Ski!Industry!Sustainability!Analysisand!MRA!Case!Study...

Ski Industry Sustainability Analysis and MRA Case Study Garrett Ziegler

Final Project for completion of the Master’s of Sustainable Tourism Degree Program, East Carolina University, Spring 2012

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Table of Contents I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................ 2 I.I PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................................................................... 2 I.II THE CURRENT US SKI INDUSTRY .................................................................................................................................... 2 I.II SKI RESORT IMPACTS: A MOVE TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY ........................................................................................ 2 I.IV SKI RESORTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE ........................................................................................................................... 5 I. IV CASE STUDY INTRODUCTION: THE MOUNTAIN RIDER’S ALLIANCE ....................................................................... 7 I.V PROJECT OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................................................................... 10

II.I INDUSTRY ANALYSIS METHODS ............................................................................................................ 11 III. INDUSTRY ANALYSIS RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 12 IV. RESORT BEST PRACTICES AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................... 19 IV. I ENERGY, WATER, AND TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT .................................................................................... 19 Energy Management ......................................................................................................................................................... 19 Water Management .......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Transportation .................................................................................................................................................................... 26

IV.II WASTE PRODUCTION AND DISPOSAL ........................................................................................................................ 29 IV.III HABITAT AND ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT ........................................................................................................... 32 IV.IV OUTREACH, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION ................................................................................................... 37 IV. V COMMUNITY AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................. 43 IV. VI ADVOCACY AND ACTIVISM ......................................................................................................................................... 47

V. CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................... 49 V.I KEY THEMES DRIVING ALL ASPECTS OF SUSTAINABLE RESORT DEVELOPMENT ............................................... 49 V.II FUTURE RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS ............................................................................................................................. 51

WORKS CITED ..................................................................................................................................................... 52

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I. Introduction I.I Project Description The ski industry is at a turning point. In terms of future development and resort operations, the industry is beginning to embrace the principles of sustainable tourism development. Green buildings, energy efficiency, and environmental and social programs have helped certain resorts create a more sustainable tourism experience. However, the industry as a whole must continue to move forward to ensure a sustainable future for the sport. This project has the specific purpose of creating a more holistic understanding of what actions and policies are pushing the sustainable envelope within the industry. This information is then applied to a newly created model for ski resort development based off the triple bottom line approach and a commitment to three founding principles/business practices (Mountain Riders Alliance, 2012): • Respect for the Environment • Positive Impact in the Community • Overall Focus on the Riding I.II The Current US Ski Industry The United States ski and snowboard industry comprises a significant portion of the United States tourism industry. According to the National Ski Area Association there are currently 471 ski resorts/areas operating in the United States (National Ski Area Association, 2010). This includes seven different geographical regions across the country and 40 of the 50 states. The area of the country that receives the most skier visits is the Rocky Mountain region with 20 million skier and snowboarder visits in 2009-‐2010 (National Ski Area Association, 2010). Even though 471 may seem like a large number of ski areas in the United States, resort numbers have actually been dropping significantly over the past three decades. In 1984 the number of ski areas operating in the United States totaled 735. By 1994 that number had dropped to 516, and have continued to decrease slightly every year (National Ski Area Association, 2010). There was nearly 60 million skier visits in the United States in 2009-‐2010 (National Ski Area Association, 2010). This is the second highest total of skier visit this decade with the numbers reaching 60.1 million in 2007. Since 1979 the number of skier visits in the United States has hovered between 50 and 60 million (National Ski Area Association, 2010). These numbers demonstrate that the same number of skiers have fewer winter destinations to choice from. As fewer ski areas are able to maintain their operation, there is more competition between resorts for the skier and snowboarders in the US. Ski areas are looking for new ways to differentiate themselves to their potential visitors and many ski resort operators have turned to sustainability as a means for protecting their investment as well as the environment. I.II Ski Resort Impacts: A move toward sustainability Sustainability has not always been viewed as a key component of ski resort management. During the 1990’s resorts continued to expand their footprints through new terrain development as well as creating base areas centered on lodging and hotels, retail stores, restaurants, and spas. These types of developments did not add anything to the

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actual skiing experience, but were used to provide a more all-‐encompassing vacation destination (Clifford, 2003). These new developments did not come without costs. Several studies have demonstrated the negative environmental impacts associated with ski area development and expansion on mountain fauna such as elk (Morrison, de Vergie, Aldrige, Byrne, & Andree, 1995), small mammals (Hadley & Wilson, 2004), and key ecosystem indicator species such as mountain grouse (Patthey, Wirthner, Signorell, & Arlettaz, 2008). Studies have also examined the impacts of resort development on mountain flora. Comparisons of on-‐piste and off-‐piste areas showed that extensive on-‐piste management through grading and artificail snow production had significant impacts on bio-‐diversity of vegetation (Wipf, Rixen, Fischer, Schmid, & Stoeckli, 2005). These impacts led ski resorts to be viewed less as a non-‐consumptive entity and more of a negative environmental and social business. These thought culminated in the late 1990’s with the eco-‐terrorist act at Vail resorts, where an environmental group burnt down an on-‐mountain lodge to protest vails planned expansion into potential lynx habitat (Glick, 1998). The contnued growth of the “Corporate” ski resort through the early 2000’s caused skiers to question what was best for the environment and for local mountain communities. In 2003 a book was released titled Downhill Slide. This book examined the plight of the mountain community and how the large corporations were damaging the environment and local communities through a economic bottom line approach to ski area management. This was driven by profits and the goals of satisfying wall street stakeholders rather environemtnal stewardship and local community and stakeholder engagement (Clifford, 2003). These same sentiments were echoed in the release of the movie “Resorting to Madness” in 2007. This film was developed to demonstrate the enormous social and environmental impacts that ski resorts were having on mountain communties in the west (Cold Stream Creative, 2007). This coupled with the growing concern for global climate change and the future of the industry, led ski resorts to turn the page environmentally. The National Ski Area Association (NSAA) first recognized the need to lessen the industry’s impact in 2001, when they created their first Sustainable Slopes Charter and report. This report, in essence, created a voluntary environmental program that ski areas could choose to sign on to. The charter includes an environmental vision statement that United States ski areas should strive “to be leaders among outdoor recreation providers by managing our business in a way that demonstrates our commitment to environmental protection and stewardship while meeting public expectations” (National Ski Area Association, 2005). 191 ski areas have signed the charter since its creation in 2001. A new program from the NSAA was developed this year, called the Climate Challenge. Following the “Inventory, Target, Reduce” elements of the Climate Challenge program, participating resorts must make a three part commitment to the program:

• Complete a climate inventory on their resort operations. Instructions and technical support for completing the inventory will be developed by the Brendle Group and NSAA.

• Set a target for GHG reduction. The target is entirely up to the resort, and Brendle Group will provide guidance on what goals to set. An example of a reduction goal is “5% reduction in 5 years.”

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• Implement a new program or project annually to meet the reduction goal. Examples might be lighting retrofits, REC purchases, development of on-‐site renewable energy, etc.

The NSAA is hoping the Climate Challenge initiative will help produce real greenhouse gas reductions among participating resorts. However, a study done to test the effectiveness of the Sustainable Slopes Initiative, found no discernable difference in the sustainability of resorts that signed the charter and resorts that had not (Rivera, 2006). In response to this study a group called the Ski Area Citizens Coalition (SACC) was formed to provide a third-‐party assessment of the environmental sustainability of ski resorts. The group issues a sustainability report card for the major resorts in the western half of the country. This report card gives grades of A through F, depending on the resorts scores across four different areas: habitat protection, watershed protection, addressing global climate change, and environmental policies and practices (Ski Area Citizens Coalition, 2011). This report card places a large emphasis on how the resort impacts the habitat and ecology of the mountain environment. It places less emphasis on energy and waste reductions, communication and outreach, and the social aspects of sustainability. The table below highlights some of the sustainable frameworks developed specifically for the ski industry as well as others that have also been utilized to frame resort operations within sustainable management and development. Framework

s and certification

s

The following organizations provide certifications and guidelines for greening resort operations.

Sustainable Slopes Charter (NSAA)

The National Ski Area Association has implemented the Sustainable Slopes Program since 2000. This program consists of a number of guidelines to help ski resorts improve in a sustainable way. It is set up as a voluntary charter that resorts can choose to sign and in turn attempt to implement the program at their resort. Nearly 200 resorts have signed on to the charter. The charter includes 21 recommendations/criteria for resorts to

consider when planning a more sustainable operation. Recently the NSAA implemented the Climate Challenge Program that was implemented this past year. This is a new program that aims at helping resorts make real reductions in CO2 emissions through

greenhouse gas inventories, goal setting, and reporting. Eight resorts have participated in the program during the first year.

(www.nsaa.org/nsaa/environment/sustainable_slopes/)

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a standard created to help a business or organization become more sustainable. The program is based off a set of performance standards that must be set

forth through an environmental management plan. This certification can help a ski resort create a sustainable foundation. At this time there are two resorts in the US that have

attained ISO 14001 certification, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, WY and Aspen-‐Snowmass, CO. (www.iso.org)

The Natural Step

The Natural Step is a framework that was developed to help businesses and communities achieve strategic sustainable development. The framework has been used by both Vail and Whistler-‐Blackcomb to integrate sustainable planning into their communities and ski

resorts. (www.thenaturalstep.org)

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Ski Area Citizens Coalition

Report Card

The Ski Area Citizens Coalition (SACC) is a third party organization that has developed a report card to grade the overall environmental sustainability of the ski industry. The group releases grades every year and uses four different resort operation criteria to

develop the rating system: Habitat protection, watershed protection, addressing global climate change, and environmental practices and policies. This report card does not give an accurate measure of the entire ski industry since it only covers resorts in the western part of the US. It also places larger emphasis on habitat and watershed protection (i.e.

not making the resort any larger) than it does on operational sustainability. (www.sacc.org)

Snowsports Industries of America

The Snowsports Industries of America (SIA) is a ski industry trade organization that focuses on the manufacturing and retail of ski equipment and clothing. The organization has recently begun to promote sustainability to its members through a handbook that

can guide retailers and manufacturers in creating a more sustainable business. (http://www.snowsports.org/AboutSIA/Environmental/)

Sustainable Tourism

International

Sustainable Tourism International is one of many sustainable tourism certification organizations. To this point there is only one ski resort that has used STI for their

sustainable resort certification. (www.sustainabletravelinternational.org)

Green Globe

Certification

Green Globe is a tourism specific certification system that allows businesses and corporations to achieve certain levels of sustainability. The program also helps businesses and organizations with achieving sustainable goals and provides

benchmarking and feedback on progress. (www.greenglobe.com) Buildings Several certifications exist for buildings that would be found at ski resorts Building

Performance Institute

The Building Performance Institute (BPI) has set forth standards for energy efficient and sustainable residential buildings. These standards would apply to ski resort rental

properties, condos, homes, etc. (www.bpi.org)

Energy Star (EPA)

Energy star is a certification process that was originally envisioned by the Clinton administration to push for the use of energy efficient appliances and electronics. The certification has more recently been applied to entire buildings. (www.energystar.gov)

LEED

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is the most long standing and well known of building certification systems. LEED can be used for new construction as well as existing buildings and have 4 certification levels. Including: Certified, Silver, Gold, and

Platinum. LEED would be very useful for a ski resort since it has certifications for several different types of buildings which may be present at a ski resort's base area and on

mountain. (www.usgbc.org/LEED/)

State Certificatio

ns

Many states have their own green building certifications that are specific to the tourism industry. For example Vermont has a green lodging certification which many Ski Resorts

have taken advantage of for on-‐mountain housing and lodging. (http://www.vermont.com/lodging/green-‐lodging/)

I.IV Ski Resorts and Climate Change It is impossible to discuss sustainability in the ski industry without touching on the issues surrounding potential impacts of global climate change. The move toward sustainability was originally sparked by fears of the global society’s unsustainable use of natural and social resources and the impacts on our Earth’s climate. Several studies have

