DENVER—National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received the National Park Service (NPS) 2006 Environmental Achievement Award for its performance at the Zion Lodge in Zion National Park. The NPS Environmental Achievement Award recognizes superior accomplishments in environmental stewardship.
Zion Lodge also received the award in 2004. Xanterra also has received National Park Service Environmental Achievement Awards for environmental stewardship at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park, Yellowstone National Park and Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The 2006 award was presented by Fran Mainella, director of the National Park Service.
“Xanterra at Zion Lodge has made significant contributions to sustainable activities at Zion National Park by decreasing fossil fuel consumption, using renewable energy, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, eliminating waste, recycling and producing green products.”
Over the past five years, Zion Lodge has increased its renewable energy to 43 percent of total electrical use by purchasing 667,000 kWh of wind-generated power and installing a solar photovoltaic system that generates up to 30,000 kWh of electricity annually. In addition, the company installed controls and occupancy sensors in all 122 guestrooms to automatically control room temperatures to predetermined set-points. The controls save an estimated 40 percent of the energy used for heating and cooling. Additionally, the company converted most light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs, saving 70 percent more electricity than an incandescent bulb for each lamp.
The lodge estimates that its programs have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1.7 million pounds. Other environmental initiatives at Zion Lodge include:
• Conversion of an old diesel fuel-fired boiler to an energy efficient propane-fired system.
• Replacing vehicles with one hybrid electric vehicle and two small fuel-efficient cars.
• Purchasing two electric maintenance carts and converting two gasoline carts to propane.
• Recycling more than 140,000 pounds of waste annually.
• Reducing water use by 2.5 million gallons by serving water only on request in the dining room, installing low-flow bathroom fixtures and using water-saving landscaping techniques.
• Serving sustainable cuisine including Marine Stewardship Council-certified seafood; and organic beef, pasta, greens and coffee.
“We are incredibly proud that the National Park Service has once again presented us with the Environmental Achievement Award,” says Chris Lane, senior director of environmental affairs. “At all of our locations, we try very hard to reduce our impact on the environment, and I think we have been particularly successful at Zion Lodge. The employees at Zion Lodge are dedicated to continuing to improve our environmental stewardship at this incredible national park, and this award is a testament to their commitment, creativity and dedication.”
Go to Xanterra Parks & Resorts.
