The Next Big Thing in Luxury Travel: A Family Therapist
On a sprawling estate on New Zealand's Matakana Coast, there's an infinity pool, a heated spa, a secret wine cellar and a tennis court for vacationing guests. Another unusual luxury: on-site counseling.
Bluestone Families, which operates retreats on the estate, sees vacations as the future site for fostering healthy dynamics between parents and kids. In the digital age, where devices compete for attention at nearly every waking hour, Bluestone's founders believe raising children is harder than ever—including for the very wealthiest. For about $80,000 (not including airfare), families can get all of the usual benefits of a far-flung trip, from delicious meals to adventurous outdoor activities, plus a professional therapist on hand.
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Wall Street Journal
18 hours ago
- Wall Street Journal
The Next Big Thing in Luxury Travel: A Family Therapist
On a sprawling estate on New Zealand's Matakana Coast, there's an infinity pool, a heated spa, a secret wine cellar and a tennis court for vacationing guests. Another unusual luxury: on-site counseling. Bluestone Families, which operates retreats on the estate, sees vacations as the future site for fostering healthy dynamics between parents and kids. In the digital age, where devices compete for attention at nearly every waking hour, Bluestone's founders believe raising children is harder than ever—including for the very wealthiest. For about $80,000 (not including airfare), families can get all of the usual benefits of a far-flung trip, from delicious meals to adventurous outdoor activities, plus a professional therapist on hand.
Forbes
a day ago
- Forbes
Can An Airport Really Become Green? Christchurch Airport Is Trying
Claire Waghorn, the airport's sustainability transition leader, on the top floor of the Novotel Christchurch Airport. Can an airport be sustainable? Before you answer that question, step outside any terminal and catch a whiff of burning jet fuel — a searing, earthy odor that reminds you air travel is one of the most carbon-intensive industries on the planet. But Christchurch Airport, a small aviation hub on New Zealand's sparsely populated South Island, is determined to flip the script. Over the past two decades, the airport has quietly tried to transform itself into a sustainability innovator — and prove that even in an industry notorious for its environmental impact, meaningful change is possible. "It's a challenge," says Claire Waghorn, the airport's sustainability transition leader. "But we must rise to the challenge." Christchurch Airport has already slashed its operational emissions by 92 percent from a decade ago. And last week, it announced the adoption of a sophisticated new carbon emission tracking system. Now it's tackling the far greater challenge of reducing aircraft emissions. While the path to sustainability is fraught with challenges and occasional missteps, Christchurch Airport's progress offers a possible blueprint for how airports — and perhaps entire industries — can reimagine their environmental impact. An electric bus at Christchurch Airport. Christchurch Airport's approach to sustainability is deeply influenced by Māori principles, particularly the concept of kaitiakitanga, or guardianship. 'It's about recognizing that everything is interconnected,' Waghorn explains. 'We can't address climate change in isolation. We have to consider biodiversity, social equity, and economic resilience as part of the same puzzle. Alongside this, understanding we need to act with intergenerational interests at heart.' This holistic philosophy is reflected in the airport's use of the 'doughnut economics' framework, which balances environmental limits (the outer ring of the doughnut) with social minimum standards (the inner ring). The goal is to operate within these boundaries and ensure that the airport's operations are not at the expense of the planet. Christchurch Airport's sustainability journey began in 2006, long before most airports were even thinking about carbon footprints. Back then, their emissions tracking was rudimentary, but it laid the groundwork for what would become one of the most ambitious decarbonization plans in the aviation industry. By 2015, the airport had a clear road map in place. Since then, it has reduced its operational emissions by 92 percent. How did they do it? 'We've got this little bit left on our own plate,' Waghorn said, referring to the remaining 8 percent of emissions. 'It's things like backup generators and fire extinguishers — tiny amounts that are surprisingly hard to eliminate.' An electric plane recharging at Christchurch Airport. While Christchurch Airport has made steady progress in reducing its own emissions, it's quick to acknowledge the bigger challenge: aircraft emissions. 'Our operational footprint is around 240 tons per year,' Waghorn noted. 'The airlines? Eight hundred thousand tons.' To address this, the airport is positioning itself as a pioneer in the transition to low-carbon aviation. Its strategy focuses on three key technologies: 'Airlines sign contracts for new planes three to four years before delivery," says Waghorn, "but the infrastructure to support them takes seven to eight years to build. It's very challenging. We have to act now, even without certainty about which technologies will dominate.' Sustainability at Christchurch Airport isn't just about cutting emissions. It's also about biodiversity, water conservation, energy efficiency, and rethinking waste. The airport has implemented a robust circular economy program, focusing on materials recovery and reducing single-use plastics. One standout initiative is its waste sorting system. The airport collects everything and sorts it back of house offsite. The results have been staggering: half of what was once considered general waste is now diverted to recycling or composting streams. 