Aotearoa Surf has made the recent, exciting decision to work alongside Sustainable Kaipara, a group of passionate individuals committed to fostering change in and around Kaipara. The team at Sustainable Kaipara has been running a volunteer community initiative called Plastic Free Mangawhai whereby they have been recognized for their strong community engagement and the tangible change achieved by their campaigns.
We’ve always had a care and a passion for the community and environment around us, but we want to step it up a level. The aim of working with Sustainable Kaipara is to develop and implement a more profound sustainability strategy within the company.
Key Strategy Points:
- Identify our impacts on the environment
- Determine what is important to us and the community around us
- Begin making positive impacts on the environment
- Educate the youth of the benefits of these impacts
- Tangibly measure what we are doing so that we can track and further improve our overall sustainability
Operating the business in a sustainable way will ensure Aotearoa Surf is leaving behind a net positive legacy – using business as a force for good!
The methodology behind the process:
- Undertake materiality assessment
- Undertake waste assessment and supply chain analysis
- Undertake a carbon footprint
- Team workshop
- Strategy development and implementation
The sustainability strategy will include clear objectives, targets, roles and responsibilities, and measuring and monitoring options. Including
- Waste management guidelines
- Sustainable product guidelines
- Staff training/induction material
- Event management guidelines/checklist
- Publications, promotional material & education awareness for guests
We’ve always had a care and a passion for the community and environment around us into our corporate social responsibility, but now we want to step it up to another level; to identify our negative impacts, address them, begin making positive impacts on the environment, educate the youth of the benefits of these impacts and to tangibly measure what we are doing so that we can track and further improve our overall sustainability.
AOTEAROA SURF SCHOOL & SUSTAINABILITY
HOW WE’RE REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
BIODIVERSITY & CONSERVATION
We have planted over 2,500 native and sub-tropical plants and palms on our property since we first took ownership. Consequently, we have restored the native wetlands and ponds on the property which offers some of the most unusual / unique sub-tropical plant species found in the Auckland Region. This has seen a fantastic increase in native wildlife around the property.
Some of the many incredible birds we sight regularly on the property include; Tui’s, Native Wood Pigeon’s (Kererū) (one particular tree on the property has around 15-20 Kererū on it at a singular time), Quail’s, Pheasant’s, White Faced Herons and the Australasian Harrier Hawk.
On top of this, nearby beaches have Coastal Bottlenose Dolphins along with the occasional sightings of Orca and Humpback Whales.
In front of the property lies a 25 acre native eco reserve of which all of our guests have the ability to explore freely.
RESPONSIBLE WASTE MANAGEMENT & SINGLE USE PLASTICS
All waste produced from our surf shop, surf school and accommodations is properly separated, disposed of, recycled and composted. We aim to minimise the use of single-use plastic where possible. With hopes to almost eliminate single-use plastics over time. We encourage all staff and guests to use reusable products where possible.
Moreover, we collect, store and conserve filtered rain-water for drinking and garden watering purposes.
SUSTAINABLE BUILDING DESIGN
Furthermore, each of our Pods are designed and built using sustainable building materials and eco-friendly products as much as possible including wool insulation and recycled timber.
STAFF ENGAGEMENT
Lastly, each of our staff members are trained on current sustainable practices. In addition, they constantly seek new ways we can reduce our environmental footprint. All cleaning on the property is done with natural, home-made products to minimise the harmful impact on the environment from cleaning chemicals.
