Sustainable Focus for Waimangu Café Renovation
Waimangu Volcanic Valley has made a significant investment in renovating the café and retail areas of the visitor centre.
The renovations have had a strong sustainable focus as it has given us the opportunity to assess each areas impact on the environment.
We have reviewed all our packaging and have switched to compostable packaging where possible. Glass reusable coffee cups are now available to purchase at the café, with the first drink being provided free with the purchase, and takeaway cups have been switched to compostable ones. There have been changes to napkins and cutlery in the café as well as packaging for picnic lunches. Drinks in the fridge are mostly in glass bottles.
All the light fittings have been replaced with energy efficient alternatives. The café also has a new recycling area, so guests can help ensure that our recyclable items end up in the right place.
This is one of the many commitments that we have made as part of our support of the New Zealand Tourism Sustainability Commitment.
The power in the café has been produced by solar panels on the visitor centre roof since 2018, and minimising food waste from the café has been an ongoing focus for Waimangu for a number of years.
The renovation is an example of a capital investment project. Capital investment like this ensures that we are running an economically sustainable business, an important part of creating a sustainable tourism industry.
