Sustainability - Green Matters
Welcome to Bay Cabinz Motel Paihia, where you will experience environmentally friendly lodgings & share our personal journey and consistent commitment to sustainability. Qualmark Enviro Bronze rated.
If you are an environmentally conscious traveller, we can have a bigger impact & reduce our environmental footprint by making smarter, greener choices together.
>> Environment & Design
- We purpose built & designed our chalets to blend into the natural sloping hillside site overlooking central Paihia
- Care was taken to retain the 4 existing mature native trees
- The chalets are a compact design with no wasted space or materials
- All timbers used are specially selected & certified (FSC) from well-managed forests in New Zealand & Fiji
- The well appointed north-west facing chalets are positioned to capture the all day sun for warmth & light
- Opening windows on all 4 sides provide excellent ventilation & air flow replacement capturing the sea breeze in summer
- Joinery is low maintenance aluminium & windows are grey tinted glass for privacy & to reduce glare & fading
- Power & water to each chalet can be isolated, enabling them to be turned off when not in use to conserve energy
- Car parking is situated below the chalets to reduce noise & fumes and guests are encouraged to "travel wise" & walk
- Landscaping is a mix of native & sub-tropical plants to attract local bird life & prevent soil erosion
- There are no lawns to mow, reducing noise & saving fuel
>> Water
- All water is town supply from the local Waitangi River & is drinkable
- Water meter usage is monitored for any leakages
- Toilets are all dual-flush
- A sensor fill washing machine detects the level of clothing to conserve water
- Guests are encouraged to use water sparingly & reuse towels to conserve energy
>> Power
- Our chosen supplier (Meridian Energy) is actively committed to sustainability
- We are active participants in global "Earth Hour". If you are our guest on Sat 31st March 2012 it all happens at 8.30 p.m
- Computers, monitors, lights & appliances are turned off overnight & when not in use
- New energy efficient wall heating is thermostatically controlled
- All light bulbs are low energy saving
- Motion detectors & sensor lights guide you along pathways to your chalet at night
- 4 clothes lines & pegs are supplied to reduce use of the clothes drier
- Designated B.B.Q area provides an excellent outdoor cooking option
>> Waste
- Rubbish bags provided are biodegradable and rubbish is removed from each chalet daily
- A designated recycling area is provided with facilities for paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminium
- We separate organic waste in a large reusable garden bag which is collected monthly. The green waste is taken to a nearby local depot where it is turned into compost which you can purchase 1 year later for the garden
- We use recycled totally chlorine free paper & all printing is double sided. Ink cartridges are refilled
- Brochures, maps & information booklets are recycled at reception, where you will also find a book exchange
- We focus on de-materialising by purchasing less products. Our TVs have integrated CD-DVDs enabling us to provide a 3 in 1 product to reduce landfill
- We also have a centralised laundry & permanent ironing area, instead of providing these facilities in every chalet
- Used electrical appliances, crockery and linen are recycled within the local community. We donate goods to the Red Cross, Women's Refuge and the adjacent Paihia Primary School
>> Products & Services Green List
- We focus on buying NZ made, shopping within the "80 km rule" and use local trades people and services
- All our cleaning products are biodegradable and eco-friendly
- We clean with micro-fibre reusable cloths
- We buy in bulk and decant where possible
- All kitchens have biodegradable detergents & reusable dish cloths and brushes
- Toilet paper is made in NZ & has the environment choice certification
- Bathroom soaps are biodegradable and our chosen supplier has a recycling programme to dispose of "partially used bars of soap". They can be returned and converted into Bio Diesel & biodegradable industrial cleaners
- During your stay we provide reusable shopping bags, reusable cooler-picnic bags, beach towels & umbrellas enabling you to travel lighter and reduce your footprint
At Bay Cabinz Motel we practice responsible tourism, protecting and respecting our culture, community and the natural environment for future generations.
As tomorrows travellers we encourage you to tread lightly, be eco-wise and discover "humble luxury" in your own private chalet lodgings in Paihia.
