Aspen/Snowmass Village, CO…Widely considered to be the country's Green Leader in the mountain resort industry, the Aspen Skiing Company continues to redefine corporate environmentalism. Through habitat protection and enhancement, energy and water efficiency, green development, waste management, recycling or alternative transportation, Aspen Skiing Company's goal is to lead the ski industry toward more sustainable practices and provide working models transferable to any ski resort.

For the upcoming winter season, Aspen Skiing Company is taking its commitment to sustainable development to the next level. Some program highlights include:

Micro-Hydro Power Plant at Snowmass

Aspen Skiing Company introduced a micro-hydroelectric power plant at Snowmass in summer 2004. The micro-hydro power plant, a first in the ski industry, uses the resort's existing snowmaking system to channel spring runoff through a turbine, generating electricity. The expelled water is returned to the stream. The system should generate 250,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually, which is comparable to powering 40 homes per year and preventing a half-million pounds of carbon dioxide from being emitted. Another benefit from this renewable energy source is that Aspen Skiing Company will sell power to Holy Cross Energy, earning around $12,000 each year. If this micro-hydro plant proves successful, Aspen Skiing Company would replicate it at its other three ski areas with the potential to power 400 homes.

Biodiesel Fuel For Snowcats

In the winter of 2003, Aspen Skiing Company switched its entire fleet of snowcats to biodiesel fuel. Benefits include a 20 percent reduction in hydrocarbon emissions and carbon dioxide and 10 percent particulate reductions. Additionally, biodiesel can be made from used restaurant grease. With more than 13 restaurants operated by Aspen Skiing Company and hundreds locally in Aspen, one day Aspen Skiing Company might use this waste product to run other equipment.

Following in the footsteps of the award-winning Sundeck restaurant atop Aspen Mountain, the new Snowmass Golf Clubhouse is one of the greenest commercial buildings in the state, beating Aspen energy codes by more than 60%. It was in 2000 when the Sundeck was one of 11 buildings in the world to achieve environmental certification through the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

For the fourth time in seven years, Aspen Skiing Company was awarded the prestigious Mountain Sports Media Golden Eagle Award for environmental excellence. With everything from banning swordfish at resort restaurants to creating a yearly "sustainability report," Aspen Skiing Company is a green leader in the mountain resort industry.

For complete information on all environmental programs, check out www.aspensnowmass.com/environment.