Cardrona & Treble Cone Restaurants, Cafés & Bars

Our waste reduction has been underway for over ten years! It began in 2013, when we decided to remove plastic packaging from pies, saving more than 24,000 plastic packets reaching landfill each year. Here’s what we’ve been up to since then:

• 2014 - We removed all plastic straws.

• 2017 - We removed single use plastic from food and beverage outlets.

• 2018 - We partnered with Wastebusters Wānaka and suppliers to return uniform to charity for donation and repurposing.

• 2020 - Plastic bottles were eliminated from both Cardrona and Treble Cone saving 52,000 plastic bottles going to landfill every year.

• 2021 - We removed landfill bins from both mountains, plastic packaging from fresh produce and implemented a Tupperware return system.

• 2021 - Base Bar at Cardrona went plant-based and all confectionaries had to have compostable packaging.

• 2022 – We removed cardboard slides from Captain's Pizzeria, eliminating 20,000 units per year.

• 2023 – We introduced oil filtration at Captain's; began collecting old oil for bio-diesel, and removed the soft drink glass range.

• 2024 – We installed post-mix systems at Captain's, saving over 3,000kg of soft drink cans from transport via groomer. We also introduced composting at Captain's, saving 2,000kg of food scraps and coffee grinds from being transported by groomer.

As an industry that relies on cold temps, we know we’re vulnerable to climate change, but also a contributor. We’ve developed a greenhouse gas calculation tool working together with all other New Zealand ski areas. We are also:

• Providing free shuttles up the mountain roads to reduce car emissions.

• Encourage carpooling with specific carpooling pickup spots along the mountain roads.

• Invested in a modern grooming fleet that are diesel-electric.

• Invested in modern snowmaking and transport which is more diesel-efficient, or are hybrids.

• We have enrolled on the Toitu Carbon Reduce Programme to make serious steps towards reducing carbon emissions.

• We plan to reduce our gross carbon and/or our intensity by 2027, from our base year measurement, and reduce emissions by 30% by 2030.

• Qualmark Gold certified.

One of our top priorities is restoring and regenerating the life force of the maunga. The Plant a Seed Project at Cardrona and Treble Cone replenishes the native plant and tree species, creating habitats for birds, invertebrates and reptiles. Our commitment: repairing the damage done, enhancing the natural, native landscape, and reducing our carbon footprint.

• Establishing a compost facility at Cardrona.

• Nurturing a worm farm at Treble Cone to turn our organic waste into valuable compost.

• Using our compost which we then use in our Plant a Seed Projects, closing the cycle of waste.

• Over 6,300 native plants planted across both Cardrona and Treble Cone.

Removing predators from the maunga goes hand in hand with our Plant a Seed programme, it’s our way of creating a truly biodiverse environment that is safe for native species to thrive.

• Help our native species thrive at Treble Cone and Cardrona and join us to assist Predator Free 2050.

• Encouraging vulnerable native species thrive, like the kārearea, native plantlife, and invertebrates.