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focused on the issues surrounding mitigation and adaptation to climate change for the winter sports industry. Most researchers have looked at how the impacts of climate change will affect the ski industry in the years to come. While only a few have actually looked at how ski areas, and the surrounding communities that depend on the revenues the ski areas generate, will adapt to less snow, and fewer ski days. Another set of research focuses on how skiers themselves will adapt and change their traveling preferences due to climate change and its affects on mountain regions. This section will attempt to introduce these different veins of academic literature and highlight the key points and ideas rising from each. Most of the current literature on climate change and skiing has focused on the supply-‐side impacts of warming temperatures (Scott & Mcboyle, 2007). Most of these studies have employed climate models to predict the future levels of precipitation (snowfall) and temperatures for different areas. A study done by Scott et al for the North-‐Eastern United States shows that snow will become an increasingly scarce resource in this region (2008). Studies have shown similar predictions for the European Alps, an area that has a rich history and tradition in winter sports, especially skiing (Agnew & Viner, 2001). A study in Sweden showed that the number of skier days could be reduced anywhere from 64-‐96 during the last half of the 21st century, as compared to the current 162 day Swedish ski season (Moen & Fredman, 2007). This study took this data a step further to estimate what those skier days would mean in economic terms and estimated that they translate into 946.5-‐1755.3 Million SEK (Swedish krona) (Moen & Fredman, 2007). All of the above mentioned literature shows that skiing is an industry that will face a monumental challenge in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. There are some studies, however, that have shown that the impacts of climate change on winter tourism destinations does not have to be negative. In a study conducted by Yu et al, they conclude that shorter winter seasons are opening up increased time for tourists to visit Alaska’s National Parks. Certain areas gave started adding incentives for tourists to visit in the early season month of May (2009). Decreasing seasonality in popular skiing and winter tourism destinations is one of the ways that ski resorts and communities can adapt to changing climates in the future. By increasing activities during the summer season resorts are reducing the dependency on the winter recreation revenues. Most of the studies that examine climate change and skiing hint at the idea of adaptation and mitigation as ways to solve these complex problems. The most prominent of these adaptation strategies is to employ the already widespread snowmaking technology. According to Moen and Fredman artificial snowmaking is the most obvious of the adaptation strategies (2007). Snowmaking can be done in several different ways and can have different benefits depending on the nature of the ski resort area. Many resorts already employ snowmaking as a strategy to ensure adequate snow cover for the proposed length of the ski season. According to Steiger and Mayer snowmaking is currently viable for 90% of the winters at an elevation of 1000 meters, but future temperature predictions may raise the elevation to 1500 meters (2008). This will have larger affects on the low elevation ski areas that are more vulnerable and more dependent on artificial snowmaking to maintain the current season lengths (Steiger & Mayer, 2008). Snowmaking may be one way to counteract the negative affects of climate change in mountain areas, but it has its own affects that may only hamper future snowmaking development. Artificial snowmaking

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is a very energy and water intensive activity and will continue to rise in costs (Steiger & Mayer, 2008). Snowmaking itself will be affected in four ways by climate change, less natural snow will require increased snowmaking, warmer temperatures will reduce the duration and number of opportunities and increase the cost to make snow, and changes in climate may reduce the water available to make snow (Moen & Fredman, 2007). Scott has also looked at snowmaking as a way to ensure the viability of skiing in the northeast of the United States, and makes light of the fact that many studies predicting future snow levels have not taken into account snowmaking (2008). But like the others he cautions that snowmaking has its limitations. Many studies offer other adaptation strategies such as developing higher elevation ski resorts, but again this idea is met with much opposition from environmental groups since the higher elevation areas are the most fragile of mountain ecosystems (Agnew & Viner, 2001). As stated above many of these studies point towards adapting to the changing weather climates by changing the business plan to meet future climate needs. A meeting was held in Boulder CO in January of 2007 to discuss tourism and climate change on the Colorado Plateau and researchers pointed to a diversification of tourism economies, especially in mountain regions as an important adaptation strategy for the region (Alvord, Udall, Roger, & Long, 2008). They give examples such as climbing, off-‐road jeep tours, or road biking as activities that can be used to generate tourism and economic revenue in the “off season”. These types of activities take advantage of warmer conditions presented in climate change models to continue economic development in mountain regions. Only a few studies have looked at what adaptations skiers themselves will make to future climatic conditions. A study done by Landauer et al, looked at the adaptations of finish cross-‐country skiers. The researchers split the study participants into three different groups depending on the reasons for choosing to ski. They concluded that a majority of the skiers participated in cross-‐country skiing for outdoor recreation and fitness (Landauer et al 2009). This led the researchers to believe that these people would then be more willing to travel further to access snow for recreation in the future. They also showed that they would be more acceptable of technical adaptation strategies like artificial snow. This study also points out the importance of studying adaptation from the demand side. They claim that it will help the industry in planning their own future adaptation strategies if they can anticipate the future preferences of their customers (Landauer et al 2009). All of the research presented above shows how important climate change will be for the future of mountain tourism regions, specifically the ski, snowboard, and snowmobiling industries. There does need to be more research that looks at the demand side of the issue to aid the industries and planning future adaptation strategies that will be economically viable. There are many different people that depend on tourism in mountain communities, both directly and indirectly, and these people will need to change how they live and work if their communities are going to remain viable in the future. I. IV Case Study Introduction: The Mountain Rider’s Alliance The issues of sustainability, climate change, and the ski industry have been focused on by both the industry and academics. The various research papers and projects that have been developed to respond to the issues surrounding sustainability and skiing are being implemented at resorts across the country. However, a resort blueprint based completely off the triple bottom line had not been established until the Mountain Riders Alliance was

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created. MRA is hoping to take advantage of growing concerns of skiers who witness first hand the negative social and environmental impact the mega-‐resort model brings to mountain communities. MRA is also hoping to attract skiers who are focused on big-‐mountain, powder skiing, specifically with a future resort development in Alaska (detailed below). These statistics from Snowsports Industries America (SIA) show a growing trend toward big-‐mountain and powder skiing (Snowsports Industries America, 2011):

Alpine skis (flat skis sold without bindings) in the 80mm-‐110mm waist width category were up 74% in dollars sold on more than 74,000 units compared to 47,000 units sold last season.

AT/Randonee equipment sales finished the season up 90% overall in dollars sold, and up 87% in units sold. Most notably, AT/Randonee boots sales finished up 126% in units and up 124% in dollars sold.

Reverse/Mixed camber ski sales finished the season up 134% in units and 129% in dollars. Approximately 54,000 pairs of reverse camber/mixed camber skis were sold this season.

Reverse camber snowboard sales were up 42% in units and 46% in dollars sold. In fact, 45% of all current season model boards sold this season have reverse camber.

Skis that have wider waste width are designed to provide better flotation for powder skiing as are the Reverse/Mixed camber designs, which provide versatility for off and on-‐piste skiing. The statistic showing increased sales of AT/Randonee equipment shows the growing trend of backcountry skiing and touring. Backcountry access is an important part of the MRA business model. The Mountain Rider’s Alliance (MRA) is an organization that has been created with a very specific mission. That mission is “to develop values-‐based, environmentally-‐friendly, rider-‐centric mountain playgrounds that encourage minimal carbon footprint business practices as well as alternative energy creation, while making a positive impact in the local community” (Mountain Riders Alliance, 2012). They are striving to re-‐write the traditional blueprint for designing a ski resort; a blueprint that as of late has focused on real estate and amenities development, rather than the skiing and riding. MRA has identified three specific areas where their sustainable business practices will be applied:

• Protecting the Environment and Fighting Climate Change-‐MRA believes that the beloved sport of skiing is facing a great risk from the current and future impacts of climate change. Their management strategies and decisions are made with the goal of long-‐term sustainability in mind. MRA will strive to create clean renewable energy whenever possible and all new infrastructures will be based on sustainable building practices. Access to new terrain will be designed with the environment and habitat protection in mind. For every one tree that is removed, MRA will commit to planting two in its place.

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• Positive Community Impacts-‐MRA ski-‐energy centers will forge partnerships with local citizens, businesses and organizations to make positive changes in the utilization and preservation of natural and historical resources, while at the same time promoting prosperity in the community. MRA sees local ski communities as the life-‐blood of the industry and will ensure that everything is done to maintain that connection. MRA is also currently partnering with non-‐profit organizations such as Protect Our Winters and High Fives Foundation to help make a positive difference in the world.

• Focus on the Riding-‐ MRA will create their “playgrounds” for the enjoyment of all skiers and riders. It is their belief that skiing should be about the enjoyment of sliding down a mountain, rather than real estate and amenities development. Strategies, such as free parking with easy lift access, free shuttles, easy to use website with updated snow and lift information, and shareholder/member opportunities and privileges, will ensure that the mountains are returned to the skiers and riders.

MRA’s Mountain Playground Development: Manitoba Mountain Project The Mountain Rider’s Alliance is currently working towards the development of their first Sustainable Mountain Playground at Manitoba Mountain in Alaska. Dave Scanlan, a long-‐time resident of nearby Hope, Alaska, is managing the project. The mission of the Manitoba Mountain Ski Area Restoration Project is to develop a minimalistic ski area that offers both a family ski experience and big mountain terrain, utilizes clean energy, promotes winter outdoor recreation, and increases economic stability and regional employment opportunities on the Kenai Peninsula. The core values of the project fit directly within the MRA’s guiding principles listed above:

• A collaborative operating partnership with local businesses, assisting in year-‐round operations

• Increasing local job opportunities • An operational philosophy that is focused on the riding and not on the amenities • A business strategy incorporating the Triple Bottom Line and latest in Best

Management Practices • Embracing renewable resources to minimize environmental impacts • Providing outdoor education and recreational opportunities for local youth

The MRA believes that this project will be the catalyst that will propel the ski industry into an attainable sustainable future.

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I.V Project Objectives Objective One: Analyze the current state of sustainability across the ski industry in North America and determine the best practices This will be the key objective in gaining a better understanding of what sustainability means in the larger winter sports industry. Best practices will be determined to provide goals for future developments at ski resorts and ensuring a sustainable direction for the industry as a whole Objective Two: Apply the current best practices in ski resort sustainability to the Mountain Rider’s Alliance Sustainable Mountain Playground model. Once the industry analysis is complete the information gained through resort websites and key informant interviews will be applied to the blueprint developed by the Mountain Riders Alliance. The remainder of the paper is broken down into four sections Industry Analysis Methods, Industry Analysis Results, Best Practices and Recommendations and Conclusion.

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II.I Industry Analysis Methods In order to gain a better understanding of how the principles of sustainability are being implemented within the larger context of the United States Ski industry, an analysis of resort websites was performed. This analysis looked at the overall resort statistics (Acreage, Trails, Difficulty, Elevation, and Vertical Drop) as well as cataloged the sustainable actions that were being performed across five different categories (energy and water, habitat, waste, outreach, and community sustainability). This data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics to determine what sustainable actions are being the most widely used across the industry as well as specific best practices that stand out in the industry. The overall list of resorts that were catalogued included all 187 resorts that signed the National Ski Area Association’s Sustainable Slopes Charter. This charter is a voluntary commitment to improving overall sustainability at resorts. This list was used to help narrow down the number of ski resorts that were surveyed and help provide a baseline for inclusion in the analysis. The website analysis will also provide information on resorts communicate resort sustainability information to the general public. A second component of the industry analysis was the gathering of qualitative data from key informants in the ski industry. These informants were chosen form several contacts provided by both the researcher and MRA. The five individuals interviewed have been identified as top industry sustainability professionals, who are engaged in sustainable resort management at some of the largest and most well known resorts in North America. • Vice President Sustainability, Aspen Ski Corp, CO • Mountain Planning and Environmental Resource Manager, Whistler-‐Blackcomb, BC • Former Sustainability Coordinator, Grand Targhee, WY • Environment and Sustainability Manager, Stevens Pass, WA • Sustainability Engineer, Brendle Consulting Group, CO (Spoke with consultant who

works closely with NSAA and several other ski resorts to manage sustainability goals) These key informants will be able to provide the most up-‐to-‐date information within the ski industry and also give a unique perspective on how current sustainable resort operation practices can be applied to the Mountain Riders Alliance. The interviews will be conducted over the telephone with initial introductions coming through email. The interviews will be conducted through a conversation style with discussion of general topic areas rather than more specific questions. These interviews will be recorded using a smart phone application called Callrec.me, and once recorded will be transcribed. The recorded transcriptions will be analyzed for major themes and key words. This will allow the researcher to gain a better understanding of the larger themes that surround the sustainable operations at ski resorts and better understand specific examples from ski resorts. These interviews will also contribute to a better understanding of what the current best practices are within the ski industry in relation to sustainability

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III. Industry Analysis Results The industry analysis revealed several things from just a descriptive statistics point of view regarding how sustainable the overall ski industry is. Of the 191 resorts in North America that signed the Sustainable Slopes Charter, only 44% have some form of sustainability or environmental information available on their website. The highest percentages of resorts with environmental information were from the West and The Northeast, with states like Colorado, California, Wyoming, Vermont, Nevada, Utah, and Maryland having the highest percentages of resorts with sustainable information. Conversely, states from the Midwest and Southeast had the lowest percentages of website sustainability information available. There were also discrepancies between resort size and sustainability information available on website. However, there were a select few of the smaller resorts that demonstrate a deep commitment to sustainability. The overall theme showed that larger resorts were more likely to have sustainability information on their websites and describe their efforts in greater detail. The resorts that described the most variety of initiatives, programs, and progress towards sustainability were employing a full time sustainability manager and had developed a resort wide green team to support sustainability. The Tables 1 and 2, on the following page shows the listing of each state and province, and the percentages of ski resorts that did or did not provide sustainability information on their website. Figure 1 (below) shows this same information graphically.

