We recently launched our new Refill Project, the first in an ongoing series of endeavours to understand and explore our environmental impact as a business.
Behind the scenes, we've been working hard to eliminate all plastic from our distillery shop and range of online products.
The distillery also has a robust recycling system in place, including reusing the primary barley by-product of our whisky distilling to feed local livestock.
We're proud that our Isle of Harris Gin bottle is now 100% plastic-free and fully recyclable, as is all our gift packaging. Even our shipping boxes and tape are biodegradable.
Last year we commissioned an audit by Zero Waste Scotland to assess our energy use, and we're currently implementing some of their key recommendations.
The first of these steps is investing substantially in upgrading our production area lighting system from halogen bulbs to more efficient LED equipment.
We also hope to bring you some exciting news about e-bikes over the coming months as we look a little closer at how our team travels to and from work, and we're installing a charging point in our carpark to encourage the use of electric vehicles.
The staff here are also keen to play their part, and our second summer beach clean highlighted to us just how much plastic pollution affects even our remote shores.
But, we still have a long way to go to become a net-zero business and have much to do over the coming years to address the impact of our inevitable carbon emissions.
For example, as an increasingly global business, we will need to look closely at the challenge of international shipping and examine the potential of carbon offsetting.
Although we heat our public areas using air source pump technology and have a heat exchange system for production processes, our boilers run on less-than-green kerosene.
There are hopes that local Hydrogen projects may provide a cleaner solution for us in the long run, perhaps in combination with existing wind energy schemes and other island-based renewables.
Even the seemingly simple matter of small-scale peat cutting to malt our barley will require scrutiny as we seek to learn more from people like Peatland ACTION about best environmental practices for this age-old island tradition.
With the UN Climate Change conference taking place in Glasgow this November, just 100 days away, it's time to focus even further on the themes of mitigation, adaptation, and collaboration.
And, as the Scotch Whisky Association formally launches its sustainability strategy today, we're ready to join them on this challenging journey over the coming years.
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The Harris Distillery was built with a long-term vision, something that would stand the tests of time, and bring sustainable success to our island community and the coming generations of Hearaich.
We make beautiful spirits in a beautiful corner of this world and hope you will be inspired join us as we go, helping to play a small part in our shared progress towards a better, brighter future for us all.
For more on the Harris Refill Project, please visit www.harrisdistillery.com/pages/refill