Responsible Tourism
Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa Environmental Programme
Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge & Spa endeavours to minimise any negative impact on the environment by implementing certain positive initiatives that reflect responsible tourism.
Product Development
- Zorgvliet offers guests traditional food, cultural events and opportunities to buy locally made arts and crafts.
- Tourists receive information listing the names of local suppliers, hand craft shops and stalls.
- Zorgvliet makes use of selected vegetable suppliers located in Pniel – Pniel was originally an agricultural village, but today fruit and vegetable production has grown into a large industry, which has become the major source of income for the town.
- All Zorgvliet Picnic’s plates, cutlery, sandwich and salad holders are products from the Green Home 100% biodegradable packaging range made from corn and sugarcane - www.greenhome.co.za.
Education Development
- Zorgvliet provides staff and local people with Health Education Programmes dealing with various issues including How to combat HIV/AIDS.
- Unemployed people in Zorgvliet’s area are provided with in-service training focusing on practical programmes.
- Employees are educated about the importance of conserving biodiversity – they are sent on courses or a guest speaker is invited to address them.
- Employees are educated in starting an organic herb garden and are encouraged to use proudly South African products.
Economic Responsibility
- Zorgvliet gives first preference to the local community, businesses and suppliers for employment and purchasing.
- Guests make use of golf carts instead of cars on the Estate’s premises.
Enviromental Management System
- Installed low-volume and dual-flush toilet systems.
- Using grey water to water the gardens.
- Purchase bio-friendly cleaning products (www.tripleorange.co.za) – Hychem as well as organic amenities in rooms/essence oils and massage oils (www.enchantrix.co.za) or (www.faithful-to-nature.co.za).
- Make ruse of Sappi bins for re-cycling purposes.
- Contracted waste company to collect all waste.
How to Green Your Landscape
- Avoid using chemical pesticides that can kill off natural predators. Promote the use of organic fertilizers, weed killers and pesticides. Zorgvliet will implement this at Zorgvliet Spa Suites and Zorgvliet Vineyard Lodge.
Water Management
- The temperature of warm water from the geysers is lowered from +60°C to 50°C.
- Dishwasher – use warm water (49°C)
- Put up signs in the bathrooms that mention - Place towel in the bath only when they are dirty and they will be replaced with a fresh set.
Electricity
- Switch off all electrical plugs in the rooms when there are no guests. The international Energy Agency estimates that about 200 – 400 terawatts of energy is consumed globally per year by products on standby. So unplug, switch off and save.
- Switch off geysers in rooms when there are no guests.
- Exchange old incandescent bulbs with 80% more energy-efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) bulbs. If we motivate 10 other lodges to switch from incandescent bulbs to CFL, we could save the planet 20 704 kilograms of CO2 – the equivalent to planting 48 trees.
- Energy saving light bulbs
- Keep the windows and doors closed when the air conditioner is in use.
Recycle
- Purchase products once a month and store them in reusable containers.
- Return used cooking oil for the manufacturing of biodiesel.
