As the Mt. Express pointed out yesterday, ski towns are increasingly aware of the need to prepare for global warming. The same is true for ski resorts and those who evaluate them.  

In December 2008, I reported in the Jigsaw Business Weekly that "Sun Valley was next to last among the 'Worst 10' ski resorts regarding environmental protection." On a scale of A-F, the resort received a D from the Ski Area Citizens' Coalition regarding its environmental policies and practices. The Coalition's Scorecard grades factors like land development, energy-saving retrofits, wildlife protection, use of biodiesel, efficient snowmaking, renewable energy goals, and water conservation, among others. 

By 2013-14, Sun Valley Resort had climbed to an A, although it hasn't yet made the top 10. (The Scorecard is on hiatus this year.) You can see the scores for the Resort here and some additional information here, retrieved for me by a Coalition member. The A is a definite improvement, primarily indicating the lack of land development over the past few years. The Scorecard weights this factor most heavily, given its single largest impact on the environment. One key reason is that, despite just a 2% increase in U.S. skier days since 1979, there has been a disproportionate expansion of terrain. Sun Valley would likely earn a B or lower next year based on the new health spa and White Cloud homes. It will fall even further if and when it expands River Run with incursions into the adjacent wetlands. 

Certainly, the Resort has made strides. Its website has an environmental awareness link (fairly recent I believe) that lists the new LEED certified laundry facility, major lighting retrofits, expanded recycling, and a first time composting program. Not all 40 factors get top scores, however (although the website implies that it does). While these are laudable efforts, the industry consensus is that a resort's most significant action lies in on-site generation of renewable energy for ski operations, proactive land restoration, and carbon footprint reduction. An article by "TakePart" makes this clear in its lively show-case of the top nine environmentally friendly ski resorts.

By the way, if you've ever heard of the Sustainable Slopes initiative, don't believe the logo stamp you see at resorts. High Country News characterizes it as a greenwashing program whose charter provides "little more than a green fig leaf for its 177 member ski resorts."  

Until next week.....Jima Rice  

Think On It!  

 "Resilient people possess three characteristics - a staunch acceptance of reality; a deep belief, often buttressed by strongly held values, that life is meaningful; and an uncanny ability to improvise (from what's available)."  

Diane Coutu

quoted in the

Harvard Business Review

from her book

How Resilience Works