I spoke this past week with Kate Wilson, Senior Director of Sustainability at Vail Resorts. Watch for an article based on my conversation with Kate soon on Green Lodging News. One of my favorite things to do at Green Lodging News is chat with those who are leading the efforts at our industry’s largest companies to reduce waste, carbon emissions and water consumption.
For those of you not familiar with Vail Resorts, it operates 37 world-class mountain resorts and urban ski areas through its subsidiaries. It also owns and/or manages a collection of hotels under the RockResorts brand, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Co. in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Vail Resorts Development Co. is the real estate planning and development subsidiary of Vail Resorts, Inc.
Just last month, Vail Resorts released its 2019/2020 season EpicPromise Progress Report. In the report the company announced major advancement toward its Commitment to Zero goal to reach a zero net operating footprint by 2030. First, the company said it has reached its 50 percent waste diversion goal nine months ahead of schedule. “Our zero waste to landfill goal is the one most difficult to achieve,” Kate told me. “Jurisdictions have different rules.” She added that getting a banana peel to a composting location from a 10,000-foot-high mountain location is not a simple task. Kate credited Vail Resorts’ guests for contributing significantly to the reduction in waste.
Solar, Wind Power Projects
Also in the report, Chairman and CEO Robert A. Katz shared that the company had finalized a contract to provide 100 percent renewable electricity to Park City Mountain. Along with five other local partners in Utah, Vail Resorts completed a two-year journey to finalize details on development of a new 80 MW solar project 60 miles west of Salt Lake City. Once complete in late 2022, Vail Resorts will purchase enough solar electricity annually to power Park City Mountain 100 percent. This builds on the news last summer that the large-scale wind farm Vail Resorts had enabled had come online. That wind farm alone will address 90 percent of the company’s electricity usage.
It was in 2017 that the Vail Resorts team was discussing its sustainability goals. Kate told me that it was Katz who suggested the zero net operating footprint goal. Anyone familiar with Katz’s work would not have been surprised. One of the articles I first published in 2006: “Vail Resorts to Offset 100 Percent of Energy Use Through Wind Power Purchase.” That was back when the company had just five mountain resorts. Last May, Katz and his wife, Elana Amsterdam, New York Times bestselling author and founder of Elana’s Pantry, announced a donation of more than $2.5 million to provide immediate support for both Vail Resorts employees and the mountain towns where the company operates.
Behind every ambitious hotel company impact reduction plan is a leader unafraid of setting ambitious goals and more than ready to pony up dollars to help his own team and local communities. I hope you can say the same of your company’s CEO.
Once again, be sure to watch for my Personnel Profile of Kate and take the time if you can to read through Vail Resorts’ EpicPromise Progress Report.
Who is Your Sustainability Champion?
Green Lodging News is always looking to profile sustainability champions in our Personnel Profile section. If you would like to nominate someone for this section of Green Lodging News, contact me at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Looking for Guest Columnists
Every two weeks Green Lodging News posts a new guest column on its website. (Click here for examples.) The guest column also appears in the weekly e-newsletter. Green Lodging News is currently in need of industry experts to contribute occasional guest columns. Experts may include consultants, architects, designers, suppliers and those who own or operate green lodging establishments. Columns may be articles that take a stance on a particular subject or be strictly educational in nature. Columnists benefit by having their photo included along with a one paragraph description of their company. Interested in writing a column? Contact Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor, at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
Get in the Green Suppliers Spotlight!
Green Lodging News, lodging’s leading environmental news source, publishes Green Suppliers Spotlight, an e-blast to 24,692 subscribers that features the lodging industry’s leading green products and services. The e-blast features multiple vendors—unlike the current Green Supplier Spotlight that allows one supplier to “own” the Green Lodging News subscriber list for one e-blast. (Click here for a Green Suppliers Spotlight sample.)
Green Suppliers Spotlight is published weekly on Thursdays to general managers, owners, management companies, directors of sustainability, directors of engineering, facilities managers and many others who are either in purchasing positions or who influence purchasing decisions. Suppliers of green products and services throughout North America and beyond are invited to participate in the e-blast. (Minimum two suppliers per e-blast.) Green Suppliers Spotlight was created to give vendors an opportunity to reach a high number of industry purchasers at a very low cost—as low as $200 per e-mail. (Click here for rate sheet.)
Those advertising in Green Suppliers Spotlight can include up to 100 words, one image, contact information and multiple links to their website in their ad. At the end of each month, a report will be sent to each supplier with information on delivered e-mails, opens and click-throughs.
Planning Advertising for 2021?
Green Lodging News is accepting reservations for advertising spots for 2021. Many excellent spots are available on our website and in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Many Green Supplier Spotlight dates are also available. Interested in receiving a 2021 media kit? Be sure to contact me as soon as possible at (813) 510-3868, or by e-mail at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com. Media kits can also be accessed by clicking here. Thank you to all those companies that consistently support Green Lodging News.
Newsletter & Green Supplier Spotlight Circulation
The circulation of our weekly e-newsletter and Green Supplier Spotlight currently stands at 24,692. Thank you to our new subscribers for signing up. Be sure to encourage your colleagues to do the same. There are “subscribe” links on the Green Lodging News home page. You may also e-mail greenlodgingnews@gmail.com to be added to our list.
Green Lodging News & Social Media
Green Lodging News now has 1,777 Twitter followers. Thank you to all of those who follow our tweets. In addition to following us on Twitter, be sure to bookmark the Green Lodging News Blog in your browser. More importantly, participate with your comments. Green Lodging News is also on Facebook. Be sure to “Like” us there. Green Lodging News now has 981 Facebook likes.
As always, I can be reached at greenlodgingnews@gmail.com.
