Many skiers & snowboarders (like myself) anticipate the winter months to journey down the mountains.  Unfortunately, this hobby can be quite draining on environmental resources.  Ski resorts have impacts while using energy in daily operations – from ski lifts to lighting lodges, harming wildlife, increasing waste from visitors, and creating/using man-made snow.

Luckily, the ‘snow’ industry acknowledges its potential problems and is taking the initiative to clean up its carbon footprint.  It makes sense – If the temperatures rise, that means less time for skiing each season and worst ski conditions!  For example,  I noticed lots of environmentally-friendly promotions in ads and on the mountains during my last visit to Vail & Breckenridge, CO.

Vail has spearheaded many environmental initiatives to clean up its mountain, such as solar panels, the goal of reducing energy use by 10% over the next 2 years, and a huge recycling program that includes 70% of all waste on the mountain. Even the chairlifts are often made from recycled materials!

Trying to favor green resorts?  Treehugger.com came out with the Top 7 Greenest Ski Destinations in the US. The list ranks as follows:

1. Aspen Skiing Company, Aspen, Colorado
2. Smugglers’ Notch Family Resort, Smugglers’ Notch, Vermont
3. Park City Mountain Resort, Park City, Utah
4. Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort, Bend, Oregon
5. Sundance Resort, Sundance, Utah
6. Jiminy Park Mountain Resort, Hancock, Massachusetts
7. Alta Ski Area, Alta, Utah

Want to ski local?  Shawnee Mountain announced environmental initiatives of high tech snow guns to reduce diesel emissions and a recycling program to reduce its impact.

Have you heard about any other ski “green” initiatives lately?

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Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia. View all posts by Julie Hancher