'We've also partnered with local organizations to repurpose food waste from our lounges,' Waghorn added. 'It's about finding the best possible outcome for every item that comes through our terminal.' Despite the progress, Christchurch Airport faces its share of challenges and skeptics. For one, sustainability efforts often go unnoticed by passengers. 'A lot of this work happens behind the scenes,' Waghorn acknowledges. 'It's not as tangible as, say, a solar panel or a wind turbine.' Sustainability is not entirely invisible. For example, you might see the airport's solar farm when you taxi for takeoff — it's being built on the southwestern side of the airport. And you might notice electric buses shuttling passengers around the airport and into the city. There have been a few missteps. The airport's attempt to replace milk bottles with milk kegs failed because of timing and fluctuations in milk use. Christchurch Airport's sustainability journey is far from over. With a goal of achieving absolute zero emissions in airport operations by 2035 — no offsets, just real reductions — the facility is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in airports, while continuing to explore how to support and accelerate the wider aviation transition. "It's really, really hard to get consistent behavior from a transient crowd," says Waghhorn. Some of the missteps are funny, in hindsight. Consider the airport's purchase of an electric autonomous shuttle in 2017. Although the shuttle was a bold step toward modernizing airport transportation, it could not be used on the road because it wasn't street-legal. "We learned so much from that," laughs Waghorn. The airport quietly sold the shuttle and transitioned to an electric van driven by a human. The airport's experiences suggest that the path to sustainability is almost never linear. The airport has had to adapt, learn from its errors, and stay focused on the bigger picture, even when faced with setbacks and skepticism. "We always have to keep trying to do more," she says. Christchurch Airport's sustainability journey is far from over. With a goal of achieving absolute zero emissions by 2035 — no offsets, just real reductions — the facility is pushing the boundaries of what's possible in airports. But perhaps its greatest contribution lies in its willingness to share its successes — and failures. 'Collaboration is everything,' Waghorn says. 'We can't do this alone. It's about working with airports, airlines, manufacturers, energy providers, and communities to create a shared vision for the future.' For travelers, Christchurch Airport offers a glimmer of hope. It's proof that even in an industry as carbon-intensive as aviation, sustainability is not just a buzzword. It's a tangible, achievable goal. And while the road ahead is long and filled with pitfalls, the airport's progress serves as a reminder that every step, no matter how small, may bring us closer to a sustainable future.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Mom Is Torn About Leaving Her Son at Home Alone While She Drives Her Husband to the Airport: ‘He Says Leave Him in Bed'
A wife is at odds with her husband about an airport run The woman said that he wants them to leave their 10-year-old son at home alone while she drives him to the airport at 4 a.m. 'I'd planned on getting him up and putting him in the car in his pajamas, but everyone thinks that's silly,' she explainedA mother's nerves are taking flight while deciding whether to briefly leave her son at home while she drives her husband to the airport. The mom detailed the familial dilemma on the community forum Mumsnet, where she explained her and her partner's vastly different viewpoints. 'Me and hubby are having a little disagreement about leaving our child home alone for an airport run,' she wrote. 'For context, my child is 10 and an overall sensible child, very well behaved and a great sleeper.' 'My husband and his friends are off on a short trip next weekend and need to leave for the airport at 4 a.m.,' she continued. 'My husband says leave him in bed because I'll be back in 45 to 60 minutes.' However, the mom disagrees with her husband's proposed plan. 'I'd planned on getting him up and putting him in the car in his pajamas, but everyone thinks that's silly,' she said. 'Our child says he doesn't care about being left alone at home, but he will ultimately do as told.' is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! Many Mumsnet users sided with the mother. 'I wouldn't be leaving my 10-year-old alone at 4 a.m., nor would I be getting him up out of bed. Tell him to book a taxi,' one person replied, while another user commented, 'I have a 10-year-old and I just asked her and she said no way would she be happy with staying home alone.' Others warned that the airport run could take longer than anticipated. 'You could be delayed coming home, your car could break down, you could be involved in a car accident on the way home — doesn't matter how carefully you drive, you could be unlucky enough to have some idiot run into you,' a third reader cautioned both parents. Read the original article on People
