A ten-year plan to significantly cut water use, waste and energy emissions has been outlined by Spicers Retreats and its parent firm, Turner Family Foundation, as the company continues its quest to lower its environmental footprint.
The company has set goals including a 25% reduction in water use and 100% eradication of single-use plastics and net waste to landfill, both by 2025, and a commitment to 100% zero net emissions from energy by 2030.
Further, the company has identified ten specific goals that will be made possible through the reduction of its reliance on grid power at those properties which are connected to mains power.
These individual projects include the ‘go live’ date of the group’s largest single-site solar panel arrangement at Spicers Hidden Vale, with 100 kilowatts of solar power set to replace as much as one third of the resort’s overall consumption.
Elsewhere, Spicers Peak Lodge has completed its own solar installation, while at the company’s off-grid Spicers Rim Trail properties, renewable hydrogen storage generators have replaced diesel generators as part of an AUD$2 million energy project supported by the Queensland Government. The new energy source emits only a water vapour during its production and use.
Amara Restaurant at Spicers Sangoma Retreat in the Blue Mountains already operates a daily ‘Chef’s Harvest’ menu based on organic and seasonal meat, cheese and produce no more than 100kms from the resort. Spicers Balfour also recently committed to a zero-waste action plan which sees its entire resort waste fit in a single wheelie-bin each fortnight.
Spicers Retreats Founder, Jude Turner, said protecting and enhancing the environment has always been a passion of the company.
“We hope our projects will not only help to preserve our environment for future generations but also inspire other individuals and businesses to do the same.”
“We’ve set ourselves some big goals and we’re excited to see what we’ve achieved so far,” added Turner Family Foundation Sustainability Manager, John Ahern.
“With our Sustainable Future Task Force targeting infrastructure, changes such as renewable power, it’s great to see the whole team at Spicers Retreats and the Turner Family Foundation getting behind the initiatives and doing their part.”