Environmental Commitment

SUSTAINABILITY NEWS FROM ASPEN SKIING COMPANY

Ski and Snowboard Industry Leader Continues to Implement Ground-Breaking Environmental Practices

Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. – 2008-2009 – Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) continues to be the ski and snowboard industry leader in sustainable business practices.  By combining tangible projects here in Aspen, Colo. with policy changes at the state and national level, ASC hopes to become carbon neutral by 2020 and ultimately ensure the future of skiing and riding in Aspen/Snowmass.

ASC is proud to announce energy improvements for the 2008-2009 season, including Western Colorado's largest solar array; installation of energy monitoring systems; new LEED certified buildings; The Little Nell's Eco-Luxe program and Green Suite; a wind energy trial program; water storage expansion and providing environmentally friendly clothing and ski/snowboard waxes to guests.

August 2008 marks the release of our bi-annual sustainability report, which unveils the recent accomplishments and tribulations of our environmental efforts.

In addition, Auden Schendler, Executive Director of Sustainability, will release his first book in February 2009, "Getting Green Done: Hard Truths and Real Solutions from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution," documenting a decade of both success and failure while implementing sustainable business practices at ASC.

Please read on for detailed new information regarding the sustainability of Aspen/Snowmass.

SOLAR INSTALLATIONS

CRMS Solar Array

ASC recently funded the installation of a one-million-dollar – 147 kW solar array at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS) in Carbondale, Colo. The 147kW system sits on one half acre of ranchland owned by the high school and is the largest solar electric installation in western Colorado. The $1 million array is currently powering the school's science building and feeds excess energy into the town of Carbondale's power grid. Annually, it will produce 200,000 kWh (enough power for 20 average American homes) and keep 400,000 lbs of carbon dioxide out of the air. 

The Little Nell

The Little Nell, Aspen's only five-star, five diamond hotel and just steps from the Silver Queen Gondola, will install 25 solar panels by September 2008 to create a 5 kW solar array.  This installation will power the Paepcke suite, now also known as "The Little Nell Green Suite."  Guests of this room will have the distinct experience of watching how their actions within the suite affect electricity usage due to an in-room PowerView energy monitoring system.  The Little Nell's solar array will prevent the release of 463,200 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere in its lifetime.  This is equivalent to of saving 257 trees which would have been needed to offset these carbon dioxide emissions.

ENERGY MONITORING

Energy Monitoring at the Aspen Airport Business Center Offices

Aspen Skiing Company's headquarters at the Airport Business Center will have a PowerView energy monitoring system installed (September 2008) in the lobby to challenge and remind employees to limit their energy use.

Energy Monitoring at Bumps Restaurant & Two Creeks

Bumps restaurant at the base of Buttermilk and Two Creeks ticketing office at the west base of Snowmass will also have PowerView energy monitoring systems installed (September 2008) for employee and guest viewing.

Ideology Behind Energy Monitoring Systems

These pioneering monitoring systems will provide real time info so building occupants and guests can respond to energy use; it also shows how each building is doing month to month. Studies show that buildings with feedback like this use less energy, in the same way that Prius drivers who can see how much gas fast acceleration uses change their driving habits.

NEW LEED BUILDINGS IN SNOWMASS

Snowmass base village - The new Snowmass base village is certified under the LEED for Neighborhood Development program.

Sam's Smokehouse - Sam's Smokehouse, the new on-mountain restaurant in Snowmass will also be LEED certified.  Stay tuned for details on the final certification level. 

The Little Nell's Eco-Luxe Program - In addition to "The Little Nell Green Suite" featuring a 5 kW solar array, The Little Nell launched their Eco-Luxe program in August 2008.  Guests donating $2 per night to the Aspen Valley Land Trust (AVLT) may enroll in the Eco-Luxe program.  The program includes an organic welcome gift from Executive Chef Ryan Hardy's Rendezvous Farm in Crawford, Colo.; water pitchers, made by local artist Doug Casebeer, as opposed to bottled of water; cruiser bikes to ride around town with reusable water bottles/Camelbacks, in-room recycling and bed linen/towel service every three days to save on unnecessary energy use.

In addition, The Little Nell will supplement each guest's $2 nightly donation to AVLT with an additional $3 from the hotel.

WIND ENERGY EXPERIMENT

The Forest Service, ASC and Poma have teamed up to install a test wind tower in Snowmass to explore the potential for wind energy development.  A test tower with four anemometers will be installed at the top of the Cirque in September 2008.  If the experiment is successful after one year of testing, ASC plans to explore the possibility of installing wind turbines on the top of Snowmass.  A study shows two-thirds of the company's energy use could be powered by installing three turbines at the Cirque.  Please remember this is an experiment not a guaranteed project. Stay tuned for updates on our progress.

Four-Mountain Sports and D&E Ski and Snowboard Shop

Organic Cotton/Bamboo Clothing - Four-Mountain Sports and D&E Ski and Snowboard shops, located throughout Aspen/Snowmass, provide hard and soft goods to customers.  This season, the stores will carry many products with organic cotton and bamboo clothing from brands such as Volcom, Element, Holden Outerwear and Arbor Clothing lines.  The D&E Shops will also proudly carry the K2 Zero Snowboard.  This high performance board cuts down on many hazardous processes used to create snowboards through new manufacturing technologies.

PFC-Free Purl Wax

This winter, all Four-Mountain Sports locations will be using the industry's first natural wax, devoid of the global-warming perflourocarbons (PFCs) found in traditional ski and snowboard waxes. 

Cloth bags

For several years the stores have engaged in a program to purchase bags with additives and films that break down much easier, and have far less impact on the environment.  This season the stores are taking it a step further and offering guests a cloth bag made of sustainable materials for a minimal purchase.  The stores are also donating a portion of the purchase of the bags to the Aspen Skiing Company Environment Foundation.

2008 Awards

• 2008 Outside Magazine's Top 10 Places to Work
•  2008 Clif Bar Silver Eagle Award for Environmental Education
• 2008 Snowmass Club Golf Course Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program Certification
• 2008 National Ski Areas Association Best Overall Marketing Programming for Resorts with 500,000+ skier visits
• Recognized for distributing 40,000+ compact fluorescent light bulbs to guests
• 2008 City of Aspen ZGreen Membership – Recognizing Exemplary Environmental Stewardship

The Bigger Picture

Policy Changes - We are working to support state and federal level policy change with leaders such as Colorado Governor Bill Ritter and Senator Ken Salazar to reduce climate change impacts.

Amicus Brief - In 2006, Aspen Skiing Company was one of three filers of an Amicus Brief arguing that the EPA should regulate carbon emissions from automobiles under the Clean Air Act – a landmark case where the Supreme Court ultimately agreed with our brief.

RESOURCES

For more information, photos or b-roll footage, please contact Meredith McKee in the PR department at mmckee@aspensnowmass.com or 970/300-7020.

For general ASC environmental practices, please visit www.aspensnowmass.com/environment and/or www.savesnow.org.