Figure 1: Graph depicting resort sustainability information by state

0

5

10

15

20

25

Alaska

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Maine

Maryland

Massachuset

Michigan

Minnesota

Missouri

Montana

Nevada

New

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West

Wisconsin

Wyoming

US Ski Resorts with and without Sustainability Information Available of Website

# Without

# of Resorts with website information

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State # Of Resorts with website information # Without Total % With information

Alaska 0 2 2 0% Arizona 0 2 2 0% California 11 4 15 73% Colorado 16 7 23 70% Connecticut 0 2 2 0%

Idaho 3 5 8 38%

Illinois 0 1 1 0% Indiana 0 1 1 0%

Iowa 0 1 1 0% Maine 4 1 5 80%

Maryland 1 0 1 100%

Massachusetts 2 2 4 50% Michigan 1 3 4 25% Minnesota 0 4 4 0%

Missouri 0 2 2 0% Montana 2 6 8 25% Nevada 3 0 3 100%

New Hamshire 4 12 16 25% New Jersey 0 1 1 0%

New Mexico 1 3 4 25%

New York 2 11 13 15%

North Carolina 0 1 1 0% Ohio 0 1 1 0% Oregon 5 5 10 50% Pennsylvania 2 6 8 25% South Dakota 0 1 1 0% Utah 7 4 11 64%

Vermont 8 2 10 80% Virginia 1 2 3 33%

Washington 4 4 8 50% West Virginia 1 1 2 50%

Wisconsin 0 4 4 0% Wyoming 2 0 2 100%

Total 80 101 181 44%

Table 1: US resorts with and without sustainability information on website by state

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The results from the analysis also showed wide ranges in the types, and amounts of sustainability initiatives listed on the resort websites. The most abundant sustainability initiative was green or sustainability marketing. This category was counted if the resort featured any environmental or sustainability information on their website. Since the resorts were classified by the presence of sustainability information, every one of the 85 resorts with information on their website was considered to have some form of green marketing. The overall categories of waste management and water/energy management had the highest representation on resort websites with sustainability information. The average for the energy and water category was 43% and the waste category was 41%. However these numbers were skewed by websites with very high percentages of information about recycling programs in the waste category and lighting/building efficiency and transportation programs in the energy and water category. These initiatives are identified as the “low hanging fruit” of sustainable tourism management. The more technologically advanced programs like on-‐site renewable energy production, resort wide energy management systems, and energy audits had averages of 26% or below. This is probably due to the higher initial investments that are required to develop these types of energy projects. Overall the technical mountain operation aspects of sustainability were found in higher percentages than the outreach, education, and community sustainability initiatives. The outreach and education category had an overall average of 32% across the different initiatives. The social and community sustainability category had an equal average of 32%, which was bolstered by the 64% of websites that contained information on non-‐profit support. These numbers and percentages are broken down in Table 3, on the following page, which shows each category of sustainable management and the individual initiatives within each category. Figures 2-‐6, on the following pages show visual representations of this data. A more detailed look at the specific resort best practices as well as recommendations for the Mountain Rider Alliance, are found in the next section.

Province # of Resorts with website information # Without Total % With information Brisith Columbia 2 1 3 67% Nova Scotia 0 1 1 0% Ontario 2 0 2 100% Quebec 1 3 4 25% Total 5 5 10 50%

Table 2: Canadian resorts with and without sustainability information on website by province

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Energy and Water # Of resorts with information

% Of total # of resorts with sustainability information

Snowmaking Efficiency 49 58% Water Conservation 41 48% Efficient Lighting 50 59%

On-‐site Renewables 22 26% REC's 34 40%

Energy Efficient buildings/LEED 54 64% Efficient vehicles and snowmobiles 34 40%

Energy Audits 15 18% Energy Management System 11 13%

Transportation 54 64% Average Percentage across category 43%

Habitat # Of resorts with information


New trail and resort construction 4 5% Habitat Restoration 47 55% Habitat Protection 48 56%

Average Percentage across category 39%

Waste # Of resorts with information


Recycling 80 94% Composting 16 19%

Lift/Equipment recycling 21 25% Waste Oil 35 41%

Green Product Purchasing 48 56% Other Waste Reduction Measures 7 8%

Average Percentage across category 41%

Education and Outreach # Of resorts with information


On slope education 37 44% Guided programs 21 25% Advocacy/Activism 33 39%

Reporting 17 20% Average Percentage across category 32%

Community and Social Sustainability

# Of resorts with information


Non-‐Profit support 54 64% Employee/affordable housing 12 14%

Local Sourcing 16 19% Employee Education and Programs 27 32%

Average Percentage across category 32% Sustainability Awards 16 19%

Table 3: List of specific sustainability initiatives and the number of websites that offer information

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0

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20

30

40

50

60

Energy and Water

# of resorts with information

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20

30

40

50

new trail and resort construction

Habitat Restoration

Habitat Protection

Habitat/Ecological Management


Figure 3: Number of resorts with Habitat/Ecological Management information on website

Figure 2: Number of resorts with Energy and Water Management information on website

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0

20

40

60

80

Waste Management


0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

Outreach and Education


Figure 4: Number of resorts with Waste Management information on website

Figure 5: Number of resorts with Outreach and Education information on website

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0

20

40

60

Community and Social


Figure 6: Number of resorts with Community and Social sustainability information on website

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IV. Resort Best Practices and Recommendations The following section of the paper will cover the major areas that were identified through the web research analysis as well as the personal communications with resort sustainability representatives. Through this industry analysis six major areas of resort operations that pertained to sustainability were identified:

• Energy, Water, and Transportation Management • Waste Management • Habitat/Ecological Management • Outreach, Communications, and Education • Community/Social Sustainability • Advocacy/Activism

All of these areas play an important role in any ski resort operation. After speaking with the key informants they pointed to these specific areas as being the most important, but also had different views on how to achieve sustainability, and which areas were the most important for a resort to pursue. But they all agreed that to truly create a sustainable resort, managers must focus on all aspects of resort management and integrate them all under a larger sustainability umbrella. The following sections will offer a more in-‐depth look at specific best practices in each area of resort management as well as implications for the Mountain Riders Alliance as they strive to create their own sustainable mountain playgrounds. Each section will describe the major highlights from expert interviews and contain tables with detailed descriptions of best practices, taken from both resort websites and interviews. IV. I Energy, Water, and Transportation Management Energy Management Energy use accounts for a large portion of the operating expenses for a ski resort and contributes to the overall CO2 emissions that a resort produces. This energy use comes in the form of lift, snowmaking, and building performance/heating. All three of these areas can be managed in efficient ways to decrease energy use, as well as increase overall resort use through new developments. It is important for ski resorts to not only attempt to decrease their energy use but also attempt to manage and monitor their energy use as much as possible. Several resorts have made investments in carbon credits to offset their energy as well as on-‐site renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The communications with industry contacts all pointed toward energy use as an integral component of sustainable resort management. However, there were many different takes on the ways to go about energy production and implementation. According to the contact from Whistler-‐Blackcomb, “energy efficiency is today what recycling was 15 years ago.” Meaning that it is something that resorts have completely integrated into their mountain operations. The contact also spoke at length about the hydroelectric system that Whistler installed recently (Pictured on following page). This system provides enough power to offset all of the electricity used to operate the resort. It was a project that spanned 6 years and took the actions of several partners including the resort, utilities, and the local community (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). Partnerships were a main theme that was touched on by all key industry informants contacted.

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The contact from Aspen alluded to the importance of on-‐site renewable energy generation as opposed to the purchasing of renewable energy credits (REC’s). He said that Aspen Ski Company’s original policy to purchase REC’s was one of the mistakes that the company has made while working towards sustainability. The company now works to investigate every possibility for on-‐site renewable energy generation. Aspen has examined the feasibility of large-‐scale wind generation, and is currently exploring energy production with methane gas emitted from a nearby coal mine (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski

Company , 2012). Aspen has also used smaller renewable energy installations on the mountain to power a ski patrol station and restaurant. The smaller instillations do not have a large impact on the entire resort energy use but serve as reminders to guest and visitors of Aspen’s commitment to sustainability. All of the industry contacts agreed on the importance of improving the overall efficiency of resort operations in energy, water, and fuel use. Contacts defined lift operating, snowmaking, and building electricity as the three largest areas of energy use at a ski resort. It is these three areas where Mountain Rider’s Alliance must work to reduce energy use through increased efficiency. Initiatives such as lighting retrofits, resort-‐wide energy management systems, efficient lift motors and components, overall building efficiency improvement, and advanced snowmaking systems can help decrease energy use. However, as previously stated, efficiency is something that all resorts are doing and the current push is to increase on-‐site energy development (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). The table below describes in further detail the current best practices in resort energy management and includes the implications for MRA mountain playground development. Energy management is broken down into several key areas of resort operations.

Energy Resort Best Practice Implications for MRA Re-‐development

On-‐site Renewable Energy (Wind)

Several resorts have implemented on site renewable energy projects. However the

largest scale and most recognizable belongs to Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts. The Zephyr wind turbine is a 1.5 MW wind turbine and

generates approximately 4.6 Million kWh/year and provides 33% of resorts energy demand. Resort has also successfully used the wind turbine as a tourism generator by offering tours during the off-‐season. Another

Massachusetts resort, Berkshire East, installed a wind turbine of their own which helps the

MRA should investigate every possible renewable energy generation

capabilities available for each site. Wind Turbines and Solar Panels not only provide clean renewable energy but are also integral parts of the

tourist experience. On site renewable energy is an important part of ensuring adherence to the triple

bottom line. It will also become vital in the future as energy prices rise and RE technology become more suited to

Image 1: Whistler-‐Blackcomb’s Fitzsimmons hydro-‐electric power plant

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resort offset all of their energy demands different environments. The plan for MRA to develop smaller and less

consumptive resorts will provide them with less overall energy use and will allow them replace traditional power sources with renewable sources on a smaller scale then the larger resorts.

On-‐site Renewable Energy (Solar)

Mt. Abram, ME will be completing a large solar array on site in the summer of 2012. This solar array will provide enough energy to offset all the energy used by the resort and make Mt. Abram the first carbon-‐neutral ski area in the

country.

On-‐site Renewable Energy (Hydro-‐Electric)

Whistler-‐Blackcomb resort has installed a large micro-‐hydro that produces 32 giga-‐watts of power annually. Enough to power 3000-‐4000

homes and equal to the annual energy consumption of the resort.

Energy Efficient

Light bulbs

Several resorts across the country have instituted lighting upgrades with the transition

to CFL light bulbs and more efficient tube florescent bulbs (T8). However growing

concerns over the proper disposal of CFL and the increased efficiency and falling prices of LED light bulbs have made them a more cost effective option and will continue to be so in the future. LED's are especially cost effective in light fixtures that are used 24 hours per day.

Perform Lighting analysis on existing buildings and outdoor areas. A simple ROI calculation can provide sound financial cause for a lighting retrofit. Lighting is one of the first projects that

resorts tackle when looking to improve energy efficiency

Lighting Control and

Energy Management

systems

Several resorts have implemented motion sensor lights and building/resort wide lighting control systems. Ensuring that all areas that are not in use are not wasting energy, this

provides large savings in energy and increasers the efficiency of resort lighting. Many resorts that have lodging and hotels have instituted keyed entry sensors in door locks. These can be as simple as turning off the lights in the room when unoccupied, to as advanced as cutting off power to the entire room and

controlling the HVAC. Rooms installed with motion and infrared sensors can help ensure that the rooms are unoccupied. Several ski areas have installed resort-‐wide energy

management and monitoring systems. This allows managers to see in real time where the most energy is being used and how it is being used. These systems also provide baseline

data with which to judge future improvements in energy efficiency. Resorts have achieved real time cost savings numbers that help provide validation for future energy saving

improvements.

MRA should investigate the feasibility of installation of resort wide lighting and energy management control

systems. Part of this process will also be performing energy audits on

existing structures to ensure that the overall building envelope (insulation, windows, door, etc.) is as tight and insulated as possible. This will allow the most return on investment for a resort wide energy management

system (EMS). An EMS will also allow the MRA to mange energy use more efficiently, and even cut use during peak-‐load periods (peak shaving) to help cut overall electricity costs. An EMS will give MRA real time energy monitoring and provide baseline data for resort energy use which can be used to set future reduction goals.

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Lift Operating

Several resorts, to create more efficient lift services to guests, have utilized new

technology. Newer lifts move more people up the mountain and with less energy. Top drive lifts have been found to be 15% more energy efficient than bottom drive lifts and require less equipment to carry an equal number of passengers. Resorts have begun to use more AC drive motors over DC. This allows for more

efficient lifts and also regenerative motor capabilities. However these lifts are more expensive and are generally larger than DC. Ensuring proper maintenance on existing lifts

can help the motors and lifts run more smoothly. Resorts are also rethinking how lifts are installed. While previously lift equipment was driven up the mountain (creates ecological disturbance from new roads and traffic up the

mountain), recently larger lifts at higher altitudes have used helicopters to aid in lift

transportation and building.

