New Zealand may have a small population compared to many other countries, but we still face the same environmental and sustainability issues as the rest of the world.
At Crater Rim Walks we do as much as we can to minimise waste, leave no trace, and keep New Zealand's clean green reputation in tact. Our packed lunches are served in beautiful stainless steel lunch boxes, water is provided in stainless steel drink bottles which our guests get to keep and reuse, and we try to enjoy hot drinks in the cafe rather than 'to go' whenever possible, eliminating the need for takeaway cups. I love it when our guests notice that we provide cloth napkins and appreciate this little touch!
In New Zealand we are fortunate to have amazing drinking water straight from the tap, you do not need to buy bottled water here. In fact New Zealand Spring Water is bottled and sold all over the world.
The 'Leave No Trace' principles are such a great reminder of how we can travel smart, especially when walking and tramping to do our bit for the environment.
1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable ground
3. Dispose of waste properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimise the effects of fire
6. Respect wildlife and farm animals
7. Be considerate of others
You can read in more depth about these principles here: https://leavenotrace.org.nz/
Next time you travel, I really encourage you to find one thing to work on to reduce your personal waste mountain. Can you commit to using a keep cup? How about saying no to plastic water bottles, or carrying your own lunchbox into a cafe to avoid takeaway containers. What ever task you choose to take on, the generations after us (along with your own conscience) will thank you for it.