FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 15 May 2008

Rainbow Springs Becomes Rotorua’s First Green Globe Attraction

Rainbow Springs Nature Park and Kiwi Encounter has achieved the prestigious Green Globe Benchmarked status under the global Green Globe Benchmarking program and becomes the first visitor attraction in Rotorua to do so. This program recognises the operation has taken the first step to improve their business or communities’ environmental, social and economic performance.

In achieving Bronze Benchmarked status, Rainbow Springs has committed to benchmarking its energy and water consumption, total waste production, community commitment, paper, cleaning products and pesticide usage; along with implementing an integrated environmental and social policy.

In particular it has achieved Best Practice results in energy consumption, waste recycling and vehicle management. These measures will ensure efficient practices, great cost savings and secure a sustainable future for Rainbow Springs Nature Park.

“Sustainability is very important to the Rainbow Springs team, there is an active sustainable business committee who meet regularly, set goals and achieve results, and then report back to the wider team and management. Staff have also attended Sustainable Living courses in their own time and brought back ideas and initiatives to implement into the Rainbow Springs programme,” reports General Manager Stewart Brown.
About Green Globe
Green Globe is the worldwide Benchmarking, Certification and improvement system assisting the international travel and tourism industry to attain sustainability. Green Globe provides a certification system that responds directly to the major environmental problems facing the planet, including the greenhouse effect, over-use of freshwater resources and the destruction of biodiversity.

Rick Brown, Business Development Manager of Green Globe New Zealand and the Pacific Islands says: “I am delighted that Rainbow Springs has achieved Bronze Benchmarked status. Rainbow Springs is a prime example of being committed to environmentally sustainable tourism. They have demonstrated through a variety of initiatives, that the business and its employees can make a difference by reducing their environmental impact. The commitment they have shown by participating in the Green Globe program and their achievements set an example for other businesses to follow.”
About Rainbow Springs Nature Park and Kiwi Encounter
Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua is uniquely New Zealand. It is a 75 year old award winning "attraction" with strong conservation values. Rainbow Springs has been hugely successful with breeding programs for kiwi and other endangered NZ birds and animals. The park includes over 1.5km of easy walking track in natural bush surroundings, spring fed pools house numerous trout, and native and introduced animals are cared for by a dedicated team. In the past few years, here are just a few of the examples of Rainbow Springs’ achievements in the area of conservation and sustainable business practices:-
• planted over 750 native trees (with the help of local community groups and schools)
• Retired over 360 cubic metres of rubbish from landfill with the implementation of recycling programs in the park.
• Installed a selection of energy efficient appliances and lighting throughout the park
• All brochures and stationery are printed using vegetable based inks on papers sourced from sustainably managed forests and paper mills.
• All green waste from the park is recycled through industrial worm farms that chew through tonnes of waste every year while creating fertiliser for our organic vegetable garden.

ENDS

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