Our Environmental Policy

At Totara Lodge we have made a commitment to caring about our part of the world by making positive changes to help the environment and the community.

Our aim is to minimise the impact that we make on the resources and ecology of the area without compromising the comfort and enjoyment of our guests.

Energy Efficiency:

• Throughout the house the walls and ceilings are well insulated, enhanced by lined curtains and carpeted floors in most areas.
• Where possible we use energy saving light bulbs for table lamps and all our downlights have dimmer switches.
• Underfloor bathroom heating and heaters are thermostatically controlled.
• On demand gas heated water is supplied to the guest rooms and laundry.
• We line dry most of our washing and turn off lights and appliances not in use.

Recycling:

• We recycle all our plastics, glass, paper and cans on a weekly basis through our local council collection and take other recyclable items to a local transfer station.
• Unused clothing, furniture or other items we donate to charity organisations.
• All our fruit and vegetable kitchen waste is composted with grass clippings and other organic matter and used on our vegetable garden.

Water Conservation:

• Living in a rural area we do not have access to the town water supply so we collect and purify rain water that it is safe to drink.
• As this is a precious commodity we carefully monitor its use by regular checks on pipes and tank water levels, and more efficient use of the dishwasher and washing machine.
• All toilets have dual flushing and we encourage guests not to leave taps and showers running for long periods.

Ecology and Conservation:

• We are fortunate to live in a beautiful rural area surrounded by dry stone walls, forests and abundant orchards.
• Our property has many old Totara trees which attract a variety of native birds especially Tui and the native wood pigeon who love to eat the berries.
• As our garden evolves we are continuing to plant native trees and shrubs to attract more birds and insects using organic mulch to conserve watering and to reduce weed production.
• As part of our conservation effort we have constructed a large pond and water feature which has become home to the occasional frog, a family of wild ducks and lots of dragon flies during the summer months.
• Our Clearstream septic tank helps in preservation of the ecology by treating effluent and converting it to grey water which is used for irrigating the trees. To maintain the structure of this system we use all biodegradable cleaners.

Community Involvement:

• We support the local community hall.
• Wherever possible we support local growers, retailers and tradesmen.
• We promote local activities and artists with brochure displays in guest rooms.
• We encourage our guests to conserve water and power usage and invite them to participate in our towel and linen change policy.

Our commitment to improving our environmental performance will be an ongoing journey which we hope will improve with time and experience and help towards preserving this beautiful country for future generations.

To find out more about our luxury-style bed and breakfast accommodation in Whangarei, please contact your hosts Sue & John Hobden.

Totara Lodge Homestay is 4 Star Qualmark Accredited Accommodation

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