Ziptrek Ecotours achieve zero carbon status for another year

Ziptrek Ecotours has announced that it is again a carbon neutral business ensuring its guests can experience the thrill of ziplining “guilt free”.

Ziptrek again commissioned the independent assessment by Ekos for its financial year 2019-20 with Ziptrek's total carbon calculation being 17.48t CO2. 

Ziptrek Ecotours are committed to being part of the solution so they continue to take significant steps by designing out the use of energy and then offsetting their carbon (and equivalents) from all of its business operation with contribution to two projects this year. These were the Rarakau Rainforest Conservation Project in Southland which is used for conservation management and landowner community development in Southland and Kānuka Hill Uruwhenua Native Regeneration Project.    

It is Ziptrek’s hope that through more of its region’s businesses choosing to become carbon neutral, that local biodiversity projects could be enabled from even closer to their source, here in Queenstown. 

Ziptrek Ecotours Queenstown Owner/Director, Trent Yeo advises “I think that our communities are increasingly seeing carbon neutrality as being a non-negotiable part of undertaking business.”

Ziptrek was designed to be an extremely low environmental footprint from conception but, as in all audits, they chose an external partner, Ekos – what Trent calls a “carbon accountant” – to formally assess Ziptrek’s carbon footprint.

Yeo adds “I see us as recreational athletes, we’re doing a pretty good job already but if we want to go to the Olympics we’ll need a coach to go higher.”

Since the financial year 2019 began they have been ensuring all travel on flights with Air New Zealand are also offset with the national carrier as part of their policy of travel, in line with their FlyNeutral carbon offset programme. 

They have also chosen an electricity retailer Ecotricity - which are 49% community owned, 100% renewable and also certified carbon neutral, to further increase their green partnerships.  

Ziptrek Queenstown are continuing to look at ways to reduce their carbon emissions and the need to travel in the first instance.

Yeo notes “we have and will continue to undertake webinar training sessions rather than needing to travel to events as part of our tourism endeavours and we have included ways for our staff to be rewarded for biking to work rather than by driving.  This is additional to the gravity fed activity and sustainable story we provide our guests and tell on each tour, allowing us to truly walk the talk.”

The 5000+ trees/shrubs/grasses planted on their course area at Bob’s Peak and the local area, in partnership with Wakatipu Reforestation Trust are a biodiversity bonus as they are not calculated as part of the carbon count.

Yeo highlights “Ziptrek has always pushed itself to deliver what we see as sustainable or regenerative tourism and every day, I think we get a little bit better.”

For more information on Ziptrek Queenstown go to ziptrek.co.nz/location

Image: Guests enjoying the educational walk through Ziptrek course area in Queenstown.