Aspen Skiing Co. workers donate to environmental causes

ASPEN ” The sluggish economy isn’t slowing the grant giving by employees of the Aspen Skiing Co. for environmental causes.

The Aspen Skiing Co. Employee Environment Foundation donated $83,000 to 14 projects in its latest grant cycle, the foundation announced this week. All told, it has given almost $1.3 million to 260 projects.

The organizations or efforts that received funds in the fall grant cycle were:

– The Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, $15,000, to install a water-source heat pump at Hallam Lake and support general operations at Rock Bottom Ranch.

– Western Resource Advocates, $5,000, to monitor implementation of revised oil and gas drilling implementation rules.

– Wilderness Workshop, $5,000, to operate the Forest Watchdog Program analyzing proposed activities and policy directives for the White River National Forest to identify changes that impact the current environmental quality of these lands.

– Colorado Mountain Club, $9,000, to ensure appropriate balance between energy development and preserving the natural heritage of the region.

– Carbondale Community School, $7,000, to install solar a photovoltaic system to power its building and use monitoring technology to educate students on renewable energy.

– Clean Energy Economy for the Region (CLEER), $15,000, to support general operations to accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy, increase energy independence and reduce impacts of climate change.

– Headwaters Economics, $5,000, to educate government officials, nonprofits and citizens on the use of severance taxes and impact fees on drilling activities to support community development.

– La Energia, $2,000, to educate Spanish speaking homeowners and renters about the benefits of energy efficiency and provide tools needed to use energy more responsibly.

– Roaring Fork Conservancy, $4,000, to purchase electronic water testing equipment to allow for increased water quality monitoring.

– Split Estate, $5,000 to aid completion of a documentary highlighting the health impacts of natural gas drilling.

– Tomorrow’s Voices, $4,000, to fund its Call of the Wild outdoor education program.

– Town of Basalt, $4,000, to install a solar photovoltaic system atop its public works facility.

– Yampah Mountain High School, $5,500, to build a greenhouse as part of an ongoing project called The Global Supermarket, an effort to educate students about agriculture and its environmental and health impacts.

Skico employees donated $25,000 in the last seven months, since the last grant cycle, to their foundation. These contributions were matched by the Aspen Community Foundation and the Aspen Skiing Company Family Fund.

For additional information about the Environment Foundation visit http://www.aspensnowmass.com/environment/.