ludlow supplier and included native Oak, Beech and Maples, and traditional apple varieties like Cox’s Orange Pippin, Bramley’s and a new variety called Cobra, a hybrid of them both. We chose Wild Cherry Blossom (Prunus avium), which can grow well in damp climates, making them a good choice for woodlands in the region. Pussy Willow trees, specifically the Goat Willow (Salix caprea), also grow well in Powys, Wales. They are well-suited to the region’s temperate climate, thriving in moist clay soils often found near rivers, streams, and wetlands, which is perfect as our Hope Meadow has a stream winding its way along the bottom end of our parcel of land. What is significant about our little stream is that while it wends its way across our meadow, it is, in fact, the border between England and Wales.
To learn more about DRK’s sustainability projects, head over to our website https://drklighting.co.uk/sustainability/