MRA is planning to invest in low energy and low impact surface lifts. These lifts require less energy and infrastructure to operate and have a smaller footprint on the mountain. However from talks with industry

representatives it would be worthwhile to investigate the use of energy efficient double or triple chair lifts, since maintaining the tracks for a surface lift can be difficult, especially in extreme environments. When installing any lift it is important to investigate all options and examine the costs/benefits of each option.

Lift Houses

Several resorts have installed timers on lift heating during the winter season. This ensures that energy is not being wasted while no one is in the lift house. There is also the possibility for small solar panel insulations that can heat

and power the lift houses.

Lift houses offer an opportunity for MRA to use smaller Renewable Energy installations and also show the public their sustainable actions each time they ride up the lift. A solar panel

adorning the top of a lift house will be one of the first things skiers and riders see as they unload and will have an

immediate impact

Building Efficiency

The heating of buildings is the third largest use of energy use for ski resorts behind lift

operating and snowmaking. Many resorts have instituted regulations for new

construction that require specific levels of energy efficiency, for instance, all new

buildings at Aspen's resorts must attain a certain level of LEED certification. Many

resorts require new appliances to be energy star rated. Green roofs are becoming a more popular way to increase buildings energy

efficiency.

MRA should seek to attain specific levels of building efficiency that has been established through sustainable development standards such as LEED for all new construction of buildings. Old and existing buildings at sites

should be retrofitted with most up to date and energy efficient HVAC systems, lighting, insulation, and

appliances. MRA should strive to be a leader in the design of their buildings

and overall building efficiency. Sustainable buildings have been

proven not only to cost equal to or less than traditional buildings but also

decrease operating costs.

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Snowmaking

Many resorts have improved the overall energy efficiency of their snowmaking system. This allows the resorts to create the same

amount of snow while using much less energy. Killington, VT has invested over 5 million

dollars into energy efficient snow making guns and fans. This has decreased the diesel fuel usage by 30% and overall resort energy usage by 25% over the last three years. They have

also worked with Efficiency Vermont to replace older diesel compressors with new Tier III energy efficient machines, reducing total

emissions by 50%. The true best practice for snowmaking is to rely solely on man made snow. Monarch Mtn. in CO has a zero

snowmaking policy. This saves the resort thousands of dollars in infrastructure and

energy and water use. See Water section for more information on snowmaking.

MRA should take every effort to limit the overall snowmaking on resorts as much as possible. However, in places where man-‐made snow is vital to the

economic sustainability of the mountain playground, measures

should be taken to reduce the systems overall energy use and environmental impact. The use of energy efficient snowmaking guns, and tower fans should be integrated into existing snowmaking operations. There are possibilities for funding and grants through the NSAA and state and

federal departments of energy. The snowmaking system should also be integrated into the overall energy

management system and mechanized as much as possible. This will help reduce the amount of on mountain

travel that is necessary to operate the system and cut down on emissions

from snowmobile use.

Renewable Energy Credits (REC's)

REC's have been a vital part of the ski resort sustainability plans. Several resorts claim to be offsetting their entire energy use through wind energy REC's and several also have partnered with the Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offer skiers carbon offsets with their lift

ticket purchases.

For many years REC's were viewed as a savior to the energy problems of ski

areas and seen as positive PR. However these views have changed as

concerns with the validity of REC programs have grown. Several resorts have decided to invest in their own renewable energy rather than REC's. The MRA should continue this trend by creating their own renewable

energy rather than giving money to organizations that claim to support RE

generation. Water Management Water use at mountain resorts has become a very important issue, and will continue to play a pivotal role in the future. Resorts understand the important role that water plays in the continued viability of their operations. The potential impacts from climate change will alter weather and climate patterns for different areas across the country and could potentially increase resort’s reliance on man made snow. It is important for resorts to manage how they use water during snowmaking operation as well as other resort operation activities, but it is also important to integrate water efficiency into building retrofits and new developments. Resorts have used waterless urinals, composting toilets,

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faucet aerators, low-‐flow showerheads, and water efficient appliances to decrease water use in base areas. Several ski resorts have initiated educational programs aimed at smart water use for guests and employees as well. Trail design and management has worked to decrease runoff during the spring and summer melts and decreases erosion due to clear cutting for ski trails. These initiatives help improve water quality for local mountain watersheds. While these initiatives are important, the contacts interviewed stressed the “big picture” with water management. They advised that MRA focus on improving overall water use efficiency through management practices described above, but also the importance of working towards a better understanding of water impacts from climate change, on both an industry and global scale. The table below gives a more in-‐depth examination of resort best practices for water use and management as well as implications for MRA mountain playground development.

Water Management Best Practices Implications for MRA resort development

Snowmaking

Several resorts have created more efficient snowmaking systems in order to reduce energy and water use. Resorts have built retention ponds that collect runoff from both natural and manmade snow during the spring melt. These retention ponds are then used to feed water into the snowmaking system in the winter. This allows resorts to create a closed loop snowmaking system that requires less fresh water to operate. Resorts are also using

treated grey water in snowmaking systems. This practice has garnered attention due to environmental

impacts of grey water on mountain ecosystems, but can also preserve

thousands of gallons of from entering snowmaking systems

As already stated in the energy section, MRA should work to reduce the overall

snowmaking at resorts. When snowmaking is necessary, the most

energy efficient snowmaking guns/fans should be utilized whenever possible. The snowmaking system should also be inspected regularly to identify and fix leaks perform regular maintenance.

MRA should investigate the use of grey water recycling in snowmaking, to help decrease wastewater and preserve fresh

water reserves.

Waste Water See Waste Section for information on waste water control See Waste Section

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Building Water Use

Resorts have utilized several water saving measures in their buildings. The installation of waterless urinals,

water saving toilets, low flow showerheads, in sink aerators have reduced the water use do to guests and workers. Resorts have also installed rainwater retention

measures along with their buildings, rain gardens, semipermeable

concrete, and overall reduction of impermeable surfaces to reduce water runoff. Captured snowmelt and rainwater is used in irrigation

systems during the summer months.

MRA should utilize water efficient fixtures and toilets in any and all

structures and buildings at the resort. Composting toilets can be used at on mountain warming huts/ski patrol buildings to reduce the necessity for

plumbing and to reduce water use on the mountain itself. Any lodging facilities

should encourage guests to participate in linen reuse programs. MRA should also use rainwater capture techniques and permeable concrete to reduce runoff entering local watersheds. Captured rainwater can be used to water on mountain gardens during warmer

months, or used in snowmaking system during winter

Run-‐off Control

As previously mentioned resorts have been working to better control

run-‐off during the spring and summer seasons due to melting

snow. This is done through the use of retention ponds that help store water for snowmaking use the next season as well as innovative storm water drainage systems which help protect local water systems from excess sediment due to erosion of ski resort slopes. Whistler was

successful in reducing runoff of new terrain development by reducing

the proposed clear cutting of slopes from 40% of area to just 5%.

MRA should implement the most current practices in trail design to manage water

runoff and erosion as efficiently as possible. An ecological survey of the resort and the best environmental management practices should be

conducted and built into a long-‐term environmental management plan. MRA

should develop storm water management systems that help improve water quality of mountain watersheds.

Terrain Park Construction

Resorts have created semi permanent dirt structures to create terrain park features such as half pipes and jumps. This allows them to use less snow during the winter construction of terrain parks and less snow equals less water use. Jackson Hole has created a new type of terrain park that uses

natural features and is constructed from down trees collected on site.

MRA should incorporate the natural environment into terrain park creation as

much as possible. For any built structures, supplies should be gathered from on-‐site or local, sustainable sources. Man-‐made features should incorporate as much dirt as possible to decrease the need for man-‐made snow production.

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Transportation Transportation is another important aspect of sustainable ski resort management. Ski areas across the nation have been working with local communities and transit organization to promote sustainable transportation amongst visitors and employees. The Mad River Valley area of Vermont is home to two ski resorts that have partnered with the local communities in the area to develop the “Mad Bus” Transit System. The public bus and shuttle system provides free transportation for visitors and locals between resorts, lodging, and community landmarks in the Valley. Other resorts have formed similar partnerships with local communities and provided funding for the development of public transit systems. Again, the importance of partnerships mentioned by all of the industry contacts play an integral role in the development of sustainable transportation systems for ski resorts. Resorts have also worked to improve the transportation of guests through rideshare and carpooling incentives. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming offers free parking to guests who arrive with three or more occupants. These programs are especially beneficial to local residents who travel to resorts day in day out. Steven’s Pass resort was one of the first resorts to install an electric charging station at the mountain base area. This initiative will provide free charging for guests and employees with electric vehicles as well as be a conversation piece for visitors to the resort, raising awareness for alternative fuel vehicles (Personal communication with Environment and Sustainability Manager Stevens Pass, 2012). As electric vehicle use becomes more prevalent, more resorts will begin to invest in infrastructure to support it. MRA has already established transportation as an important aspect of mountain playground management. Including plans for free parking, and connecting resorts to larger metropolitan areas through passenger railways. The following table details further sustainable transportation initiatives and best practices including alternative fuel use, employee shuttles, and bicycling infrastructure.

Transportation Best Practice Implications for MRA Re-‐development

Carpooling

Several resorts have created initiatives that provide incentives for visitors to carpool to resorts and reduce the

emissions from traveling. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort offers free parking in several on-‐mountain lots to cars that

have three or more riders. Other resorts

MRA should institute similar incentive programs at their

mountains. Offering free parking to carpoolers as well as fuel efficient vehicles (hybrids, electric cars, etc.) would help lessen the amount of cars at the resort and decrease

Image 2: The “Mad Bus” at work in Mad River Valley, VT

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have started online communities and ride share programs so that people can find rides through social media. This has been very popular in Colorado where trips are made between major metro areas (Denver/Boulder) and mountain

resorts up to two hours away.

traffic on roads between the resort and local communities. MRA should

promote an online rideshare website where travelers can post ads for passengers as well as find available rides to the mountain. This is especially important at

resorts that are within a few hours drive of larger metro areas.

Public Transit

Several resorts have partnered with local communities, townships, and counties to provide public bus and

shuttle service to and from the resort. Ridership on these busses and shuttles is incentivized through lift-‐ticket discounts or free service. The Mad River Valley area of VT, home to both Sugarbush ski resort and Mad River Glen, has set up an impressive public transit system that shuttles guest around the valley and to and from the ski area and local lodging and communities. This decreases the necessity for visitors to use personal

vehicles or rental cars.

MRA should seek partnerships with local communities to create public transportation programs in areas

surrounding mountain playgrounds. Transportation routes should connect with surrounding

communities and lodging areas to bring locals and visitors to the

mountain with as small a number of personal vehicles as possible. Transit systems should rely on efficient and environmentally friendly fuels such as bio-‐diesel, compressed natural gas, and

electricity. MRA should investigate the use of rail travel to connect mountain playgrounds with lager

metropolitan areas.

Employee shuttles

Several resorts have decreased their emissions by offering free shuttles to

their employees. Many times employees cannot afford to live close to the actual ski resort and have long daily commutes. Shuttle service helps reduce

those emissions and also provides reliable transportation for employees during the winter months saving them

precious gas money.

MRA should provide an employee shuttle to transport employees from nearby communities to the resort. This will decrease the fuel usage by employees commuting in individual cars and save employees money.

Bio-‐diesel

Bio-‐diesel is a growing alternative fuel to traditional diesel. It has been used in many applications at ski resorts across

the country. From generators to snowcats, transportation, and

maintenance vehicles. Bio-‐diesel provides a cleaner burning alternative to

mountain fuel use. Grand Targhee, along with a few other resorts has implemented their own bio-‐diesel manufacturing facility on site. This

MRA should investigate the use of bio-‐diesel in transportation and

maintenance vehicles at the resort. MRA should seek grant money for the development of an on-‐site

biodiesel processing facility. This will save the resort fuel money as well as recycle cook oil waste from resort eateries and surrounding communities. MRA could expand this operation to include the sale of

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allows them to take waste vegetable oil and convert it into a useable fuel source, turning a potential cost into a resource and decreasing a resorts dependency on

fossil fuels.

bio-‐diesel to local customers.

Electric Charging Stations

Steven's Pass resort in WA, has installed two electric vehicle-‐charging stations on-‐site. This will help travelers that

were previously unable to travel round trip from to the resort on a single charge. Employees who purchase

electric cars can also use the electric charging stations.

MRA should install electric vehicle charging stations at the base area of their mountains. These stations will provide for the continued growth of electric vehicle sales into the future

and raise awareness for issues surrounding fuel use and climate

change.

