The Ark is going GREEN !

Over the past few years, Noah’s Ark has successfully shifted toward more sustainable alternatives, and are now proud to announce that

“ We are the most Eco bubble tea business in New Zealand! ”

Why We Value Sustainability

According to a survey on environmental attitudes conducted by the Ministry for the Environment, 50% of New Zealanders are very or extremely worried about the impacts of waste. That means about half of you reading this will probably already be on board with our sustainability efforts, but for those of you who aren’t, we would like to fill you in on why this is such an important issue to us. 

Around 2.5 million tonnes of waste gets sent to landfill every year in New Zealand, making our country one of the highest generators of household waste in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development). The problem with all of that waste is that most of it is made of materials that are not recycled and don’t break down over time - such as plastic. Non-recyclable materials are problematic because they use up the earth’s non-renewable resources, and non-decomposable materials are problematic because they create pollution and toxic waste that have harmful effects on our environment. Being part of an industry that traditionally involves a lot of these non-recyclable and non-decomposable materials, we want to do our best to find alternatives to these materials and reduce the amount of waste we contribute to the environment. 

This endeavour to create products from materials that are not lost at the end of their life, but instead can be reused in a different form, is called product stewardship. A big part of product stewardship is producers accepting the responsibility for reducing a product’s environmental impact. While the majority of us are aware of the negative impacts our lifestyle has on the environment, we often don’t really know what to do about it. It’s that all-too-familiar feeling of buying something, using it, and then feeling guilty when you have to dispose of it. We don’t want to put the responsibility of disposing of the products we produce into your hands, which is why we have decided to do our part in making achieving your sustainability goals as easy as possible; so you can do your part, and enjoy a delicious bubble tea while you’re at it :)

The New Zealand government has already recognised this issue of excessive waste and has set out a number of initiatives to combat it. We have also been implementing our own initiatives over the last couple of years.

• In line with the government’s plastic bag ban, we replaced our plastic carry bags with more sustainable options such as cardboard carriers, paper bags, and our very own canvas carry bags. 

• We replaced our plastic cups and seals with more sustainable options such as paper cups and seals, as well as bamboo straws that are biodegradable

• We have recently re-launched the sale of our own keep-cups for you to bring with you when you visit, which are available to purchase in-store. We also welcome customers bringing their own cups.

• We have come out with a brand new line of merchandise, including sturdy tote bags, sports drink bottles and t-shirts. All of these products are high quality and durable.

• We switched to a digital loyalty system to avoid printing paper stamp cards.

• We have our own stainless steel straws available for purchase in all of our stores.

Bamboo Straws

Our newly implemented bamboo straws are far more environmentally friendly than plastic straws as they are made from 100% natural plant fibre, comprising 70% bamboo fibre and 30% starch. Being made from natural materials means they are also 100% chemical free and 100% biodegradable! Not only that, but they only take 6 months to fully decompose, as seen in these decomposition tests taken at monthly intervals.

One of our biggest concerns when researching plastic straw alternatives was the customer experience. We’re sure you can agree that there is nothing worse than a straw that dissolves or loses shape before you have gotten to the end of your drink―we can’t afford to give up those precious pearls! So while their initial appearance may give you a paper-like impression, these straws are actually made from high density bamboo which ensures they do not dissolve in your drink.