Edelweiss Motel

Look at the Nikau palm outside reception and you will see our Huia. This native New Zealand bird, is now extinct. Our Huia reminds us daily to value things that are precious in our world: wildlife, stunning landscapes, history, culture and people.

Our friendly service & great value need not mean compromising the environment. We believe the Bay of Islands is a unique place and want to ensure that the beautiful environment is protected for the good of all who visit and live here. At Edelweiss Motel Paihia we are committed to protecting our environment by constantly striving to minimise our environmental impact and ensure sustainability.

Reducing our energy demand and usage

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is reducing our energy demand and usage by:

• Offering a towel and linen change agreement to reduce energy and water use
• Making the most of our warm sunshine to line dry towels etc whenever possible, reducing energy demand
• We encourage the use of our tumble dryers to be kept to a minimum – washing lines are available at the back of the laundry area for guest use
• Converting to LED lights as part of our ongoing maintenance programme
• Encouraging our guests to switch off all lights when not required
• Switching off TVs and microwaves when not in use (not leaving them on standby) and ensuring new appliances have a higher (more efficient) energy rating

Reducing our waste

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is reducing our waste by:

• Targetting our own waste to minimise and recycle it. (For example we provide 250ml bottles of fresh milk because we think it tastes better than one serve UHT stuff and is better for the environment)
• Giving you the opportunity to recycle your rubbish
• Not printing unnecessary emails and installing an integrated management system

Encouraging the use of public transport

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is encouraging the use of public transport by:

• Offering a free local drop off and collection to the local bus station
• Providing information on local ferries, bike routes, buses

Conserving water

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is conserving water by :

• Actively monitoring water usage to ensure it is in line with expectation and there are no leakages
• Installing dual-flush toilets as we renovate bathrooms

Reducing chemical usage

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is reducing chemical usage by:

• Using salt treatment care for our Year Round Heated Swimming Pool (which is also better for sensitive eyes)
• Progressively replacing detergents and cleaning products with eco friendly equivalents
• Replacing our marketing materials as they deplete with new versions printed on environmentally friendly paper and using environmentally friendly inks

Buying with sustainability in mind

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, understands the importance of buying with sustainability in mind. To this end we:

• Buy toilet paper made from recycled paper
• Purchase locally where possible, in support of local businesses & reduced carbon emissions. We work hard to source products made in New Zealand.
• Continually evaluate suppliers products, services & business practices to see if their environmental policy matches or is better than our own
• Our recently painted exterior was painted with Resene Environmental Choice Paint range

Active members of our local community

Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, is proud to be an active member of our local community and we:

• Actively participate in the local Hospitality New Zealand branch
• Support the local Marae by donating Manchester, furniture and other recyclable

What Next?

At Edelweiss Motel Paihia, Bay of Islands, we recognise that Sustainable Tourism is an evolving process and our full team have signed up to this pledge as we continue to strive to improve our environmental impact and policy.