Bike Friendly Resorts

Several resorts have implemented bike friendly programs during the summer that use local trails and non-‐profits to

promote bike commuting and transportation at the resort and within

local communities

MRA should design base areas to promote the use of bike

transportation. They should partner with local communities to develop paved bike trails that connect the

resort with local communities. MRA should work to raise awareness for bike safety and transport in the local

region and community.

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IV.II Waste Production and Disposal Another important aspect of sustainable ski resort management is waste. Ski resorts create waste through on-‐mountain food and beverage, lodging, water and sewage, old lift equipment, vehicle and maintenance equipment, and hazardous material disposal. An improved understanding of the precautions for hazardous material disposal, recycling, composting, and sustainable product purchasing has given ski resorts the knowledge to decrease the waste ending up in the landfill. According to industry key informants recycling is expected at their resorts, and is shown in the high number of resorts that place recycling information of their websites. However, many resorts are going beyond just recycling of plastic bottles, cans, and cardboard. Steven’s Pass has created a comprehensive recycling and repurposing program that includes, using old lift equipment for road gates, repurposing metal roofing for lift shacks, and ski poles for sign stakes. Steven’s has also begun to implement composting on site, recycle used fryer oil, return used freight pallets to vendors (20-‐30 per/week), and recycle countless amounts industrial and E-‐waste (Personal communication with Environment and Sustainability Manager Stevens Pass, 2012). The contact from Whistler described their composting program as one of the most successful waste reduction initiatives at the resort. This program reduced the overall waste entering the landfill by 30%. But it would not have been possible without partnerships between the local communities and the resort. Whistler Resort advocated for a community wide composting center and worked with the town of Whistler to ensure that the project came to fruition (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). These initiatives and several others from the ski industry are described in more detail in the table below, along with implications for MRA mountain playground development.

Waste Best Practice Implications for MRA Re-‐development

Recycling

Recycling has become commonplace at ski resorts across the country. It is

something that skiers and snowboarders expect to see at resorts they visit. But recycling goes beyond just bottles, cans, and paper. Resorts have also invested time and energy into recycling used

equipment, old lift materials, batteries, office supplies and equipment, wood waste and pallets, anti-‐freeze, waste motor oil, paint, and waste cooking

grease.

MRA should work with local communities to ensure that there is recycling available at the resort and

investigate the possibility of recycling everything before it is placed in a trashcan. Reducing

waste can also save money through lower garbage disposal costs and increasing the economic bottom

line. Recycling receptacles should be easy to find and placed next to any trashcan to ensure that it is as easy as possible for guests to recycle anything and everything. MRA

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should also look into recycling used personal ski equipment that would

otherwise be thrown away.

Composting

Composting has also been a growing trend across ski resorts in the US.

Resorts have begun composting food waste from restaurants and hotels, as well as other organic waste that is

produced. Whistler was able to cut their waste stream that ended up in the

landfill by 30%-‐35% with the implementation of a composting program at on-‐mountain eateries.

Composting should be undertaken whenever possible at MRA Playgrounds. If there is no

community composting operation then MRA should compost food and organic wastes on site. This soil can then be used to plant gardens during the summer months (gardens can be used to grow food for on-‐mountain restaurants). The soil can also be sold to local communities as fertile

planting soil.

Hazardous Materials

An important aspect of resort sustainability is dealing with hazardous

materials in sensitive mountain environments. Resorts have taken

measures to ensure the proper disposal of hazardous machine wastes as well as CFL's and anything that could potentially

harm the environment.

MRA should take every effort to ensure proper disposal of hazardous

wastes and comply with all environmental guidelines set forth

by federal, state, and local governments.

Waste Reduction

Resorts are taking every measure to reduce the amount of waste that they need to either recycle, compost, or send to the landfill. On mountain eateries use

compostable to-‐go container and reusable plates and cutlery. Mountains

have reduced the paper products needed by switching to electronic ticketing and trail maps and smart

phone apps. Grand Targhee Resort has reduced plastic waste by installing water bottle filling stations and banning the sale of water bottles at the resort.

MRA should work to reduce the overall waste that needs to be

recycled composted or thrown away. Creating electronic ticketing and trail maps through smart phone apps will

reduce paper waste. Re-‐usable dishes, cups, and flatware will reduce waste in on-‐mountain

eateries. By offering water bottle fill up stations and banning the sale of disposable water bottles MRA will reduce plastic bottle waste and also increase profits by selling logoed

reusable water bottles.

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Re-‐use and repurposing

Several resorts have created effective re-‐use programs that also give back to local communities. Whistler's Mountain Materials Exchange Program (MMEX)

helps provide local community members with access to free kitchen supplies, furniture, office equipment, and ski

equipment that is no longer needed by the ski industry. Resorts have also started programs that donate used

employee uniforms to countries across the globe that are in need of winter

clothing

MRA should work to reuse equipment as much as possible. Any old lifts and equipment that is still in working order can be sold to other resorts. MRA can also invest in used equipment whenever it is feasible. MRA should initiate ski equipment and clothing donation programs where used winter clothes are

donated to underprivileged people in need of warmer clothing. Guests who donate old clothing can receive

discounts on daily lift passes.

Waste Water

Wastewater is a crucial part of waste management for ski resorts. Often

times resorts are not incorporated into city/county sewer systems and must treat their waste water themselves.

Smuggler's Notch Resort in VT has one of the most innovative wastewater treatment facilities in the industry.

Called the "Living Machine" Smuggs uses individual "reactors" with different exotic plants that help treat the

wastewater. The entire system is held within a green house on site.

MRA should look to resorts like Smuggler's Notch that are using new and innovative technologies to treat wastewater. Not only does this system eliminate waste in an

environmentally friendly way, but it also becomes a conversation piece for the resort. The "living system" also allows the resort to produce certain tropical fruits and herbs on

site for use in on-‐mountain restaurants.

Green product purchasing

Green product purchasing is an important part of ensuring that a resort is adhering to the goals of sustainability. Many resorts have made investments in

recycled paper office supplies, compostable to-‐go boxes, reusable

dishware in on-‐mountain restaurants, among others. But green product purchasing is not just about buying

recycled paper.

MRA should seek to support sustainable and local businesses through their product purchasing. They should seek out the most

sustainable products that produce the least amount of waste. Any food

served on mountain should be sourced from local farms and

producers. MRA should work with local communities to implement

"Buy Local" programs and campaigns. All paper products

should be made of post consumer recycled fibers and MRA should

purchase environmentally friendly cleaning products. This issue

involves greening the entire supply chain. For every purchase of food, equipment, fuel, etc., sustainability

should be applied.

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IV.III Habitat and Ecological Management As winter resorts continued to grow larger their environmental impacts on wildlife habitats and ecological processes continued to grow. Resorts have begun to manage the design of the slopes themselves in a more sustainably and ecologically sound way. A recently completed expansion at Whistler used extensive habitat and ecological research to help reduce the proposed trail clear-‐cutting area from 40% of terrain to just 5% (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). According to the contact from Aspen Ski Company, “Resorts have figured out how to develop resorts in an ecologically sound way” (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). Even though this may be the case, few resorts discuss their ecological impacts, and/or initiatives to lower those impacts. In any area where MRA plans to re-‐develop or create new skiing terrain, they must follow certain ecological principles. Ski areas have been working with federal and state fish and wildlife services to ensure that development does not impact mountain flora and fauna and follows regulations set forth in the Endangered Species Act. Another important aspect of environmental management that is lacking at ski resorts if the support of environmental and ecological research. MRA can use their mountain playgrounds as research areas to improve the knowledge base surrounding sustainably designed resorts. These issues will become even more important as resorts seek to develop new recreation opportunities for guests during the summer and shoulder seasons. See the table below for a more detailed look at habitat and ecological management as well as the implications for MRA mountain playgrounds. Habitat/Ecological

Management Best Practices Implications for MRA Development

Environmental Impact Planning

Resorts have created and implemented long term environmental planning, that

focus on management from a landscape or eco-‐system scale. The Canyons Resort in

UT has developed a resort wide environmental management plan that will guide all future developments. Crystal

Mountain spent seven years developing a new environmentally driven master plan that calls for improvements within the permit area over a ten-‐year period. Over

3.2 million dollars was spent on the combination of the Draft Environmental

Impact Statement and the Master Development plan. The DEIS, which studied

impacts on everything from lichens to native animals will greatly enhance knowledge of environmental and

educational practices which effect the area. This Environmental Impact Statement will ensure that all area improvements will

MRA should create an organization-‐wide environmental management plan that highlights

the principles of sounds environmental/natural resource management. This plan can be the guide for the development of specific plans for each of the MRA's mountain playgrounds,

which focus on specific challenges unique to each location. This plan should set goals for long term measuring and monitoring of ecological indicators (water/air

quality, invasive species, flora and fauna habitat). An environmental impact assessment should be undertaken for any projects or developments at the resorts as

part of the environmental management plan. MRA should

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also embrace state-‐of-‐the art environmental features and continued excellent environmental management of

the permit recreational area.

consider all stakeholders in the plan and include public input through forums and events in local communities before approving any plans.

Reducing new terrain/development

impacts

Whistler was able to reduce the proposed clear-‐cutting of a new terrain expansion

area from 40% of area to 5%. This was the result of an analysis of trail use and habitat research. It was discovered that species

relied on very specific stand of trees and by clearing small swaths around these areas the resort was able to create a terrain area with very small ecological impact and a unique design that is now a favorite for

visiting skiers. The most successful way for resorts to reduce impacts of terrain

expansion is to reduce expansions and learn to operate within existing footprint. Resorts have been able to expand terrain by offering access to side/back-‐country areas through designated gates. This

offers skiers seeking more challenging, less traveled terrain without having to alter the

landscape or expand the resort's boundaries.

MRA should strive to reduce the overall impacts from any future expansions at their mountain

playgrounds. They should utilize sound ecological research to ensure there is no impact to threatened or endangered

species, old growth forests, and riparian areas. The use of surface lifts will limit the on mountain

infrastructure and reduce overall impact of installation, also MRA is planning to reduce the footprint of resorts by focusing more on the skiing experience than on resort experience. MRA should utilize low impact lodging options such as on-‐mountain Yurts powered with on-‐site renewable energy.

Runoff and Erosion Control

This topic was addressed in the Water Management section

This topic was addressed in the Water Management section

Endangered Species Protection

Resorts have worked with the federal government to ensure the protection of any endangered/threatened species that

call mountain eco-‐systems home. Smuggler's Notch, VT is home to Bicknell's Thrush, listed as a "species of concern" by Vermont. The resort has worked with the Non-‐Game and Natural Heritage program of the Vermont Department of Fish and

Wildlife to develop a Vegetation Management Plan for Ski Trail

Maintenance in Bicknell's Thrush habitat. This plan will guide annual ski trail

maintenance activities to increase the amount and improve the quality of habitat on trail edges. Smuggler's also ensures that any development respect the bird's habitat and restrict development projects during

the breeding season.

MRA must work with state and federal environmental agencies to ensure that any development takes into account potential

impacts on endangered species habitat. MRA should also work with non-‐profits to advocate for endangered species conservation.

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Environmental Research

Ski resorts have begun to understand the importance of environmental research and

have partnered with universities to develop research projects focused on impacts of ski areas on mountain

environments. Resorts like Aspen, Alta, and Snowbird have developed websites that offer access to research projects and

papers and share this knowledge at industry conferences and trade shows.

MRA should develop a team that works to research the

environmental impacts of the organization on the environment. Partnering with universities to help collaborate on research projects at resorts will be

beneficial for the resort as well as professors and students.

Research into topics like river and wetland ecology, endangered

species, habitat impacts, invasive species management, etc. will ensure that MRA is instituting policies that utilize the most up-‐to-‐date management methods

and theories. MRA should seek to educate the ski industry with

presentations of research in other mountain communities, resorts, trade shows, conferences, and industry and scientific journals.

Conservation Areas

Resorts have been working for years to improve conservation efforts. These

efforts focus mainly on support for non-‐profits that work to conserve fragile local ecosystems and national/international projects. Several resorts that operate on national forest land have partnered with the National Forest Foundation to help

fund conservation projects in our national forests. Resorts offer special conservation

credits to guest that want to donate money to conservation efforts. Resorts have partnered with US Forest Service to ensure land use by ski areas does not

interfere with wildlife migratory routes. Resorts have also contributed funds to land

conservancies that help to purchase development rights from private land

owners to ensure no future development

MRA should always work towards increasing conservation efforts locally and worldwide. MRA should protect any critical

ecological areas such as wetlands, rivers, wildlife habitat and

migratory corridors, and old-‐growth forest stands. MRA should work with partners like the Winter

Wildlands Alliance to raise awareness for conservation issues amongst winter recreationists.

