At Akaroa Dolphins, we recognise that we are obligated to our unique and special environment and are committed to caring for Akaroa harbour. Our activities must have a positive impact on the environment for now, and for future generations. Below are examples of some of our environmental initiatives.

WASTE
 

• Recycle paper & glass
• Compost organic waste
• Re-use stationery and office supplies
• Do not use single-use plastics e.g. plastic bags or bottles
• Reduced our print marketing
• Our booking confirmations are sent via email
• We have moved to paperless payslips and invoices by emailing them
• All oil that is brought for the boat has been previously recycled, and once we have used it, it is then taken back again for recycling
   

ENERGY
 

• Ensure refrigeration and heating systems are maintained appropriately and regularly
• Ensure air-conditioning is regularly maintained and actions are taken to minimise the use
• Have energy-efficient lighting by using LED lights
• Turn lights & heating off when not being used
• Monitor electricity usage
• Use environmentally designed state-of-the-art engines in our catamaran
• We service our vehicles annually
• Monitoring of our general driving practices of the boat, reducing fuel consumption
• We shop locally as much as possible
• Installation of Wool Batts in both ticketing offices
• Coldwater machine wash
• We use our clothesline to dry our towels and cloths
   

WATER
 

• We reduce water use outdoors by using a trigger gun on the boat when cleaning it down
• Maintain high-quality water/effluent output filtration systems
• Install water-saving fixtures and devices
• We are mindful of our water use
   

ENVIRONMENT
 

• Remove any rubbish we see in the ocean, on the beach & street ourselves
• Our catamaran was designed to have minimum noise transfer to the dolphins
• We have begun the journey of becoming a carbon-neutral  business
• Volunteer our time to help plant native trees

We hope you enjoyed reading this blog, and we end with a call to action. What small changes can you do to help reduce your footprint?

For more about our sustainability commitments CLICK HERE!