Taking responsibility for your litter is an important part of caring for New Zealand. Follow these simple, responsible travel tips and help keep New Zealand clean.
It's a simple principle; always make sure you dispose of your rubbish responsibly.
That means that if you are camping in one of New Zealand's many remote and beautiful camping spots, or hiking along one of our beautiful trails, make sure you collect all of your rubbish and carry it with you until you can find a bin.
As the Department of Conservation says, if you pack it in, pack it out(opens in new window).
Cutting down on the amount of waste you create can go a long way to helping keep New Zealand clean. Try the following tips to reduce your waste as you’re travelling.
In New Zealand, an estimated 828 million single-use plastic bottles are thrown away every year. Help to cut down on the amount of plastic bottles going into landfills, recycling, or the environment, by using a drink bottle.
Tap water in New Zealand is safe to drink anywhere in the country. You can refill your bottle from the many public drinking fountains, or in cafes where water is provided free of charge, or from the tap in your accommodation.
RefillNZ(opens in new window) even has a database of free refill stations, where you can fill your drink bottle with safe drinking water.
By carrying a reusable drink bottle, you can cut down on the amount of plastic waste you create and save money at the same time.
You can reduce your waste by carrying your own knife, fork, and spoon. It’s handy to have a cutlery set when camping in the wilderness, but also when getting takeaway meals in the city – refusing single-use plastic cutlery is a great way to travel more sustainably.
Plastic bags were banned in New Zealand in 2019. While paper bags are available, they still have an environmental impact. Make supermarket shopping easier and greener by carrying a reusable bag.
Replace single-use plastic or paper produce bags with your own reusable bags. You can also shop in local farmers markets to reduce the amount of packaging you go through and support local growers at the same time.
You’ll find toilets at every DOC hut and campsite, popular car parks, and most beaches. You can also find bathrooms in supermarkets, cafes, town centres and malls.
Never miss an opportunity to use the bathroom while travelling, especially if you’re heading off on a walk into the wilderness(opens in new window).
If you do find yourself on a hiking trail with no bathroom in sight, dig a hole well away from people and water, and try to use as little toilet paper as possible. This prevents the spread of diseases and reduces the amount of waste left in our beautiful nature spots.
If you’re freedom camping, you are usually required to be travelling in a self-contained vehicle with toilet facilities. Make sure you use these instead of answering the call of nature in nature.
The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand, for now, and for future generations. By following the Tiaki Promise, you are making a commitment to act as a guardian, protecting and preserving our home.