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Habitat Restoration

Resorts have invested funds in several re-‐vegetation projects, hoping to restore

native plant and grass species, as well as invasive plant removal. Many resorts are home to fragile mountain rivers/streams

and resorts have worked to restore watersheds to natural states through run-‐off and erosion control. Smugglers Notch, VT, worked with Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife conducted in-‐depth studies into key black bear habitat to

ensure that any projects would have no impact on feeding and migration routes. The resort ended up altering several

projects to safeguard critical bear habitat. Whistler helped develop a local grassroots organization called Habitat Improvement Team (HIT). HIT works to protect, restore, and enhance fish and wildlife habitats in the Whistler Community. This has helped

empower community members and volunteers to complete 103 projects since 1997. Including the participation of over 200 volunteers in 2010, many being guests

to the resort (Voluntourism).

MRA should develop similar habitat restoration programs to those at other resorts. Re-‐

vegetation programs will help mitigate impacts caused during the winter season and help

restore key habitat. Native trees, shrubs, and grasses should be

used to re-‐vegetate areas affected by on-‐mountain operations. MRA should develop invasive species

mitigation and eradication programs to help stop their

spread and restore native plants and wildlife habitats. MRA should work with local communities and organization to raise awareness for local ecological issues and conduct restoration projects.

These projects can be integrated into a voluntourism initiative, where visitors can partake in

restoration projects at the resort and in local communities.

Mountain Clean-‐ups

Resorts encourage employees and community members to participate in

mountain cleanup efforts during the spring and summer seasons. These cleanups are aimed at collecting, litter, ski equipment

and clothing, and any other items that may have been uncovered once the snow melts in the spring. Breckenridge holds their annual mountain cleanup during the

month of June. Originally, just conducted by employees, the event is now open to the public for volunteers. Resorts on the East coast, have scheduled mountain cleanup events in conjunction with community Earth Day celebrations.

Wachusett Mtn, MA has scheduled their 2012 event for April 29th (week after Earth Day) and are soliciting volunteers. The event has a BBQ lunch included and 1st

Annual Earth Day 5K as part of the festivities.

MRA should initiate an annual mountain cleanup event. This event can be held in conjunction with other sustainable events and activities. This event should work to incorporate local volunteers as well as visitors. The refuse from the clean up should be sorted for recycling and as much as possible, diverted from the landfill. These events should feature local food and beer and bring the entire community together for a

celebration of their mountain and the environment.

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Environmental Education

Resorts have integrated environmental education programs into on mountain

activities for visitors and local community/schools. This topic is covered in detail in Outreach, Communication and

Education section.

See Outreach, Communication, and Education Section for more

information on education programs

Managing Impacts of Summer Activities

Ski areas have begun to develop summer recreation activities to increase

opportunities for visitors. However, little attention has been paid to the potential environmental impacts of multi-‐use

recreation during the summer. Activities like zip line, downhill and cross-‐country mountain biking, disc golf, paragliding all have the potential to impact wildlife,

vegetation, and river systems in adverse ways. There needs to be more research

into these impacts to develop best management practices for the Summer

season.

MRA should work to manage and monitor the impacts of summer

recreational activities on mountain eco-‐systems. MRA should also partner with other

resorts within the industry to raise awareness for sustainable management of summer

recreation. Since this is a new development for ski resorts it is

important that MRA works to lead the initiative for ensuring that sustainable actions during the

winter season are carried over to the summer season.

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IV.IV Outreach, Communication and Education According to the VP of Sustainable Operations for Aspen, resorts have made significant strides in reducing environmental impacts and increasing the sustainability of resort operations in the areas of energy use, water, and waste management. However, he stated that the same couldn’t be said for the communication of these initiatives and the larger issues facing the long-‐term sustainability of the industry such as climate change (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). The industry contacts could not stress enough the importance of a comprehensive outreach, communication, and education policy. That being said, some resorts have worked to increase the exposure of sustainability initiatives. Both Aspen Ski Company and Steven’s Pass have developed sustainability reports that highlight the major sustainability projects each year and set goals for the next. Aspen, in particular has developed a report that not only provides readers with sustainability information but also highlight the resort’s employees that are working to make it happen. The report is not only easily accessed on Aspen’s website, but is written in a way that is easy to read for visitors to the site. Websites are just one way in which resorts have attempted to communicate with guests. Social media websites (Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc.) are an important outlet for communication with fans, as well as past and future visitors. Jackson Hole Mountain Resort has used their Facebook page to post videos highlight new sustainability initiatives. MRA has already worked very hard to establish a dedicated following through social media. This will become increasingly important once MRA begins to develop their own mountain playground establishments. Facebook is also effective in educating fans and followers on the larger issues facing the mountain tourism industry. Whistler has seen several benefits from being able to receive instant feedback on new sustainability projects and programs through social media pages (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). Internal communication is also vital to any organization’s outreach, communication and education plan. Several resorts educate new employees on the resorts sustainability programs during new employee training, as well as highlight new green projects in weekly and monthly employee newsletters. These initiatives help employees accurately communicate sustainability information while interacting with guests and answering potential questions regarding sustainability. Internal employee relations can also be important while in the process of implementing new projects. The Stevens Pass contact spoke about issues that he, as a sustainability coordinator, has encountered with employee resistance to sustainability. This is due to a certain resistance to change that can be found across many industries. He stressed the importance of ensuring that every employee buys in to the resort’s sustainability initiatives (Personal communication with Environment and Sustainability Manager Stevens Pass, 2012). No matter how MRA chooses to communicate and highlight their sustainability policy both internally and externally, they must do so with transparency, honesty, and full disclosure. Whistler’s model for sustainability communication is based in transparency and marketing the humility of the journey, with the contact saying “Prove it, show it, and let others decide if it is meaningful” (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). Aspen has taken a similar approach, stressing the importance of honesty in communicating sustainability. While speaking on the issue of resort energy use

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he stated, “It is better to not address it and admit it, than use renewable energy credits” (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). MRA must ensure that any outreach and communication of their sustainability initiatives adhere to full disclosure and transparency, and remember that it is ok to make a mistake along the journey. The following table highlights best practices in these topics as well as many others focusing on sustainable events, interpretation and education, and marketing.

Outreach, Communication, and

Education Best Practices Implications for MRA Resort

Development

Sustainability Report

Several resorts have worked to display their sustainability initiatives to the public through the publishing of a annual or semi-‐annual sustainability report. The reports usually contain an update of yearly progress made within different

initiatives (energy savings and production, waste reduction, outreach and

community initiatives, etc.). Aspen releases a report every two years and has taken the approach of highlighting not only the sustainable initiatives but the people behind the work as well. It also includes pictures and is designed to be very easy to read and understand, and

very accessible to the public.

MRA should release both organization wide sustainability reports, as well as a report for

each of the mountain playgrounds that are operating. Reports should highlight the major

initiatives from the previous year as well as future initiatives and goals. The report should be an honest and open representation of what the resort is doing and

working towards. Even initiatives that did not meet the yearly goals should be discussed and included to demonstrate to the public that

no sustainability program is perfect or meets every goal set forth for the year. This report

should be published on websites, social media pages, etc., so that it is as available to the public as

possible.

Employee Communication

An important par to of outreach and communication is relaying your

sustainability mission to employees and ensuring that each employee understands the initiatives and works towards a more sustainable resort. Many resorts have

instituted sustainability education as part of new employee training. Internal

communications such as weekly/monthly green newsletters keep employees

abreast of new sustainability initiatives and goals.

MRA should work to educate employees about the organization and resort sustainability goals. New employee training should include information about the resort sustainability and weekly

newsletters with a green topic will help keep employees informed throughout the year. Employees with sustainability knowledge will improve the overall sustainability

of the resort through environmentally responsible

behavior. Employees are also the key communication link between

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visitors; the more they know about resort sustainability the

more that they can help educate visitors

Sustainability Marketing

It is important for any company to market their sustainability initiatives, as

consumers have become more green savvy and more influenced by green choices. The same can be said for ski resorts, with many websites containing

information about sustainability initiatives. However, this information varies by how accessible it is for visitors the website. Several resorts that are

concentrating the most on sustainability place this information in the same section as other general mountain information and is readily accessible to website

visitors. Resorts are also taking efforts to inform guests about sustainability initiatives while visiting the resort,

through social media, and local/regional/national partnerships.

MRA should work to be as up front and honest about

sustainability initiatives as possible. The use of website,

social media (already implemented), should be used as much as possible to inform the public about the initiatives and positive impacts MRA is creating both environmentally and socially.

Every aspect of the communication and outreach

initiatives should use sustainability as a main theme and goal and are integral ways for MRA to connect with visitors and fans. MRA must reach out to their target audience of open-‐minded big mountain skiers who enjoy a genuine

mountain experience that is more about the skiing than anything else. MRA should use marketing as an outlet for the story of the organization and sustainability.

Website

44% of the ski resorts surveyed posted some form of environmental or

sustainability information on their website. This information is the only link that potential visitors have to resort’s sustainability initiatives and are an

important communication tool. Many resorts have also linked information to partner organizations and companies, as

well as resort sustainability reports.

MRA should manage website to continue to highlight not only the future individual resorts, but the sustainable aspects that make

them unique in the industry. The website should be a home for

sustainability marketing as well as linking to all other social media

and marketing outlets.

Social Media

Ski areas like other companies are using socia media as a way to connect with

potential and previous visitors and guests. Many resorts have used social media as an outlet for sustainable conversations as well as more traditional marketing and

communication.

The MRA has already worked hard to establish a presence through social media (Facebook page and blog). They should continue to use social media as a way to

connect with fans and future and past visitors regarding the issues surrounding the ski industry and sustainability. MRA seeks to be the leader of the sustainability

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movement and social media can be a key component of outreach

and communication.

On-‐mountain information

Resorts have worked very hard to integrate sustainability into the guest experience at their mountains. Resorts have installed on mountain signage that highlights the energy saving efforts of the

resort, as well as other sustainable initiatives. Several studies have shown that the more people know about a

destination's sustainability the more likely they will be to make return trips and form a deeper connection with the resort. The use of signage can also be used to change

behaviors of guests, while they are visiting the resort (i.e., encouraging smart energy use, recycling, or composting).

MRA should provide installations at each mountain playground

location that explains the resorts commitment to sustainability.

This can also be provided through on mountain tours of resort sustainability initiatives (RE installations, LEED/Energy

efficient buildings, composting operation, etc.). It is important to inform people of the how, and the

why, along with the what, of resorts sustainability initiatives.

Visitor Education

Resorts like Mammoth Mountain California have built interpretive exhibits

that educate skiers about the local ecology and natural history of the

mountain. This also raises awareness about the fragile mountain ecosystems that people are entering when they visit. Some resorts have nature centers geared

toward children and incorporate environmental education into the ski learning programs. Resorts also offer

interpretive tours of the surrounding eco-‐system (Cross-‐country, snowshoe, hiking). Whistler has begun utilizing the summer season for hiking/eco-‐tourism tours to view wildlife and the natural beauty of

the mountains. Resorts have also offered clinics and classes on avalanche

awareness and skills, backcountry skiing, powder skiing, etc. Alta has led the way

with overall education experience through the creation of the Alta

Environmental Center. The Center works to improve internal sustainability

practices across departments; support research and collaboration with external partners; and communicate progress with skiers. The center has worked specifically

hard on the research aspect and

MRA should incorporate education into the visitor

experience as much as possible. Creating on-‐mountain interpretive exhibits featuring natural history information or learning centers as

part of base lodge. Learning centers could also be places where community events and

nature talks could be held. MRA should doffer guided skiing tours that incorporate environmental and sustainable themes and instill

a respect for the mountain environment. MRA should also

educate visitors on safe responsible use of the mountain environment through avalanche courses (where appropriate),

educational tours, and backcountry/powder tours. This will help improve the overall safety of guests and raise

awareness. MRA should also take advantage of the summer season to offer wildlife/hiking tours to

visitors. Nature activities like bird watching should also be

incorporated to the summer

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collaborates with university professors and students to support research projects that focus on Alta’s sustainability. These projects are then turned into resources

available on their website.

season

Sustainable Events

Resorts have used mountain festivals and events as ways to celebrate local

communities and resort sustainability initiatives. Events are created that utilize sustainability in planning, featuring local

food, music, traditions and culture. Events are also used to raise awareness for important environmental issues, such as climate change. Mt Sunapee, NH has created a yearly event called festEVOL, which features national recording artists,

an eco-‐village featuring businesses supporting a sustainable environment, with proceeds benefiting, Reverb.org, a non-‐profit focused on greening music

tours and raising environmental awareness at concerts.

MRA should host yearly events focused around sustainability. These events should feature an eco-‐fair that highlights local sustainable businesses,

sustainable products within the ski industry (Skis, Gear, and Clothing), and should raise awareness for

energy and sustainability initiatives. These events should support local and national non-‐profits focusing on issues relating to sustainability. These events can be held on a larger scale once per season and incorporate local food, music, art, and culture. The MRA

should strive to make the mountain an integral part of the community through these events, where stakeholders can interact and come together. MRA should also reach out to the greater ski community, through events

focused on collaboration across the industry.

