Sustainablity
At Spacecraft we believe that everybody must do their part in being sustainable. Sustainability is vital for our planet. We have a strong sustainable focus and our philosophy is based on three pillars sustainable products, sustainable business and sustainable communities. These are driven by the UN Sustainable Goals, particularly Goal 1, 12 and 15.
- Goal 1 - End poverty in all it's forms everywhere
- Goal 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
- Goal 15 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Sustainable Products
We seek out products that are environmentally friendly and are made sustainably and under fair conditions, we consider the life cycle of a product, its packaging, the materials it is made from, how it is made, all before it even enters our store.
Sustainable Business
We run our business in the most sustainable fashion we can - we reuse or recycle packaging, we choose sustainable products in our business operations and we offset our carbon emissions every year by supporting local tree planting initiatives through Greening Taupo. Through doing this we are proud to say we are Climate Positive! (Our business emissions are below zero, and through this we are helping to reduce our impact on climate change.)
Waste Management
Sustainability has been at the forefront of everything we do at Spacecraft and in 2021 we joined the Taupo District Council Resource Wise Business Programme. In the first year an audit showed we were diverting 84% of our waste from going to landfill. Over the following year in 2022 we worked hard to improve what we do instore and with the partners we work with. We have now completed our second audit and are delighted to say we are now diverting 98% of our waste from going to landfill. Yay!
Some of the changes instore have been to create a new waste management station under the counter - where rubbish, soft plastics and paper/cardboard can be sorted throughout the day, helping to prevent the wrong things going in the wrong places. We also have found an avenue to recycle soft plastic received from supplier shipments, through the Countdown programme. These soft plastics are processed by a company in Auckland, which converts the soft plastics collected into plastic fence posts and a Levin company, which converts the soft plastics into garden edging and cable covers.
Sustainable Communities
Our goals:
- Spacecraft will help the community live a sustainable lifestyle by supplying ethical & sustainable products, relevant to reducing footprint.
- Spacecraft will support and encourage programmes that benefit the community through reducing environmental impact, socialisation, education and goodwill.
- Spacecraft will support and foster developing artists, creatives and emerging businesses.
We support sustainable communities through our involvement in initiatives such as:
- Make Give Live - where we coordinate a local group making knitted hats we donate to the Taupo community
- Greening Taupo - who we have partnered with to create the Kowhai Spacewalk on Wairakei Drive, North of Taupo
- Waipahihi Kindergarten Clothing Swap annual event
- Shebby Ladies Long Lunch - annual event raising funds for The Lake Taupo Hospice
- Plus support to a number of other groups such as Women's Refuge, Age Concern & Pregnancy Help. We also work with fledgling businesses and artists to support, develop and help grow their businesses.
This is us in a nutshell and it is at the essence of every decision we make in our business.
