Our Ethical Actions
Ethics have always been at the heart of The Electric Elephant Café. Since opening in 2008, we’ve made hundreds of small decisions to reduce our environmental impact, support fair trade and local communities, and serve food we believe in. Here’s how that journey has evolved.
THE CAFE OPENS
The hub of the community with a social conscience.
We have never sold any drinks in plastic bottles, rarely sell bottled water – if we do it’s from Scotland. We refuse to sell the usual fizzy drinks, selling lemonade made in the cafe instead. We’ve always used Clipper organic fair-trade tea. We always used organic bread for sandwiches. We make as much as we can from scratch on the premises.
PLASTIC-FREE PACKAGING
100% plastic-free take-away cups and lids, wooden take-away cutlery, napkins from recycled paper from Biopak
DIRECT TRADE COFFEE
We buy organic coffee from Monmouth. We’ve always used fair-trade hot chocolate and organic fair-trade chocolate + cocoa for baking.
FUEL SUPPLY
Gas and electricity transferred to 100% renewable supplier Good Energy
MEAT FREE
The cafe became vegetarian and vegan, due to climate change and animal welfare
GREEN WASTE RECYCLING
Composting of all green waste including coffee grounds + napkins
WILDLIFE POND
Pond built in Iliffe Yard ! As well as giving relief on the extra-hot days, it provides a home and water to drink bees and other insects to drink.
Our own little eco-system !
BAKING BREAD
All bread is now baked on the premises using organic flour. As well as being delicious, it helps reduce plastic waste as the bread had been packaged in plastic
