Home Publisher's Point of View Vail Resorts Make ‘Epic’ Commitment to Reducing Its Impact

Vail Resorts Make ‘Epic’ Commitment to Reducing Its Impact

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Glenn Hasek

Let’s call it one of the most important announcements ever made by a hospitality company. This past week, Vail Resorts, Inc. unveiled its “Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint”. Announced to employees at a company event, the plan commits to zero net emissions by 2030, zero waste to landfill by 2030 and zero net operating impact to forests and habitat. Vail Resorts created a special website for its plan as well as a video that opens with Chairman and CEO Rob Katz discussing the “Epic Promise”. Be sure to visit the website and watch the video.

How does Vail Resorts intend to reach its ambitious goal? The list is too long to replicate here but I will mention some of the highlights:

Zero Net Emissions by 2030

Vail Resorts will reduce the company’s electricity and natural gas use by another 15 percent—in addition to the 19 percent already achieved—by improving operating practices and investing $25 million in innovative, energy-saving projects, such as low-energy snowmaking equipment, green building design and construction, and more efficient grooming practices and equipment.

Since 2008, Vail Resorts has implemented an aggressive plan to reduce its electricity and natural gas use and has already achieved a 19 percent reduction, after adjusting for acquisitions and new business locations.

Vail Resorts will purchase 100 percent renewable energy equivalent to Vail Resorts’ total electrical energy use and work with utilities and local, regional and national governments to bring more renewable energy to the grids where the company operates its resorts.

The company will invest in programs such as tree planting to offset the use of other types of energy (e.g., gasoline and diesel).

Zero Waste to Landfill by 2030

Vail Resorts plans to achieve its 2030 goal of “zero waste to landfill” by diverting 100 percent of the waste from its operations to more sustainable pathways. Currently at a 40 percent waste diversion rate across its entire operations, the company has set its sights on an interim target of diverting 50 percent of its waste by 2020. Vail Resorts plans to achieve this goal by improving its recycling and composting program, engaging with vendors to reduce packaging and to source recyclable and compostable products, working with local resort communities to increase options for reuse and diversion, and increasing awareness and engagement with employees and guests through signage, labeling and training.

Zero Net Operating Impact to Forests and Wildlife Habitat

To protect the mountain landscapes in which Vail Resorts operates, the company commits to minimizing or eliminating the impact of any future resort development, planting or restoring an acre of forest for every acre of forest displaced by the company’s operations, with the goal of achieving improved species and age diversity, resulting in healthier, more resilient forests. The company also intends to continue and expand Vail Resorts’ existing commitments to partner with and fund local organizations focused on the health of forests, habitat and wildlife. In 2016, for example, the company contributed more than $1 million to 50 environmental stewardship projects through direct grants, the company’s $1 guest donation initiative, and the 1% for the Forest commitment, made in partnership with the National Forest Foundation and The Nature Conservancy.

“The environment is our business, and we have a special obligation to protect it,” Katz said in a press release announcing the “Epic Promise for a Zero Footprint”.

One could argue that Vail Resorts is a smaller company than most of the major brands and thus can more easily set such lofty goals. The size of Vail Resorts is significant, however, with the company having a presence in many states and even Australia. The company has more than 30,000 employees.

A big tip of the hat to Rob Katz and Vail Resorts for setting such ambitious goals.

New Tesla Charger at Ellwanger

Rosemary Janofsky, Innkeeper at the Ellwanger Estate Bed and Breakfast wrote to tell me that her inn in Rochester, N.Y. is the first lodging in the area to offer a Tesla Destination Charger as an amenity for overnight guests. “We are a very green B&B, devoted to energy efficiency, conservation, reuse, recycling and a hypoallergenic guest environment,” says Janofsky. “Tesla’s focus on pure electric technology seems a perfect fit. We offer a full complimentary charge to our Tesla overnight guests. Just enter “TESLA” under special accommodations, when you reserve your room online.”

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