 Poster: A snowHead
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As concerns grow over the sustainability of skiing and snow, ski resorts are talking about their environmental policies and projects.
This is an extract from a news release from Pal-Arinsal in Andorra:
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New reservoir for ecological purposes
In addition we work to improve our facilities and offer the finest conditions on our ski slopes, while always preserving the environment. To this end, the station and its personnel are officially committed to nature and the environment in general. A work philosophy which is reflected in the ongoing construction of a reservoir at the Pal resort. The objective is to collect water so as to maintain the snow quality for as long as possible while preserving its natural qualities. |
What does this mean?
Presumably it's a reference to an artificial snowmaking pond, but that's not quite clear from the copy!
Is it greenwash?
Authentic environmental work in the mountains - conservation of forestry, wildlife and natural landscape features - is going to be very important for the future. Artificial facilities and services don't necessarily fall into that bracket.
The Ski Club of Great Britain has just published an online Green Resort Guide to identify ski resorts' work to protect the mountainscapes and ecology.
It would be interesting to read any comments on that guide, and any other ideas on what should be done.
Is greenwash a problem?
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Wed 23-11-05 16:03; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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DGO, I'll try and find out about the research methodology and report back.
I guess we're looking at something vaguely to choosing a clean beach, except that personal interests of clean sand and clean seawater are very much at the fore in that situation.
Clearly the resources necessary to independently assess the environmental standards of hundreds of ski resorts are huge. The impression I get is that the content of the Green Resort Guide has been requested from, and provided by, the resorts themselves. In that situation there could obviously be inconsistencies in how two resorts might interpret the same question.
Anyway, as I say, I'll try and find out more.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am not impressed by much of this green-ness - most of it is marketing. There are no absolute measures to apply to compare resorts (and probably never will be) so I read all these things with a sceptical mind. I believe genuine improvements are required and should be applauded but Aspen claims to be the leader in this area - they now only run the hotel balcony and sidewalk heating in the winter (they used to run all year round!!)
I have similar reservations about the announcement that some European resorts have installed chairlift seat heating 
Despite the obvious attraction, hot tubs and outdoor pools are not environmetally sound.
I am not a extreme green, but some things are just not sensible in a world that must control energy use or build nuclear power. (renewables are not enough (yet), fusion isnt here (yet) - there will be an energy crisis because successive UK gov has ignored the problem for too long)
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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lampbus, Absolutely right about the marketing spin - SCGB are going overboard in my opinion... one minute they advise us to travel by train, the next minute the editor of Ski & Board goes heli-skiing off a yacht chugging up the ciast of canada. There's hypocracy and mis-information everywhere you look.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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An interesting initiative in rating ski resorts' environmental performance is the 'Scorecard' published by Ski Area Citizens' Coalition in the US.
According to their searching criteria - which cover 9 concerns such as expansion, conservation, water use, pollution and traffic - these are the ten 'most environmentally friendly' resorts in the US, all graded 'A' ...
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Aspen Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado
Buttermilk Ski Resort, Colorado
Sundance Resort, Utah
Alpine Meadows, California
Mount Bachelor, Oregon
Sierra-at-Tahoe, California
Bogus Basin Mountain Resort, Idaho
Aspen Highlands, Colorado
Wolf Creek Ski Area, Colorado
Taos Ski Valley, New Mexico |
... and these are the 'least environmentally friendly', graded D or F
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Breckenridge Ski Resort, Colorado
Crested Butte Mountain Resort ,Colorado
Copper Mountain Ski Resort, Colorado
White Pass Ski Area, Washington
Big Sky Resort, Montana
Silver Mountain Ski Resort, Idaho
Crystal Mountain Resort, Washington
Snowbasin Ski Resort, Utah
Bridger Bowl Ski Area, Montana
Grand Targhee Ski Resort, Wyoming
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Here's how their grading system works
And here's the website URL: http://www.skiareacitizens.com
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David Goldsmith, Chernobyl would get a C then
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FAQ
Likewise Wengens sewage gets sent down to Lauterbrunnen and they have the same building policy as Grindelwald. Seems to me that someone hasn't been doing a very good job on their research
