Privacy Policy — Zero Emission Journey
Last updated: November 2025
Your privacy matters to us. Zero Emission Journey is built on trust — trust in each other, trust in small changes, and trust that we’re not secretly selling your data to anyone. This page explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what rights you have. We’ve tried to keep it clear, honest, and as simple as possible — because complicated privacy policies are kind of the opposite of sustainable.
1. Who We Are
We’re Zero Emission Journey, an independent site run by real people — Daniel, Louis, Donna, and Larry — trying to make sustainable living more practical for everyone. Our website is https://zeroemissionjourney.com, and our contact email is [email protected].
For the purposes of data protection law, we are the data controller. That means we decide how and why your personal data is used.
2. Information We Collect
We only collect what’s necessary to run the site, communicate with readers, and keep things secure.
Information you provide:
- When you leave a comment, we store your name, email, and (optionally) your website.
- When you email us directly, we keep your address and message so we can respond.
- If you sign up for newsletters or updates, we store your name and email.
Information collected automatically:
- IP address and browser type (to protect the site from spam or attacks).
- Pages visited, time spent, and general location (via Google Analytics).
- Device type and operating system.
- Cookie data used for analytics and affiliate tracking.
We do not collect sensitive personal data like financial information, medical history, or political beliefs.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use your data for basic, practical purposes only:
- To display and moderate comments.
- To reply to messages or inquiries.
- To send newsletters (if you’ve opted in).
- To monitor site performance and improve content.
- To prevent spam and maintain security.
We never sell, rent, or trade personal data.
4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
Under the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, we process data under the following lawful bases:
- Consent: For newsletters, cookies, and comments.
- Legitimate interest: For analytics, site security, and improving our content.
- Contractual necessity: When responding to your inquiries or fulfilling requests.
- Legal obligation: When required to comply with applicable law.
You can withdraw consent at any time by contacting [email protected].
5. Cookies
We use cookies (the small digital kind, not the tasty kind) to make the site function smoothly. Cookies help us understand how people use the site and allow affiliate programs to track which links generated a sale.
We use:
- Essential cookies: For functionality and security.
- Analytics cookies: Provided by Google Analytics to help us understand traffic.
- Affiliate cookies: From networks such as Awin, CJ, ShareASale, FlexOffers, and Webgains to track purchases made through our links.
Cookies do not contain personal information. You can block or delete them anytime in your browser settings. Doing so might affect certain features, but everything important will still work.
6. Third-Party Services
We partner with a few trusted services to help run the site efficiently and securely:
- Google Analytics: For anonymous site analytics.
- Google AdSense: For non-intrusive advertising.
- Affiliate networks: (Awin, CJ, ShareASale, Webgains, FlexOffers) to manage referral links.
- Hosting provider: For website storage and uptime.
- Email provider: To send newsletters.
These third parties may process limited data (like IP addresses) to perform their services. All comply with GDPR or equivalent data protection standards. Some may process data outside the UK or EU, but only under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or adequacy decisions approved by the European Commission.
7. Data Retention
We only keep personal data for as long as it’s needed:
- Comments: indefinitely (so conversations remain intact).
- Analytics data: up to 26 months.
- Emails: up to 12 months after last contact.
- Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe.
After that, we delete or anonymize data securely.
8. Your Rights
Under data protection law, you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of your data.
- Rectify: Correct inaccurate information.
- Erase: Delete your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
- Restrict: Limit how your data is processed.
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format.
- Object: Stop us from processing your data for specific purposes.
- Withdraw consent: Opt out of newsletters, cookies, or analytics at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We’ll respond within 30 days.
If you’re unhappy with our response, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at https://ico.org.uk or your local data protection authority in the EU.
9. Data Security
We take security seriously. The site uses HTTPS encryption, secure hosting, and restricted access for administrators. We regularly update software, use strong authentication, and maintain encrypted backups.
No system is 100% immune to attack, but we do everything reasonably possible to protect your information.
10. Children’s Privacy
Zero Emission Journey is for adults. We don’t knowingly collect data from anyone under 13 years old. If we find that we’ve collected data from a child, we’ll delete it immediately.
11. Links to Other Websites
Our articles often include links to other websites, such as affiliate retailers or resources. We’re not responsible for their privacy practices, so please review their policies before sharing any information.
12. Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy occasionally to reflect legal changes or improvements to how we operate. The most recent version will always appear here with a “Last updated” date.
If we make major changes, we’ll post a notice on the site.
13. Contact Us
For any questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle data, email us at [email protected]. We’ll reply as soon as possible — usually between solar panel cleanings and compost-turning breaks.
At Zero Emission Journey, we talk a lot about sustainability — and that includes digital ethics. We’ll protect your data the same way we try to protect the planet: responsibly, transparently, and with as little waste as possible.