Sustainability Manager

Several resorts have created positions within their company that are focused solely on environmental/sustainable

management. Typically these have been larger resorts that have more time and resources to commit to a sustainability plan as opposed to smaller resorts

focusing on maintaining operations from year to year. However each resort that created this position was considered a leader in the field and has realized benefits that far outweigh the costs.

Having a single voice and champion for the cause helps drive sustainability forward. Whistler's sustainability

program saves the resort millions of dollars each year.

MRA should employ a full time sustainability manager at each mountain. These managers

should oversee all sustainability initiatives and manage the Resort's Green Team. Each

individual sustainability manager should communicate with other resorts to ensure that there is

always collaboration and learning between MRA resorts. The

sustainability manager will be in charge of existing sustainability

projects (reporting and improving) as well as researching and

implementing new and innovative projects. The Sustainability

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Manager will be the key communicator across all departments of the resort

operations.

Green Team

Sustainability must be applied across all areas of the resort. The formation of a green team helps resorts communicate internally and brings stakeholders from each area of the company together to

discuss the resorts sustainability initiatives and develop future investments

in sustainability

MRA should implement a green team at each resort that works

with the sustainability coordinator. The green team

should be made up of representatives from each

department of the resort. These representatives should be

volunteers who have an interest in improving the sustainability at the resort. The green team should meet every month to ensure ongoing communication and

collaboration

Partnerships

Resorts have been actively forming partnerships with local organizations, non-‐profits, and companies to push

sustainability and create new initiatives. Steamboat Resort in CO, has partnered with several federal, local, non-‐profit

organizations including Colorado Division of Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service, the

American Birding Association, and various community organizations such as the Yampatika, working toward proper

stewardship of the forest and ecosystem management. These partnerships help ski resorts raise awareness for environmental and sustainable issues as well as forge

deeper connections to local communities.

MRA should form strategic partnerships with non-‐profit

organizations and companies to push sustainability and raise

awareness for environmental and social causes. MRA is currently partnering with a variety of

organizations including, but not limited to, POW, High Fives, She Jumps, Native American Olympic Team Foundation, Ski Logik, and the Winter Wildlands Alliance. MRA should continue to grow their network of partners within the ski industry as well as within mountain communities where

their playgrounds are established. Partnerships can help resorts improve energy efficiency,

transportation, green purchasing, waste reduction, and outreach. Forging partnerships that help

advocate for sustainability issues are also very important

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IV. V Community and Social Sustainability Ski resorts have long been fixtures in local mountain communities, contributing to their growth through tourism development. This growth has come with consequences; rising real estate prices from second home and resort development has driven the local workforce into outlying communities. Corporate ownership has lost touch with the communities that are the life-‐blood of their resorts (Clifford, 2003). This has been the catalyst for a return to smaller community-‐centric ski area development that is being, spearheaded by the Mountain Rider Alliance. However, certain resorts have worked to support local communities through initiatives focusing on support of local businesses and non-‐profits, responsible employee management, and support of educational opportunities for local schools. Grand Targhee resort has partnered with local conservation non-‐profits through the Targhee Protect our Winters Foundation. This organization has created a fund through employee donations that are matched by management. These funds are awarded to local organizations through a competitive grant program, with $50,000 having been donated since the programs inception in 2004. As shown in previous sections, partnerships are key to forging lasting relationships with local communities. There are other means for resorts to foster sustainable relationships with local communities. Resorts have begun to seek local sourcing of products used at the ski area. This is most prevalent in the use of locally sourced food products in on-‐mountain restaurants and eateries. Support for local food and agriculture helps ensure the livelihood of small local farmers that are an integral part of the local community fabric. MRA must ensure that these local purchasing habits are integrated into the product sourcing policy as much as possible. Another important aspect of sustainability that ties into local community relations is social welfare and wellbeing. This is important in how resorts treat employees, as well as what the resort does to push broader social issues in a global context. Resorts demonstrate a commitment to social sustainability through Adaptive Ski School programs, donations to charitable social causes, and international aid programs. Whistler has been very active in promoting global social sustainability through local and global programs (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). The Whistler contact also spoke at length about the social well being that skiing, and outdoor recreation in general, provides to visitors from across the globe. Saying “we market wellness” and a visit to Whistler is “a global experience” and a “bridge builder on cultures” (Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler, 2012). The Aspen contact echoed these sentiments, referring to the fact that the social benefits of the industry are often lost amongst the larger environmental and economic issues (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). This is something that the MRA has made a priority for their business model. By focusing on the skiing and riding experience, MRA will create places of refuge from the outside world where visitors can truly connect with mountain environments. The table below details these initiatives described above and highlights best practices in the industry.

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Community and Social Sustainability

Best PracticesBest Best Practices

Implications for MRA resort development

Support Local Businesses

Ski areas have been very active in the support of local businesses and products on their mountains. The largest resource that is being sourced locally is food. Several resorts have made commitments to supporting local, organic, and sustainably produced food whenever possible. These initiatives help the entire community thrive and support small local farmers. Resorts will highlight the use of local food on menus and tell the story of the local farms and farmers behind the meals of guests

MRA should work to source as many products and goods from local sources. If there is an option for purchasing a good or service, of the same quality and sustainability, from a local source that should be the option chosen. This can include the sale of retail clothing and equipment, food, MRA merchandise (T-‐shirts, stickers, etc.). Supporting local businesses will help the entire community prosper and ensure that the MRA resort is supported in kind by the local community.

Employee Management

Resorts that are focused on sustainability as an over-‐arching goal typically are able to have happier, harder working employees, and retain those employees longer to reduce turnover. Often times these employees seek out resorts that embrace sustainability and share their common values. Hiring sustainably minded employees help resorts run their sustainability initiatives smoother with more cooperation across departments. Resorts have also helped employees through creation of affordable/green employee housing complexes; offering employee shuttles, free child daycare, and competitive benefits.

MRA should strive to higher employees with a commitment to the sustainable values put forth by the company. MRA should work within the local communities to higher as many employees from the local community to forge stronger relationships. MRA should strive to provide affordable employee housing on-‐site or in nearby communities and offer employee work shuttles and carpool programs. MRA should offer competitive salaries and benefits for their employees. MRA should conduct events such as employee appreciation days, employee parties and outings, and events were employees donate time to local environmental and social non-‐profits (highway cleanup day, mountain litter pick-‐up, local trail building, etc.)

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Adaptive Program

Many resorts have created adaptive ski programs to reach out to physically and mentally handicapped individuals. These programs feature highly skilled instructors who assist adaptive skiers in learning to enjoy winter recreation in ways that overcome their individual handicap.

MRA should create an adaptive learning center at each of their mountain playgrounds. This center should not only help adaptive skiers to learn to ski and snowboard but also strive to create awareness around issues pertaining to peoples with disabilities. MRA should also partner with organizations like the Special Olympics to hold events for adaptive skiers.

Supporting Non-‐profits

A large aspect of any organization or business’ sustainability initiatives includes support of non-‐profit programs. Partnerships are often formed between ski resorts and local/national non-‐profit groups that are focused on social and environmental issues. Grand Targhee Resort created an environmental foundation to provide financial support to organizations within Teton Valley that promote environmental stewardship through their actions. The Resort has partnered with the group Protect Our Winters, to morph the foundation into the Targhee Protect Our Winters Foundation. The resort takes volunteer contributions from employees through payroll deductions and management matches donations. This money is then awarded to local organizations through a competitive grant application process that has awarded over $50,000 in support since 2004. Other resorts have set-‐up similar programs to Targhee (Aspen) or contributed to non-‐profits through corporate donations and giving. Sustainable events mentioned in previous section also help raise funds for non-‐profits and highlight work of sustainable organizations within local communities and the skiing industry

As previously mentioned MRA has already been partnering with several non-‐profit organizations to raise awareness for sustainability issues surrounding the ski industry. MRA should develop a similar foundation/non-‐profit that is funded by employees as well as the MRA to support local, regional, and national non-‐profits. This support can be centered on funding specific projects that foster social and environmental sustainability in local communities, schools, business, and environments. MRA should also work to develop fundraising competitions between their different mountain playgrounds, with awards for resorts that reach their goals and have the largest positive impact in local communities. MRA should support organizations that work within the tourism industry to create benchmarks and certifications and help promote sustainable tourism principles (Sustainable Travel International, TIES, Ski Area Citizens Coalition, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, etc.). MRA should participate in/develop programs like 1% for the planet or 1% for the Tetons, to benefit local environmental organizations.

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International Aid Programs

Whistler began looking into international aid programs with the goal of providing goods and services to those in need rather than just financial support. Whistler chose to support mountain communities in Romania, which is considered the poorest country in Eastern Europe with its mountain communities in the worst condition with over 50% unemployment. Since 2002 over 30,000 winter aid items (winter jackets/pants, computers, and medical supplies) have been sent to Romania. Whistler helped finance an orphan ski program in 2003 and 2004. They provide in-‐kind consulting to support Romanian tourism development specifically focusing on their regional ski industry, ecotourism and heritage tourism. Biannual visits are made to provide in country consulting and verify aid is reaching its ended recipients. In direct dollars, aid supplies and in-‐kind services Whistler contributing over one million dollars annually to local and global communities.

MRA should extend their philanthropic efforts to a global audience, by creating partnerships with international organizations. Donations of used ski equipment and clothing to underprivileged mountain communities across the globe. MRA should extend expertise of sustainable mountain tourism development to rural mountain communities and collaborate on sustainable skiing projects across the globe. MRA can create a team of international winter athletes to promote sustainability within the ski industry and volunteer internationally. MRA should continue relationships with Argentinian communities, and create new relationships in other countries.

Working With Local Schools

Several resorts have fostered partnerships with local schools to create educational programs for visiting children as well as partnering with non-‐profits to develop classroom presentations focused on sustainability and climate protection education. Telluride Resort in CO has a very extensive onsite environmental education program. The St. Sophia Nature Center, at the base area, caters to summer visitors and school groups/summer camps. It offers recreational and environmental education programs including Lynx reintroduction program and fen studies to over 15,000 people each summer. Environmental staff also provides environmental field trips for local schools.

MRA should participate as much as possible in programs that help to educate children in local communities. Employees should be encouraged to participate in programs that conduct visits to local schools to give presentations on the local environment, culture, and sustainability. MRA should also work to develop programs that promote skiing among inner-‐city/underprivileged youth in surrounding areas. This will help introduce the sport of skiing to a broader audience and foster a new generation of skiers who respect the environment and understand the importance of sustainability to our planet's future.

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IV. VI Advocacy and Activism The last aspect, or category, that was identified through the resort analysis is the role ski resorts play in advocacy and activism. There are several important issues that impact not only the ski industry, but the global well being of the planet as well. The most important issue is global climate change and the potential ecological and anthropological impacts. All of the industry contacts that were interviewed described the challenges that the industry will face in the future, unless carbon emissions are reduced on a global scale. The Aspen contact was especially adamant about the need for advocacy and activism for policy change regarding climate change and carbon emission reductions. As a resort, Aspen, is advocating for policy change by sending a representative to speak to congress on climate change issues, endorsing litigation that pushes progressive climate policy, partnering with climate activism organizations such as Protect Our Winters (POW) (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012), and advocating for the Aspen Chamber Resort Association to sever ties with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce due to the organizations conflicting views on climate change legislation (The Aspen times, 2012). The Aspen contact feels that “Broadly speaking people don’t understand climate change and the threats to our future prosperity.” (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). The contact at Stevens Pass was also in touch with the larger challenges of pushing climate policy forward through activism (Personal communication with Environment and Sustainability Manager Stevens Pass, 2012). Research cited in the introduction described specific strategies that resorts may have to undertake to remain viable in the future. Including, increased snowmaking, movement of operations to higher elevations and north facing slopes, downloading lifts, and a movement to year round operations to compensate for loss of winter season. While the Aspen contact understands the importance of adapting to climate change through operational changes he feels that the “concern isn’t that snow is going to go away. The real concern is that the economic damage to society will be so great that skiing will become an afterthought.” (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012) While climate change is a global issue, resorts like Aspen are using their brand to publicize the issue. MRA, like Aspen, should use every available resource to educate the public on climate change issues and advocate for progressive climate policy. Tourist destinations have been using personal action initiatives to promote changes in visitor’s behaviors that carry over after their vacation. These plans have focused on recycling or replacing light bulbs; while important, these actions are not enough to stop climate change. The Aspen contact highlighted the Protect Our Winters POW 7 Pledge, a list of individual actions that can have a larger impact than just recycling (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). The POW 7 Pledge actions include (Protect Our Winters, 2011):

1. Get Political 2. Educate Yourself 3. Find Your Biggest Lever 4. Be Vocal, Bug Your Friends 5. Talk to Businesses 6. Change Your Life and Save Money 7. And Join POW

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This list goes far beyond living a sustainable lifestyle, by encouraging political advocacy, increasing education, and promoting the climate conversation. MRA has already forged a partnership with POW, and should continue that partnership by endorsing the POW Seven pledge at their mountain playgrounds, and applying the action framework to the whole organization. MRA should utilize the organization’s presence on social media websites to push advocacy and educate fans on climate change issues. MRA can also work to leverage their growing network of contacts to provide grass roots advocacy at ski resorts across the country. MRA should work to forge industry wide partnerships to leverage climate advocacy initiatives through major trade organizations in the industry (NSAA, SIA) as well as international sustainable tourism organizations. Climate change is an issue that is much larger than the ski industry, and no amount of emission reductions at resorts will solve the problem. MRA must become a voice within the industry, like Aspen Ski Company, to lead the planet into a truly sustainable tomorrow.

