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Vail Resorts aims to go paperless

Edward Stoner
Vail correspondent
Aspen, CO Colorado

VAIL, Colo. – Vail Resorts said Monday it met one of its environmental goals, reducing its energy consumption by 6.1 percent for the year.

Last year, CEO Rob Katz set a goal of reducing energy use within the company by 5 percent in 2009 and another 5 percent in 2010.

And Katz did not delay in setting another goal Monday, saying he wants the company to go paperless by the end of 2011.



Katz said the company spends close to $1 million per year on paper, printing and related expenses.

“These figures clearly show that there is an opportunity for us as a company to not only reduce cost, but also significantly affect our impact on one of our major stakeholders: the environment,” Katz said in an e-mail to employees.




Employees will be asked to identify things they need to print versus things they want to print. Company Chief Information Officer Robert Urwiler will lead an effort to identify new technology to replace paper, Katz said.

Trail maps will continue to be printed on paper for now, Katz said.

Katz announced the energy reduction goals in May 2008, citing rising oil costs, a down economy and the need to reduce carbon emissions.

The company spent $25 million per year on energy – gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane and electricity – the company said then.

The “energy layoffs,” as Katz called them, were undertaken in the company’s mountain, hotel and retail operations. They included installing fluorescent lights, reducing idling time for vehicles, more efficient grooming and snowmaking techniques and better management of heating systems.

The company will look for an additional 4 percent energy reduction in the next year to meet its goal.

“This is truly a win-win, great for the environment and great for our bottom line,” Katz said.

Broomfield-based Vail Resorts owns Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone and Heavenly. It also owns and operates hotels and resorts across the West and in the Caribbean.

The company continues to plan for Ever Vail, a $1 billion “green” ski village planned for West Lionshead.

In 2006, Vail Resorts announced that it would offset all of its electricity use – 152,000 megawatts per year – with renewable energy credits.

The company said in 2007 it would serve “natural” meats and organic dairy at its mountain restaurants.

estoner@vaildaily.com

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