environmental sustainability in Nelson New Zealand

Current news and views concerning sustainable and green tourism in New Zealand. The environmentally friendly sustainable tourism charter is investigating interest amongst local tourism businesses for ongoing ecotourism development.

Qualmark representatives held a road show at The Rutherford Hotel on 28 July to present the key aspects of their new Responsible Tourism criteria. The road show was aimed at Nelson Tasman operators already Qualmark-accredited and was attended by about 50 business-owners and managers.

The presenters outlined the key aspects of the new initiative and discussed the minimum criteria required. They also covered the three higher levels of criteria; Enviro Bronze, Silver and Gold and provided examples of potential actions. Overall the response from those attending seemed positive and it was a good investment of time for those keen to learn more about the programme.

- Will more businesses slip rather than improve their overall Qualmark score due to the new criteria?

- Are small businesses well down the path of sustainability expected to demonstrate ongoing improvement in efficiency through monitoring?

- Development of the Responsible Tourism criteria involved consultation with the NZ tourism sector and analysis of similar programmes in 11 other countries

- Their anticipation that most businesses would initially be capable of achieving Enviro Bronze, with less achieving Enviro Silver and less again attaining Enviro Gold status

- Qualmark does not expect all business owners will wish to position themselves as 'green' so it is important not to judge those businesses who don't display an 'enviro' logo (even if they have satisfied the criteria)

- Responsible tourism actions/initiatives can be accumulated over time; i.e. there is no need to implement a completely new list of actions every year

- Remember whenever possible to gather and keep information and evidence relating to actions taken around sustainability - this will make it easier for Qualmark assessors to score your business

- Qualmark is keen to hear 'sustainability success stories' (as is Air NZ), so by all means send them a blurb describing positive actions put in place within your business for them to promote to others

For more information relating to Qualmark and/or their new Responsible Tourism Operations programme, visit www.qualmark.co.nz.

On Thursday 24 July the Nelson Environment Centre officially opened their new premises at 215 Akerston St. The centre was opened with a Maori blessing and karakia just as dawn had broken over the Richmond Ranges. The new spot is a good one, looking back towards Atawhai, Peace Haven and the Nelson CBD acoss the Haven.

The Nelson Environment Centre will share the building with NZ Forest & Bird, with enough space to accommodate extra staff joining the organisation. Some of the projects the centre is coordinating include Waste Education Services, Transition Nelson, the Sustainable Business Network, a Carbon Reduction Scheme and the Sustainability Centre.

Congratulations and best of luck to Allan Forsdick, General Manager of pilot Nelson Tasman charter member Awaroa Lodge. Allan has been named as one of three finalists for the national PATA Tourism Young Professional Award.

Chief Executive Paul Davis says Allan is a leader in his field and is an asset to both the local and national tourism industry.

"Being named as a finalist is well deserved recognition of Allan's hard work and leadership."

Allan has demonstrated innovation in sustainable business practice within the tourism sector and the wider business community. The winner will be announced at the New Zealand Tourism Awards on Tuesday 5 August.

The government's Waste Minimisation bill has just past its second reading in Parliament. This follows unanimous support from its first reading.

Promisingly, a central aspect within the bill is investment in 'front-of-pipe' solutions to waste which encourage material efficiency, innovation and good design. Another key element of the bill is the proposed introduction of a waste levy to assist the reduction of all types of waste going to landfill by encouraging people to consider alternatives. Simply put, the more waste an individual or organisation can divert, the less they pay.

To quote Trevor Mallard, Minister for the Environment; "... this bill provides a new opportunity to deal with waste in a smart and sustainable way and the government is pleased to support it". The summary actions of the Waste Minimisation bill are:

- To place a levy on all waste disposed of in a landfill, initially at $10 per tonne. Revenue from the levy will be used to help communities and businesses address waste issues

- To help and, when necessary, make producers, brand owners, importers, retailers, consumers and other parties take responsibility for the environmental effects of their products - from 'cradle-to-grave'

- To allow for regulations to be made on reporting on waste for territorial authorities and operators of landfills and recycling facilities to improve information on waste

- To clarify the roles and responsibilities of territorial authorities with respect to waste minimisation

- To introduce a new Board to give independent advice to the Minister for the Environment on waste minimisation issues

If you would like to view the full reading of the Waste Minimisation bill click here.

A positive step towards sustainability in your business is to reduce the packaging and volume of product used for hand washing. A common approach, especially within the accommodation sector is to utilise larger containers which are re-filled as required as an alternative to single-serve products.

Another alternative to plastic, single-serve containers is the installation of amenity dispensers. These dispensers can be attached to the wall, deliver a standard dose of hand soap or shampoo and have a professional appearance. Of course, such products will not suit every business.

However, for those interested in investigating this option I have provided the websites of four companies who supply various types and styles of dispenser. Just click on the company to go to their website.

With the recently rising awareness of sustainability, climate change and global warming issues there has been a parallel proliferation of sustainability vocabulary! To help you sort out the jargon, the LOHAS website provides a small dictionary of such terms from biodiesel to wind power.

