OUR ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT
We are proud of New Zealand’s pristine, natural landscape and are committed to a policy consistent with our country’s current high global ranking, for environmental sustainability.
As a small part of New Zealand’s stunning and unique natural heritage, Sanctuary in the Cove is committed to protecting the many ancient native trees on our property. To further improve the quality of our flora and fauna, we are also committed to ongoing plantings of trees, shrubs and various native palms and ferns. To this end approximately 2000 new plantings have been undertaken in the last 6 years and the planting program is ongoing. The development of our nature walk will also enable our guests to enjoy and appreciate the beauty of our natural bush surroundings.
Sanctuary in the Cove is committed to a balanced approach to economic, environmental and social priorities consistent with the goal of ensuring we are always examining the latest initiatives to:
- Reduce the environmental impact through sensible waste management
- Conserve water by using this precious resource wisely
- Help protect and conserve New Zealand’s natural environment
- Use energy efficiently.
Our guests can assist us in these modest aims.
- We provide recycling bins for all recyclables and there is also a bin for vegetable waste if you wish to take up our composting option.
- All bin liners and rubbish bags are bio-degradable.
- We provide re-usable ‘green’ shopping bags, for you to use when shopping for groceries - to minimise the accumulation of plastic bags.
- Your towels can be hung out for drying on outside washing lines.
- All your water is provided from our own fresh-water rainwater tanks. Before this water reaches you, it has passed through a complex filter system, with further under kitchen bench filters, installed in each cottage. Please use water wisely.
New Zealand currently ranks 7th out of more than 140 countries, according to the Environmental Performance Index (a collaborative effort between Yale and Columbia Universities in the US) – see current rankings below.
ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE INDEX
Rank
|
Country
|
Index
|
Rank
|
Country
|
Index
|
|
1
|
Switzerland
|
95.5
|
26
|
Malaysia
|
84.0
|
|
2
|
Sweden
|
93.1
|
27
|
Albania
|
84.0
|
|
3
|
Norway
|
93.1
|
28
|
Russia
|
83.9
|
|
4
|
Finland
|
91.4
|
29
|
Chile
|
83.4
|
|
5
|
Costa Rica
|
90.5
|
30
|
Spain
|
83.1
|
|
6
|
Austria
|
89.4
|
31
|
Luxembourg
|
83.1
|
|
7
|
New Zealand
|
88.9
|
32
|
Panama
|
83.1
|
|
8
|
Latvia
|
88.8
|
33
|
Dominican Republic
|
83.0
|
|
9
|
Colombia
|
88.3
|
34
|
Ireland
|
82.7
|
|
10
|
France
|
87.8
|
35
|
Brazil
|
82.7
|
|
11
|
Iceland
|
87.6
|
36
|
Uruguay
|
82.3
|
|
12
|
Canada
|
86.6
|
37
|
Georgia
|
82.2
|
|
13
|
Germany
|
86.3
|
38
|
Argentina
|
81.8
|
|
14
|
United Kingdom
|
86.3
|
39
|
United States
|
81.0
|
|
15
|
Slovenia
|
86.3
|
40
|
Taiwan
|
80.8
|
|
16
|
Lithuania
|
86.2
|
41
|
Cuba
|
80.7
|
|
17
|
Slovakia
|
86.0
|
42
|
Poland
|
80.5
|
|
18
|
Portugal
|
85.8
|
43
|
Belarus
|
80.5
|
|
19
|
Estonia
|
85.2
|
44
|
Greece
|
80.2
|
|
20
|
Croatia
|
84.6
|
45
|
Venezuela
|
80.0
|
|
21
|
Japan
|
84.5
|
46
|
Australia
|
79.8
|
|
22
|
Ecuador
|
84.4
|
47
|
Mexico
|
79.8
|
|
23
|
Hungary
|
84.2
|
48
|
Bosnia/Herzegovina
|
79.7
|
|
24
|
Italy
|
84.2
|
49
|
Israel
|
79.6
|
|
25
|
Denmark
|
84.0
|
50
|
Sri Lanka
|
79.5
|