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Certification

Sustainable certification using Earthcheck Science is really about checking that we are doing, and measuring we are actually becoming more sustainable!  Through certification Kaikoura can to show that our community working to become more sustainable. Achieving certification in 2010 is the seventh year Kaikoura has achieved international recognition for our commitment to sustainable practices.  This certification remains valid until November 2010.  Kaikoura was first benchmarked in 2001 – that means we have 10 years of environmental figures. Objective Annual Audits Benchmarking annual records and measures are checked, not by staff from Council or EC3 Global who issue the certification. but by independent auditors. Environmental certification is not simply marketing for Kaikoura, we have the science to honestly say we are reducing our environmental impact! The organisations that check our benchmarking data including Earthcheck and our certification systems are Landcare Research, and we can promise you that the audits are stringent!

 A long term goal of sustainability

Of course being sustainably certified does NOT mean Kaikoura is a completely sustainable destination.  Each year that we achieve Certification proves the Kaikoura community is working to being sustainable.

So what are we doing? Here are a few examples of our progress towards sustainability:

• Check out Kaikoura 100% committed flier - distributed far and wide to encourage folks to understand and participate in Kaikoura's environmental commitment.
• A collaboration between Council, Innovative Waste Kaikoura and the Zero Waste Trust developed a fridge magnet - to highlight how and what items can be recycled in Kaikoura.
• We have placed a number of recycling stations (about 12) throughout the town centre - to encourage visitors to reduce their contributions to landfill by recycling.
• We have introduced a kerbside collection of organics - which helps us divert about 78% of waste away from landfill - enabling us to get closer to our goal of zero waste.
• Ever wondered how much electricity your appliances use?  Council has a device that can tell you, called the Centameter, and we are hiring these to householders for only $5 for 7 days so you can see how much difference turning lights off really makes to your electricity bill.
• We are aiming to assist more businesses in town to become involved in sustainable practises, such as through the Earthcheck program and/or developing more sustainable practises.
• We will continue to run conservation volunteer holidays, practical ways people can make a difference to the environment (see Projects for more info).
• We support the Enviroschools program to ensure that sustainable practices start early.
• We distribute recyclable shopping bags so residents can say no to plastic bags.  Check out our Fantastic No Plastic bags.

If you want to get involved with any of these or want to know more about Earthcheck contact us!