case studies
Anchorage Motel in Te Anau has recently earned a Qualmark Enviro-Gold logo as recognition for their efforts around sustainability. For owner-operators Fiona and Nigel, sustainability is not "just about the environment, it's the relationship between the environment and our business together - they're inextricably linked - you can't separate the two of them". By monitoring key indicators such as electricity, water and gas usage, as well as waste, Fiona and Nigel can closely gauge the effect of sustainability initiatives they implement. Most units have a two-bin waste system, with general rubbish going in one and recyclables in the other. Guests at Anchorage Motel are also encouraged to place their compostable waste into a container located in each unit, which is collected daily and fed to their worm farm or compost bin. "We've had amazing word of mouth and much more referral business, and repeat business ever since we put these (waste) initiatives into place", says Fiona. "It's been huge on the bottom line".
Much of what has been achieved has taken considerable time and energy on the part of the owners. However, Nigel and Fiona explain that making progress has actually proven rejuvenating; giving them the energy to continue moving forward because they really enjoy improving the sustainability of their business. They strongly believe that sustainable business practices represent a strong competitive advantage in tourism where many customers appraise your products based partly on its environmental impact. Read more...
Peter Ridsdale, Manager at Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill explains that "sustainability is a mindset about wanting to be better in everything we do in our business and how we can communicate that to our employees and customers". Peter and his staff are motivated to pursue sustainable business practices because they live in a beautiful part of the world and understand that what they do can either detract from or add to that. Continuous improvements are important in this business; made easier by developing a sustainability action plan each year to assist with planning and implementation.
Such improvements are already being achieved. A recent energy audit highlighted potential savings of $11,000 - $17,000 per year by switching to more energy efficient lighting. "The payback starts immediately the day you put the globe in the hole and turn the switch on", Peter explains. Every month about 6 tonnes of waste is now sent to the recycling station, rather than to landfill as was happening previously. At a cost saving of $100 per tonne diverting waste from landfill currently saves Peter about $600 per month. Read more...
Sustainability at Trips & Tramps (Fiordland) means developing a socially and financially sound business that owners Kate and Steve can be proud of. This provides motivation to continuously look for new opportunities in the business, with sustainability underpinning everything they do. Transport is a major aspect of sustainability at Trips & Tramps. Kate and Steve assessed the whole structure to identify how van usage could be economised. "We've really looked at our time-tabling ... to get the maximum loadings in the van without compromising the guests' enjoyment", says Kate. The owners and staff at Trips & Tramps are very community-minded and this represents a powerful selling point for the business and raises the profile of their brand in the market place. Products for the business are purchased locally where possible and staff are involved in many local community and conservation projects.
The natural environment in which the business operates is critical to its success, so Kate and Steve feel inspired to do as much as they can to ensure its ongoing vitality. The implementation of sustainable business practices has therefore taken a significant amount of time, but this has enhanced their ability to plan for business success, Kate explains. "We've written more down, so the planning is really important - it gives us a direction and we are being proactive rather than reactive in everything that we do", Kate says. Read more...