The Australian government have announced plans to establish a carbon emissions trading scheme by 2010. Under the proposed scheme, companies can trade their carbon emission permits, meaning carbon-intensive industries would pay extra if they intend to exceed their allocation. The Australian government believes this will act as a market-based incentive to reduce pollution.

However, the government has not yet provided details of how pollution levels would be set or how carbon would be priced prior to the proposed launch of the scheme in 2010. These issues, along with others, have led to criticism from some quarters. Environmental groups and economists have said the scheme dodges the tough decisions required to tackle greenhouse gas pollution.

An interesting scenario seems to be developing in the United States whereby high fuel prices are leading to reduced investment in roading infrastructure and deterioration. Part of the issue is the extraordinary amount of roading that exists within the US. I wonder if New Zealand may potentially face a similar problem in the future as our country seems to have a large and expansive roading network relative to our population size.

The following story from the Grist website summarises the situation currently facing the United States.

"High gasoline prices in the United States have prompted a sustained cutback in driving, and the resulting dip in revenue from the federal gas tax is already canceling plans for infrastructure projects due to lack of funding.

Right now, roughly one quarter of bridges in the US are either "functionally obsolete" or "structurally deficient", and one out of every seven miles of US roads is rated "not acceptable", according to government assessments. Some $225 billion a year is needed to keep US transportation infrastructure in tip-top shape, and current spending is less than half that.

Now with the dip in federal highway funds, as well as rising construction costs, the outlook for many aging US roads and bridges is uncertain at best unless Congress can pass funding soon. The National Highway Trust Fund is expected to accrue a deficit of at least $5 billion next year.

To ease the funding crunch, the Bush administration wants to ease restrictions on charging tolls for interstate highways and make it easier for states to use private funding for infrastructure improvements."

According to recently released figures in the United States, Honda Motor Co. reported a record profit for the first financial quarter of 2008. This is largely attributed to increased demand for fuel-efficient models such as Civics and Fits. Another noteworthy point is the fact that Honda is the only car maker to report better US sales in June 2008 than June 2007.

By comparison, Ford Motor Co. reported an $8.7 billion quarterly loss, the worst in its 105 year history! Ford has only recently shifted its focus away from SUVs and trucks. Apparently GM is also due to release its annual sales figures soon, so it will be interesting to see how their results compare.

Emirates Airlines appear to be one of the companies at the forefront of sustainable business practice within the airline sector. Emirates, along with Air New Zealand, are aiming to set a good example for others to follow within the industry. They have dubbed their environmental position 'emvironment', which could be viewed as a little cheesy but at least their heart seems to be in the right place!

On their website, Emirates have a section dedicated to their environmental practices which is well worth having a look at. They provide information relating to the efficiency of their aircraft, their company position on environmental issues, conservation projects they support as well as various fuel efficient flying strategies they employ.

The UN Environment Programme recently published a report describing a 60% increase in renewable energy investment in 2007. UNEP stated that key drivers of this 'green energy rush' appear to be worries about climate change, growing support from governments for renewable energy and increasing crude oil prices.

The biggest mover is reported to be solar power which attracted $28.6 billion in new capital and has grown at an average annual rate of 254% since 2004. Global organisations such as the UN are urging developing nations, especially China, to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner states that "with world temperatures and fossil fuel prices climbing higher, it is increasingly obvious to the public and investors alike that the transition to a low-carbon society is both a global imperative and an inevitability". Perhaps this could best be described as 'those who adapt, win'.

In what is claimed to be a world first, a 35 year old property developer has opened an ecological nightclub in London. As you can imagine, this is no ordinary venue - it features a wind turbine, solar energy system and a dance floor capable of generating electricity when people dance on it! What's more it is anticipated that the club will produce more than enough electricity for itself, with the surplus energy donated to local residents.

The night club is named Surya, the Sanskrit term for the Sun God. Read more about this bold venture here.

The Ken Sprague International Political Cartoon Competition was held recently with 300 entries coming in from 55 countries. The theme for the competition was 'global warming and our threatened environment' which seems to have produced some thought-provoking work.

The cartoonists who placed in the top three hail from three countries I didn't quite expect. First place came from Russia, followed by Romania and Thailand. As the Ken Sprague website notes, "the written language becomes redundant when imagery can transcend the need for words:"

To view some of the entries and read more about the competition, visit the Ken Sprague website.

This is a book written by Bill Plotkin, an ecotherapist, depth psychologist and wilderness guide. While I have only read the first 4 chapters, I thought it was worthwhile sharing it with you.

The book covers so much ground and touches on so many related topics - it's the product of 25 years work - that it's very hard to summarise briefly! What I can do is recommend it to anyone interested in the interrelationships between individuals, societies and the natural world. It is certainly a book that resonates with me.

" ... the changes we need will only flow once we progress from egocentric, competitive consumer societies to ecocentric, soul-based ones that are sustainable, cooperative and compassionate."

"This landmark book ... encourages us to connect personally with the natural world and reassess our place in it. In doing this we can create a more responsible and fulfilling way to live."

You can find out more about Nature and the human soul on Bill Plotkin's website.

Two events which are worth marking on the calendar are coming up on consecutive days in a couple of weeks.

Cawthron Institute/Sustainable Business Network Panel Discussion on Sustainability in Nelson