WHITE SNOW, “GREEN” SLOPES – 11 NORTHWEST SKI AREAS FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE CONNECTION
Green Energy Programs Put Ski Industry, and Region, at the Forefront of Making Climate Change a Commercial Issue
December 13, 2004 (Portland, Ore.) — The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) announced today, that it is collaborating with 11 ski areas in the Pacific Northwest as they act to address the threat of global climate change on the environment and their industry. By implementing a variety of green power programs, these members of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association (PNSAA) are working to demonstrate the positive environmental impact an industry can have when commercial companies come together on an issue.
In this case, there is a clear connection between the effects of global warming and the resulting changes in the climate, which scientific studies indicate already, are causing warmer nights and wetter shoulder seasons, neither of which is good for the ski industry. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) has raised awareness around the issue through the Keep Winter Cool campaign. Over thirty (30) resorts in the U.S. are now purchasing green energy for their operations, and 70 have lobbied Congress to address the problem of global warming through federal legislation. The organized effort in the Pacific Northwest is fairly unique, given that the participating ski areas are addressing this as a region focused on reducing green house gas emissions and that many offer voluntary options for their customers to also participate. The program can serve as a model for other regions, having grown from one participant last ski season to 12 this season.
“Last year, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort got the ball rolling with a Mini Green Tag program that gave customers the option to “green” their trip to the ski area. It was a tremendous success, with the skiers collectively offsetting 27,300 pounds of green house gas emissions over the course of the season,” said Tom Starrs, vice president of marketing for The Bonneville Environmental Foundation. “This year we are supporting more Mini Green Tag programs on behalf of ski customers, along with full Green Tag programs that offset greenhouse gas emissions for ski lifts and facility buildings. In addition, some ski areas are supporting their local utility’s green power program. The key is that each area is contributing to the success of this program. We hope to see more ski areas and other industries come on board, enabling the positive effects of these programs to grow exponentially.”
Dan Brewster, chairman of PNSAA and general manager of Summit at Snoqualmie, added, “As a regional organization, it is extremely gratifying to see our members, many of which compete with each other to some degree, come together and take the lead on green energy programs that have regional, national and worldwide benefits. We applaud their efforts and look forward to working with our national counterparts from NSAA, expanding these green power activities and supporting the Association’s Sustainable Slopes program across North America.”
The Stateline Wind Facility, located along the Oregon and Washington border, will supply the Green Tags for this program. Ski areas participating in the Region’s Green Tag programs this year include Cooper Spur, Hoodoo, Mission Ridge, Mt. Ashland, Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge, Ski Anthony Lakes, Stevens Pass, Schweitzer Mountain and Summit at Snoqualmie.
BEF has created a dedicated web site for this initiative that contains information about the program, the participating ski areas and the regional and national association partners. To learn more, please visit www.SkiGreen.org or contact Patrick Nye of BEF at 503-248-1905 or patricknye@b-e-f.org.
About BEF
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to restore watershed ecosystems and further the development and use of new renewable energy resources. Through revenues generated from the sales of green power products, BEF funds projects that restore damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy projects from solar, wind and biomass. BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 2000 and has helped establish national standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental groups and the Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively with but independent of both.
About PNSAA
The Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association is a non-profit trade association that represents the interests of alpine and nordic ski areas located in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. PNSAA has 30 member ski areas, ranging geographically from southern Oregon to Alaska that collectively serves over 4.5 million skiers and snowboarders annually. Its ski area members strive to provide skiers and snowboarders with the best possible winter sports facilities to ensure visitors to the mountains have enjoyable and memorable experiences. Part of its mission is to provide information for responsible care and utilization of natural resources. For more information, visit: www.pnsaa.org.
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