Aspen Skiing Company recognized
The Skiing Company, a division of Times Mirror Magazines, has awarded Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) two Silver Eagle Awards for Environmental Excellence in the ski industry, for energy conservation and water conservation. This is the third year in a row that ASC has been acknowledged by The Skiing Company for its environmental initiatives.
The Skiing Company, a division of Times Mirror Magazines, has awarded Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) two Silver Eagle Awards for Environmental Excellence in the ski industry, for energy conservation and water conservation. This is the third year in a row that ASC has been acknowledged by The Skiing Company for its environmental initiatives.
ASC was also a finalist for the Golden Eagle. Last year ASC won the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence and the Silver Eagle Award for Excellence in Environmental Education. In 1998, ASC received the Golden Eagle and two Silver Eagles for Excellence in Community Outreach, and Fish and Wildlife Habitat Protection.
“Were very proud to be recognized for our environmental commitment,” said Aspen Skiing Company Director of Environmental Affairs Chris Lane.
“The real credit goes to the employees of our company for helping reduce our impact on the environment. It is through their hard work and caring that our programs continue to succeed.”
The awards were established to recognize environmental achievements of North American ski areas. This year, six Silver Eagles and one Golden Eagle, to Stowe Mountain Resort (Vermont), were awarded: Silver Eagle
1.Energy Conservation Aspen Skiing Company
2. Water Conservation Aspen Skiing Company
3. Wildlife Habitat Protection Stratton Mountain Resort
4. Environmental Group RelationsGore Mountain (New York)
5. Environmental Education Mad River Glen (Vermont)
6. Area Visual Impact Vail
One of ASCs most important achievements in this area was the fitting of the Sundeck Restaurant with a host of environmental and energy-saving features: a deck made from recycled materials, elimination of CFCs in refrigeration, and energy-efficient lighting, windows and shades.
It is one of only ten buildings in the U.S. to achieve certification by the U.S. Green Building Councils rigorous Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, the first national rating system for green buildings.
ASC was also lauded for various programs including energy assessments and extensive lighting retrofits of two energy-intensive buildings; a renewable-energy program using wind power to supply 30 percent of the energy needs of the Sundeck Restaurant and 100 percent of the energy required to power the Cirque lift; installation of energy efficient washers and dryers in employee housing; participation in an EPA Energy Star Buildings program to improve efficiency in 60 percent of the companys buildings; deconstruction and recycling of two buildings, reducing truck trips to the landfill by 500 percent and saving 7,000 cubic yards of landfill space; a pollution prevention partnership with CDPHE (Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.); a 75 percent subsidy of employee bus passes, $1.8 million annual subsidy of skier shuttles (>300,000 riders per season) and formal employee vanpool and city carpool program.
In an effort to reduce water use and improve the quality of the local watershed, ASC instituted a hotel water-saver program, where guests have the option of reusing towels and sheets, and contributed more than $18,000 to fund water conservation projects, including wetlands creation and water quality monitoring, through ASCs employee Environment Foundation.
Other initiatives include: a switch from solvent-based to water-based parts washers in vehicle shops to reduce hazardous waste generation and solvent leakage; installation of high-efficiency horizontal-axis washing machines in employee housing; a fluorescent bulb recycling program to prevent mercury from leeching into local groundwater and development of a landscaping plan for the new Sundeck restaurant that uses native grasses which eliminates irrigation beyond the initial establishment period.
Judging for the awards is by a panel of conservation experts, environmental agency representatives and members of the ski press.
