Green Jersey feel a strong sense of responsibility to contribute positively to our community and our environment. We regularly donate to community groups and events in Wairarapa and Wellington. We are extremely proud of the contribution we have made to Life Flight Trust through donations to their annual Gala Charity Auction.
Our involvement in “Tiaki New Zealand” is demonstration of our comittment as a contributor to a sustainable New Zealand tourism sector.
Looking after our Environment
At Green Jersey we are committed to reducing our impact on the environment, and having a positive impact. This shapes the way we run our tours, the way we have set up our depots and the values we promote to our customers. The following points summarise our environmental commitment.
- Minimise waste to landfill
- Reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions
- Protect and restore the areas that we operate in
- Promote an environmental awareness on our tours
Minimise waste to landfill
We do this through a combination of what we buy (or avoid buying), and what (and how) we dispose of waste. When we set up our second depot in Petone, we made use of many recycled materials to fit out the space. This included using old hollow-core doors as our desks, wooden pallets for bike storage, and even saving the nails to re-use in the stands. We sort our waste to recycle and compost. On our tours where we provide food, we use reusable containers for lunch, or cook dinners from local produce.
When we are out on tour, don’t be surprised to see us picking up other peoples rubbish!
Reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions
Fuel use in our vehicles is a major component of our impact, and we look for ways to reduce this. This was also a consideration for us setting up a Hutt Valley depot, to avoid unnecessary trips back and forth over the Rimutaka Hill. We include train fares in some of our tours and encourage train use to and from Wellington. We keep our vehicles well maintained and aim for a modern efficient fleet, We will move towards hybrid or electric technology in the near future.
We offer customers an opportunity to off-set a bit of the carbon used to take part in our adventures
Protect and restore areas that we operate in
We benefit from the environment that we operate in, and have a true stake in keeping it healthy. When out on the trails, our guides are instructed to collect non-biodegradable litter where practicable. We also aim for one to two days a year where the Green Jersey team heads out on the Rimutaka Cycle Trail on a litter sweep, as well as to participate in native tree planting alongside the trail.
We are actively involved in pest eradication on the Palliser coast, in association with Martinborough Lions Club.
Promote environmental awareness on our tours
When providing guided tours, information on the ecology and natural environment is a focus of the information we provide. We encourage our guests to appreciate the beauty of our natural environment, and to support conservation efforts. We provide an optional $10 donation where funds collected are used to support local conservation groups. (Ask us if you would like more information about this.)