Picked up the vans early on Wednesday, January 5th and started off on our 3 ½ hour drive to Rotorua. First off, I think it is important to mention that Rotorua is rich in Maori culture and one of the “deep-rooted concepts” of this culture is the idea of manaakitanga. This concept implies guardianship over the land, the people, and its visitors. Rotorua has developed a Sustainable Tourism Charter (www.rotoruaNZ.com) and encourages all visitors to support Charter members. Additionally, the city encourages recycling, reduction – waste and transportation, and preservation – water and land.
Once in Rotorua, we visited the Aquatic Center to learn about their Enviro-Gold rating and sustainability initiatives within their business practices. Some of the initiatives include:
· Geothermal heating systems for pools
· Extensive recycling program for all visitors and staff
· Sought out and corrected water leaks
· Automatic chemical regulators – minimizes the unnecessary draining and refilling of the pools
· Organic vegetable garden for staff
The Aquatic Center, proved to be a fascinating point of interest. However, the success of such businesses seems to be greatly impacted by the support of the city and it’s like minded community. A public center such as this is allowed to thrive because the demand has been created by outside sources.
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