Aspen Skiing Company purchases renewable wind energy certifcates equivalent to 90% of its electricity use. We also pay a premium to purchase approximately 5% of our electricity from wind farms in eastern Colorado through Holy Cross Energy. The remaining 5% of our energy is supplied through renewable sources as part of the electric mix provided to us by our utility. 

The direct wind power we buy is costly. If we were buying renewable energy credits like many resorts and corporations, we'd be over 30% "wind powered" for the same cost. Our decision helps our local utility foster the grown of Colorado wind power, so we choose to pay the premium.

Our onsite renewable energy installations range from the largest solar photovoltaic array in the ski industry to our on-slope microhydroelectric turbine that generates clean power using spring runoff.

You can recycle all the Evian bottles you want, and you can use biodegradable plates, cups and bowls, and that's good and important, but you should be under no illusion that the challenge of our time is anything but climate change. Similarly, the impact a ski resort has on the environment is mostly from energy use, a climate impact. That's why advocacy on climate and energy issues, efficiency, and renewables has been the focus of our environmental work at ASC.