Achieving Environmentally Sustainable Tourism
What It Looks Like:
Tourism strongly contributes to protecting, restoring and enhancing New Zealand's natural environment and biodiversity.
Business Commitments The Environmental Commitments suggest practical actions that tourism businesses can do to benefit the environment: restoring nature, reducing carbon use and minimising, and ultimately eliminating, waste. 11. Carbon Reduction: Act urgently to contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand's transition to a net zero carbon economy. 12. Eliminating Waste: Take responsibility for the entire life cycle of products and services we use and ultimately eliminate the waste associated with these. |
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Remember - to develop your Sustainability Plan download the Tourism-sustainability-action-plan-2020 (word template) if you haven't already, go through the actions for each commitment, figure out where you would like to start and make a plan!
10. Restoring Nature
This Commitment is about contributing to protecting and enhancing Aotearoa New Zealand's environment, including water, biodiversity, landscapes and clean air
Actions to help get you started:
Start by identifying ways to individually or collectively enhance and protect nature in your community or where you operate and take some immediate steps.
- Identify and support a community planting, conservation or environmental restoration project. Gather other local BBANZ members to join you.
- Support a predator free or backyard trapping project in your area.
- Have a plan in place to ensure you are doing nothing to pollute the waterways around you.
- Take actions to engage with staff and the community on the importance of restoring nature.
- Include environmental information in your visitor compendium.
11. Carbon Reduction
This Commitment is about acting urgently to contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand's transition to a net zero carbon economy.
Actions to get started:
Start by understanding your business's carbon footprint and then put measures in place to reduce where you can.
- Measure your footprint using a carbon calculator. Sustainable Tourism has some fantastic information about this. Remember to include items such as lawn mowers, garden equipment as well as energy and cars. Or visit Ekos for further information.
- Set carbon reduction targets and make a plan to achieve these.
- Develop an energy plan. Consider changing to an electricity provider that is carbon neutral or has plans in place to be carbon neutral. Look at leasing solar or photovoltaic equipment, EV vehicles, etc.
- Implement a sustainable transportation plan.
12. Eliminating Waste
This Commitment is about taking responsibility for the entire life cycle of the products and services we use and ultimately eliminating the waste associated with these.
Actions to get started:
Start by understanding the waste generated by your business and then put measures in place to avoid or reduce it. Hosted accommodation providers can make simple changes by taking a few small actions such as buying in bulk to reduce packaging and using recyclable amenities.
- Undertake an audit of your solid waste to determine what you can eliminate or reduce. Excessive packaging is a great place to start. Offer reuseable coffee cups for guests who haven't brought their own.
- Make a plan to monitor and control the water you use to avoid waste. Investigate dry soap and shampoo for guest toiletries.
- Identify any other harmful waste that your business generates and minimise harm to the environment by replacing/reducing/eliminating toxic substances.
- Make a plan for your organic waste.
- Adopt a no-single-use policy and publicise this - including all plastic bottles.
- Ensure your suppliers are aware of your sustainable purchasing policy.
- Get involved in promotes such as Earth Hour (March) and Plastic Free July.
Want to do more?
Tourism Sustainability Commitment has further suggestions, help and support to encourage you to extend your Visitor Commitment.
Have suggestions for our members?
We'd love to hear them! Email our Association Secretary so she can share your suggestions with our members.