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V. Conclusion The ski industry has undergone a transformation over the past twenty years. Resorts have been criticized for expanding their boundaries too far and overdeveloping fragile mountain eco-‐systems (Cold Stream Creative, 2007). The Mountain Riders Alliance has developed a new ski area blueprint to combat the “mega-‐resorts” of the west, based on respect for the environment, positive impact in the community, and a focus on the skiing and riding. In order to accomplish this goal and create Sustainable Mountain Playgrounds, MRA needs to ensure that each area takes a holistic approach to sustainability. The six aspects of resort sustainability identified in the industry analysis present specific challenges as well as solutions. MRA should look to what is being done at ski resorts as a baseline for their own sustainability. While the industry analysis identified several innovative best practices and initiatives at resorts, MRA should strive to not only equal these but go above and beyond, to become a leader in sustainable tourism development. Several key “big picture” themes were identified across all of the aspects of resort development that can help drive MRA’s future development plans. V.I Key Themes Driving All Aspects of Sustainable Resort Development

• Partnerships: Partnerships play a key role across all aspects of a sustainable ski resort. Energy efficiency measures are often the result of partnerships with local and regional utilities or energy co-‐ops. Whistler’s Fitzsimmons Hydro-‐electric facility is the direct result of a partnership with the local utility and the province of British Columbia. Partnerships also play a key role in supporting conservation programs in local areas through non-‐profit collaboration. This also has social and community benefits. By forging strong ties to organizations in local communities ski resorts have a better understanding of the different stakeholders surrounding the resort. Every industry contact mentioned partnerships as the driving force behind creating a truly sustainable ski area. MRA must continue to build partnerships at every tier of society, from local to global.

• Geographic Location: Geographical location plays an important role in a resort’s

overall sustainability. While there is no one location in North America, where a ski resort would be unable to develop sustainable initiatives, certain geographical areas create a more suitable climate to achieving sustainability goals. Certain states have more progressive legislation in terms of climate policy and CO2 emissions. These policies push sustainability in business causing ski areas reduce energy use. Certain areas have more aggressive recycling and waste management programs that ski resorts can utilize to manage non-‐traditional or hazardous waste materials. Certain areas may also have more established non-‐profit groups working in social and environmental issues. This will make strategic partners more accessible to the resort. This does not mean that a resort that is not in California or Vermont should make no effort to be sustainable. These ski areas must work even harder to drive creation of non-‐profits and work to push emission reduction/clean energy generation policies at every level of government. These are the areas where resorts

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have the power to be true levers of change and where MRA must establish itself as that lever.

• Sustainability is hard: As one can ascertain from this report, sustainability is not

easy. Resorts work very hard to accomplish minimal reductions in overall energy use (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012). There is no magic answer to how to create sustainable development; it takes proper planning, and very hard work on the ground. All of the contacts interviewed have years of experience in both the skiing and sustainability fields and understand what it takes to push sustainability forward. MRA must always remember that the journey to sustainability is difficult. As shown in the results, the sustainability initiatives with the highest percentages of adoption were the “low hanging fruit”. Once these “fruit” (recycling, energy efficient lighting, corporate giving, etc.) were picked, resorts failed to pursue initiatives that required higher initial investments, or greater collaboration and communication. MRA must avoid falling into this trap, and continuously work to improve and innovate new sustainable resort initiatives.

• Communication is key: Proper communication has been stressed in all of the

different aspects of sustainability and is key in accomplishing goals in economic, social, and environmental sustainability. MRA must communicate their goals, accomplishments, and failures in a truly transparent and honest way. This is true for both internal communications with employees, as well as external communications with stakeholders in the local and global community. New technology has allowed businesses and organizations unlimited access to customers and MRA must harness that power in a responsible way. External communications should always be used as a way to inform and educate rather than deceive and manipulate.

• The Big Picture: The last major theme that was discovered through the website

analysis and interviews, is that there are big picture ideas that are the driving force for sustainability. Global environmental and social well-‐being is being threatened by the unsustainable management of the planet. Real solutions to these problems do exist, but are at this point being suppressed by a lack of political leadership necessary to force progressive climate policy (Hansen, 2012). MRA must use this big picture as the driving force for sustainability. Aspen has simplified their sustainability policy by framing every management and operation decision by its impacts on global climate change (Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company , 2012).

These broader themes, when applied to the six aspects of sustainability, will help Mountain Rider’s Alliance achieve the goals set forth of creating Sustainable Mountain Playgrounds.

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V.II Future Research and Industry Implications This research analysis has laid the framework for a holistic approach to sustainability in the ski industry. However, further research should focus on which additional variables, such as resort size, geographic location, terrain difficulty, and ownership, impact sustainable ski resort operation adoption. A better understanding of how these factors affect adoption, could be generated by using the data catalogued in this analysis and applying a more in depth statistical analysis looking at the different variables described above. This analysis was limited to the resorts that have signed the NSAA Sustainable Slopes Charter, due to time and available resources. An analysis of all 471 resorts operating in the US should be conducted to gain a full understanding of how sustainability is being developed across the entire industry. This would also facilitate an analysis of how effective the NSAA program is on pushing sustainable operations adoption in the industry. A survey of resort management at each of these 471 resorts would also help develop a greater understanding of the barriers to sustainable operation adoption and can help guide future industry policies related to sustainability. This research also had limitations, in that it relied on the resort websites to gain information on best practices. At this point there is no up-‐to-‐date catalogue of what resorts are or are not doing. While most resorts are working towards providing this information on website, the lack of information does not necessarily reveal a lack of sustainability. As already stated a survey of as many of the 471 resort managers as possible would give greater a better understanding of what is actually being done. There are several implications for the ski industry as a result of this report. The first is to establish an industry-‐wide collaboration on sustainability. This could be done through yearly conference that brings together the leaders in the industry to develop goals and collaborate on sustainability initiatives. Secondly, the industry needs to increase their role in lobbying for progressive climate legislation. A select number individual resorts and organizations are doing their parts to help advocate for political action, but if the industry were to pull their resources; the positive impacts could potentially be much greater. The ski industry is entering into a future with many questions that at this point do not have answers. But the continued push to develop organization and resorts like the Mountain Riders Alliance is the first step down the long road towards a sustainable future.

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Works Cited A list of websites where best practice information can be found in Appendix A (Ski Resort Environmental Excel File) Agnew, & Viner. (2001). Potential impacts of climate change on international tourism. Tourism and Hospitality Research , 3 (1), 24-‐37. Alvord, Udall, Roger, & Long. (2008). Climate and tourism on the Colorado Plateau. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society , 89 (5), 673. Blackcomb, V. S. (2012, February). Sustainable Ski Resorts. (G. Ziegler, Interviewer) Bruski, E., Hijazi, L., Hoffmen, L., Martin, L., Michael, G., & Taylor, I. (2009). Boyne Mountain Sustainability Plan. University of Michigan, Shool of Natural Resources & Environment. Clifford, Hal (2003). Downhill Slide: Why the Corporate Ski Industry is Bad for Skiing, Ski Towns, and the Environment. Sierra Club Books; 1st Edition, 2003. Environment and Sustainability Manager, S. P. (2012, February 21). Personal communication with Environment and Sustainability Manager Stevens Pass. (G. Ziegler, Interviewer) Glick, D. (1998). Powder Burn: Arson, Money and Mystery on Vail Mountain. Retrieved April 11, 2012, from Daniel Glick: danielglick.bet/books/powder-‐burn Hadley, G., & Wilson, K. (2004). Patterns of Small Mammal Density and Survival Following Ski-‐Run Development. Journal of Mammology , 85 (1), 97-‐104. Hansen, J. (2012, January 31). Cowards in Our Democracies, Part 1. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Columbia University: www.columbia.edu/jeh1/mailings/2012/20120130_CowardsPart1.pdf Landauer. (2009). Adaptation of Finish cross-‐country skiers to climate change. FENNIA . National Ski Area Association. (2010). Estimated U.S. Ski Industry Skier Visits by Region. Retrieved April 29, 2011, from National Ski Area Association Industry Stats: http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/historical-‐visits.pdf National Ski Area Association. (2010). Number of Operating Ski Resorts in US. Retrieved April 29, 2011, from National Ski Area Association: http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/operating-‐ski-‐areas.asp National Ski Area Association. (2005). Sustainable Slopes Charter. Retrieved April 29, 2011, from http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/environment/sustainable_slopes/.

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National Ski Area Association. (2005). Sustainable Slopes Environmental Charter for Ski Areas. Retrieved April 2012, from National Ski Area Association: http://www.nsaa.org/nsaa/environment/sustainable_slopes/Charter.pdf Mountain Riders Alliance (2010). Mountain Riders Alliance Home Page Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Mountain Riders Alliance: www.mountainridersalliance.com Mountain Riders Alliance. (2012). Business Practices. Retrieved April 3, 2012, from Mountain Riders Alliance: www.mountainridersalliance.com/business-‐practices/ Moen, & Fredman. (2007). Effects of climate change on alpind skiing in Sweden. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , 15 (4). Morrison, J. R., de Vergie, W., Aldrige, A. W., Byrne, A. E., & Andree, W. (1995). The Effects of Ski Area Expansion on Elk. Wildlife Society Bulletin , 23 (3), 481-‐489. Patthey, P., Wirthner, S., Signorell, N., & Arlettaz, R. (2008). Impacts of outdoor winter sports on the key indicator species of alpine ecosystems. Journal of Applied Ecology , 45 (6), 1704-‐1711. Pickering, C. a. (2003). Environmental impacts of tourism on the Australian Alps protected areas : judgments of protected area managers. Mountain Research and Development , 23 (3), 247-‐254. Protect Our Winters. (2011). Get Involved, POW Seven. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Protect Our Winters: http://protectourwinters.org/get-‐involved Schwartz, Z., Yu, G., & Walsh, J. E. (2009). Effects of climate change on the seasonality of weather for tourism. Arctic , 62 (4). Scott, D., & Mcboyle, G. (2007). Climate change adaptation in the ski industry. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change , 12 (8). Scott, D., Dawson, J., & Jones, B. (2008). Climate change vulnerability of the US Northeast winter recreation-‐tourism sector. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Climate Change , 13 (5). Ski Area Citizens Coalition. (2011). How Are Ski Areas Graded? Retrieved April 29, 2011, from Ski Area Citizens Coalition: http://www.skiareacitizens.com/index.php?nav=how_we_grade Snowsports Industries America. (2011, March 31). SIA Snow Sports Fact Sheet. Retrieved April 24, 2012, from Snowsports Industries America: www.snowsports.org/media/SnowSportsFactSheet/

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Steiger, R., & Mayer, M. (2008). Snowmaking and climate change. Mountain Research and Development , 28 (3/4), 292-‐297. Sustainability Consultant, Brendle Group (2012, February). Personal Communication with Sustainability Consultant, Brendle Group. (G. Ziegler, Interviewer) Sykes, H., & Campbell, B. (Directors). (2007). Resorting to Madness: Taking Back Our Mountain Communities [Motion Picture]. Colorado, US. Rivera, J. a. (2006). Is Greener Whiter, Yet? The Sustainable Slopes Program After Five Years. The Policy Studies Journal , 34 (2). Rodriguez, S. (1986). Impact of the ski industry on the Rio Hondo watershed. Annals of Tourism Research , 14 (1), 88-‐103. Terta Tech. (2001). Greening Your Ski Area A Pollution Prevention Handbook. Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The Aspen times. (2012, March 9). Local Group Should Abandon U.S. Chamber. The Aspen Times . VP, S. A. (2012, February). Personal Communication with VP, Sustainability Aspen Ski Company . (G. Ziegler, Interviewer) Whistler, M. P. (2012, February). Personal Communication with Environmental Resource Manager Whistler. (G. Ziegler, Interviewer) Wipf, S., Rixen, C., Fischer, M., Schmid, B., & Stoeckli, V. (2005). Effect of ski piste preperation on alpine vegetation. Journal of Applied Ecology , 42 (2), 306-‐316. Williams, P. a. (1997). Towards an Environmental Management System for Ski Areas. Mountain Research and Development , 17 (1), 75-‐90.

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