Environmental Policy

Havelock Motel & Motor Lodge Environmental Statement

Here at the Havelock Motel and Motor Lodge we are committed to leading the industry in minimizing the impact of our activities on the environment. We believe in reducing our short, medium and long-term impact on the paradise we are privileged to enjoy here in Havelock, Marlborough.  We strive to reduce waste in terms of rubbish, excess energy use and water consumption. We have a passion for the environment and a committed to making a difference.

Recycling

We aim to reduce our motel waste as much as possible.
Scraps
We encourage our guests to put their food scraps in the bins provided in each unit. These scraps are composted and used on our garden.

Paper
We encourage our guests to leave their newspapers and cardboard out beside their rubbish bins to be recycled. This is either repurposed for weed control or recycled.

Glass / Plastic / Tins / Cans
We encourage our guests to leave their bottles, cans, tins and plastic beside their bins so we can recycle them.

Pool Area

Our pool area opened October 2013. The area has been constructed using recycled materials where possible, using a lot of material already on site.The decking timber is made from 1/3 recycled plastic and 2/3 recycled waste timber so, while it looks and feels like timber, it requires minimal maintenance and will last a lifetime. Hybrideck is a sustainable alternative to hardwood timber decking, with no staining or chemical cleaning required. It is easily cleaned with a water-efficient high pressure water blaster. The decking material is designed not to crack, warp or splinter, which is great from a safety perspective, and it blends in with the surrounding environment.

The water in the pools is Mineral water:
Mineral water is water that contains a high level of dissolved minerals (electrolytes).

Known Benefits:
Mineral water balances the electrolytes in the body and replenishes the necessary balance of minerals and water that the body loses naturally.
Mineral water has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Mineral water also helps to cleanse the body of toxins and breakdown waste material.
Many mineral waters have therapeutic effects, which ease and even cure many chronic conditions and diseases.
Mineral water is beneficial in relieving the aches and pains of arthritis and rheumatism, by reducing the swelling and inflammation of muscles and joints.

Minerals and their Effects on the Body:
Magnesium: Known as the body’s natural stress reducer. It is concentrated in the bones and muscles. Magnesium strengthens the immune system, controls blood pressure, and relaxes the muscles.
Chloride and Bicarbonates : These minerals aid in the digestion process through maintaining and regulating the acid balance in the stomach and intestines.
Sulfate and Silica: These minerals are natural cleansing agents. They are also known to strengthen bones and teeth.
Sodium: Important to maintain the balance of water in the body. Cells are bathed in fluid containing this mineral.
Iron: Aids the delivery of oxygen throughout the body. Iron deficiency causes anemia.

Pool Heating – Solar Panels
Living in one of the sunniest places in New Zealand, and with the majority of our units having north facing roofs, we took advantage of the sun and installed solar panels to heat the pool water. These panels are highly efficient, as you will discover when you take a dip, only requiring electrical back up during some winter months and very overcast days.  Many guests ask how these work and we are more than happy to introduce them to the technology behind this.
Our high tech pool cover is motor driven (again using solar power), and is closed when the pool is not in use. This not only increases guest safety, but also maximises water retention and minimises our need to add more chemicals than ultimately required.

Units & Gardens

New Motels units 2008
The motel units are well-insulated to maintain the heat in winter and keep the units cool in the hotter months. Walls and ceilings are insulated, along with the internal walls, to maintain heat and minimize noise. Dual flush, low water use toilets are also installed site wide.

PVA Solar Panels
In November 2013 we installed 10KW solar panels on our family units and November 2017 we installed another 10KW on our studio units.  The power produced runs the motel with any excess power exported back into the grid. Ours is a great working model and we regularly discuss our system with guests hoping to introduce similar technology to their own homes. We are in the process of installing Splash Monitoring, a practical tool which will provide visual real time data of electricity being produced, used, and put back into the grid. The monitor will be prominently displayed in our reception area. It’s a great way to educate the family as to why they shouldn’t leave every light in the house on!

Gardens
All our gardens are mulched or stoned to retain moisture in the soil and to suppress weeds.  We use only natural pest control, such as crushed egg shells to ward off snails and slugs and banana skins are effective at stopping aphids. We do not use any insecticides. We make the most of local resources to produce our organic fertilizer, which consists of sheep manure, seaweed, and of course our homemade compost.
We take pride in our vegetable gardens and grow a lot of herbs for our guests to use in their cooking.  We have planted many fruit trees over the last few years and we provide fruit to our guests free of charge when in season. The motel owner has a degree in horticulture, and managed an orchard for many years, so is well-versed in what grows well in the local environment as well as companion planting for better growth and attracting the right insect “helpers” into the garden.

Organic Waste
All the off-cuts from tree trimming and pruning are mulched on site and re-used in our gardens.  Any wood that is too big for mulching is used as fire wood in the management house.  There are purpose build wood drying / storage sheds to ensure the wood is perfectly dried before using. This makes for cleaner and more efficient burning.

Planting
At specific locations around the property we have planted mature plants that are bee friendly (bees are important for the pollination of our fruit trees), and flaxes have been planted to attract Tui birds.  We have used non native plants in the pool area because it is very dry and these plants do not require much water.
Rainwater is harvested from the house roof into a water tank that is located beside our young orchard; this water is enough to get us through the dry months.
Most of our planter boxes are recycled local wine barrels or mussel floats.

Other sustainable practices that are in place:

• Option for guests to reuse towels, to save water and reduce chemical detergents
• All lights that we replace we use LED products these can last up to 25 times longer than an incandescent bulb and use 75% less energy.
•  Buying locally sourced products where available, or New Zealand made, to minimize the environmental impact of both production and distribution, as well as maintaining a sustainable community.
• Chemical-free cleaning in all rooms
• Biodegradable bin liners
• Printer and copier toner recycling
• Reduce paper use by electronic transmission of all documentation where possible, double-sided printing and use of recycled paper if printing is necessary.
• Partner with environmentally aware suppliers where possible.
• Dual-flush toilets
• Ongoing staff training and education to maintain a culture of sustainable and best practice.
• Keeping informed of new and emerging technologies, and applying these as we continually re-assess and upgrade our facilities.

Can you identify areas for improvement? We welcome ideas and feedback.