If everyone just made the commitment to do better, rather than do perfect, what a difference that would make.
And that's our philosophy. Little ripples add up to big changes when we are all on board with them. At Nature & Nosh, it's in our blood to tread lightly. We are quality over quantity.
Come on this journey of regenerative travel with us as we commit to improve the social, economic and environmental wellbeing of our local communities.
Initiatives for better
We are fiercely proud of our country and our industry. We believe in promoting sustainable tours and have a number of initiatives to ensure we are doing our part. Here are just a few of the ways we do this:
1. Educating our guests on conservation and biosecurity within New Zealand and through a 'take only photos, leave only footprints' approach.
2. Minimising waste and recycling: We are moving towards a paperless office, have reusable mugs we take on tour instead of paper and plastic cups, reusable lunchboxes and we insist our suppliers minimise their plastic packaging among other initiatives.
3. Working with our suppliers and partners: We like to work with businesses with strong sustainability cultures, with visions that align with ours.
4. Positive carbon off-setting: From October 1, 2018 we will plant a New Zealand native tree for every tour we run.
5. We support local. All our guides, accommodation suppliers, artisan food and wine producers live and work in our local areas.
6. We are proud to support the Tiaki promise, a commitment to care for New Zealand. More at the bottom of this page.
7. We are so proud to be a Kaitiaki Guardian - special supporter of Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, very special conservation project on an ecological mainland island where we take our guests as part of some of our tours.
Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari
Through our Corporate Packages with the Bush Boardroom at Sanctuary, we are directly financially contributing back to this world-class conservation sanctuary. To date, we have contributed over $5,000 back to the mountain which is home to some of New Zealand's most endangered species.
We're endorsed as a sustainable business
We've been awarded a GOLD Sustainable Tourism Award. Qualmark independently evaluates tourism operators in New Zealand annually to ensure quality across all business areas. A Gold Award is evidence of one of the most high quality, safe and sustainable experiences in New Zealand, with the delivery of exceptional customer experiences an integral part of everything we do.
We care
We are proud to support the Tiaki Promise, a commitment to care for New Zealand. We teach our guests to care for land, sea and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace. We ensure they travel safely. We encourage respect of culture and travelling with an open heart and mind.
We're approved
We have been approved by the New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) to take guided hiking tours in public conservation areas, meeting their environmental and health and safety standards. We pay fees to DOC that go towards maintaining our walking tracks and wider conservation efforts to protect New Zealand's flora, fauna and environment and keep it beautiful.
Forever commitment
We've taken part in the Forever Good for your Soul Sustainable Commitment. We were independently audited on our sustainability practices and found to be: Actively involved in wide range of environmentally driven organisations both locally and nationally; Minimising transport emission impact picking up clients from Auckland; Have a plastic free programme in place; 75% of waste is diverted from landfill.
