Earns Gold Environmental Award
By Dave Clearwater, Communications Manager, Air Force Museum of New Zealand
Inside the Air Force Museum
The Air Force Museum of New Zealand gained a Qualmark Enviro-Gold Award in August, recognising its high standards in environmental practices.
To earn New Zealand tourism’s official environmental award, the Air Force Museum had to show efficiencies in energy usage, waste management and water conservation, with community activities and conservation initiatives also considered under Qualmark’s environmental criteria.
The Air Force Museum of New Zealand is only the second Museum within New Zealand to receive this award, behind the national museum, Te Papa in Wellington, and the only key cultural visitor attraction in the South Island to have received Qualmark’s Enviro-Gold rating. Museum Director Mrs Therese Angelo said; “All of these initiatives—recycling, reusing, and helping others—are not only good for the environment and for our community, but they also make good business sense.
“Since the introduction of free admission in February 2009, we are more aware than ever of reducing costs so that we can continue to offer the local community and international visitors free admission to our museum.
”The Air Force Museum’s green initiatives also fit within the wider framework of sustainability adopted by the New Zealand Defence Force. Quality endorsements—such as the Qualmark Green enviro-ratings—are essential as part of ensuring local and international visitors are aware that our tourism industry is sustainable now and into the future and to follow through on our promise of 100% Pure New Zealand.”