Green Museums

In 2008 - 09 Renaissance East Midlands is encouraging and supporting museums to reduce their environmental impact through its Green Museums initiative.

The Green Museums programme has two stages. The first was a survey of all museums in the East Midlands. The survey forms a bench mark, noting the environmental actions already taken by museums, things preventing them taking action and areas which need further support, information or guidance.

This second stage, which runs from September 2008 - March 2008, includes one-to-one support for six museums to develop an action plan to reduce the sites' environmental impact. This work, as well as the benchmark survey, will help to develop a guide to environmental actions tailored for museums with no cost and low cost options as well as more ambitious and costly ideas. The guide will also include advice on where to source funding and a template environmental policies that can be used by all museums.

Results of the Green Museums benchmark survey

Eighty per cent of museums in the East Midlands have a basic engagement with environmental issues, including checking for leaks, eliminating draughts and switching off lights and other electrical equipment according to the survey carried out by De Montfort University on behalf of Renaissance East Midlands and MLA East Midlands.

It found: 

• 35 per cent of museums are actively aware of their environmental footprint and already taking action to reduce their environmental impact. 
• 45 per cent of sites take basic environmental actions, including recycling materials by taking them home. 
• 11 sites have an energy reduction strategy and 34 monitor energy use with 73 per cent of sites using low energy light bulbs where they can. 
• 36 per cent monitor energy consumption and 16 per cent of museums are on a green energy tariff.
• 80 per cent of respondents have systems in place for recycling and 60 per cent regularly buy recycled goods.
• Nearly three quarters of sites recognise they have a role in environmental education of visitors and 42 per cent have organised environmentally themed events or activities.  
• 83 per cent of respondents select local suppliers when they can and 41 per cent buy Fairtrade products. 
• Of the high carbon use sites in the region, a quarter have policies to reduce CO2 emissions and 10 per cent offset their emissions. 
• 56 per cent of museums encourage sustainable travel for staff and visitors.

Many sites are also taking actions that they don’t equate with the environment. For example a site is working with the local RSPB to conduct a bird survey on site and to develop a wildlife footpath with interpretive panels.

The survey highlighted the fact that independent museums are often better placed to take environmental actions, although often don’t have the funding for larger-scale projects. These smaller museums recognise and appreciate the cost savings resulting from environmental actions. Local authority sites can be hampered in taking action by the limitations of their governance and the need to purchase through approved suppliers who may not be able to provide the most environmental solution for the site.

The research included a questionnaire sent to all East Midlands museums and site visits with 11 museums. The research received responses from 96 museums, 40 per cent of the museums in the East Midlands.