A summary list of the company's environmental accomplishments — Aspen Skiing Company:

• Committed to the first significant purchase of renewable energy certificates in the ski industry;
• Established largest solar photovoltaic system in ski industry;  
• Became the first ski resort in the United States to be certified to the ISO 14001 standard;
• Established the first ski-resort supported Environment Foundation (over$1 million given to local enviro causes);
• Built one of the first 11 LEED certified buildings in the world; then a second, (LEED Silver) nowworking on a third
• Became the first ski resort to join the Chicago Climate Exchange;
• Developed the ski industry's first climate policy;
• Launched the first climate change education campaign in the ski industry;
• Became the first ski resort to fuel all of its snowcats with biodiesel;
• Built a small hydro-electric plant to power a portion of its operations; and
• Received numerous awards recognizing its environmental commitment.  

A bit of detail on each of these accomplishments:

Wind Power: In June of 2006 ASC began purchasing renewable energy certificates from wind farms. Combining this new purchase with pre-existing commitments to buy Colorado-created wind power, ASC's purchases renewable energy credits equivalent to close to 100% of it electricity use.  Starting in 1997, ASC pioneered ski industry purchases of wind power, when it ran the Cirque lift on 100% wind power. Since 1997, ASC has continually increased renewable energy purchases. Now we're exploring actual investment in wind farms.

Solar Power: The 2.3 kilowatt array is part of Aspen Highlands patrol headquarters at the top of the Loge lift. The system provides enough energy annually to run an average home for half a year. In the summer, when the building isn't occupied, the system runs the electric meter backwards, creating a credit for the following year. ASC also developed a 10.5 kW system atop an employee housing facility it owns (Thunder River Lodge in Carbondale) and in the summer of 2008 will complete a 150 kW utility scale solar array on a half acre of land  in Carbondale, in collaboration with the Colorado Rocky Mountain School, the town of Carbondale, Xcel Energy, and the Community Office for Resource Efficiency.

ISO 14001:  In 2004, ASC became the first ski resort in the United States to achieve ISO 14001 certification — the most widely known and respected third-party certification, which demonstrates responsible management of environmental effects. One requirement is that all employees be involved in a company's environmental management program. ASC calls its program Greentrack, for which every employee receives education. The Greentrack website provides employees with environmental information on every aspect of the company's operations.

Environment Foundation:  Over half the company's employees are members of the Environment Foundation. Through the foundation, they donate a dollar (or more) per week from their paycheck, which is matched by ASC and again by the Aspen Community Foundation. All funds — over $1.1  million in eight years — support environmental projects in the communities in which employees live, well beyond Aspen. The board of directors of this independent nonprofit is entirely comprised of employees. Recently, other resorts, Arapahoe Basin and Steamboat, established similar foundations.

LEED Certification: ASC developed the first set of green building guidelines in the ski industry. It participated in the creation of the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Program (LEED) (www.usgbc.org). It built one of the first 11 LEED certified buildings in the world—the Sundeck Restaurant on Aspen Mountain, then built a second, the Snowmass Golf Clubhouse, which received a ranking of LEED Silver. Many other new buildings are now green as well: the patrol headquarters at Highlands features passive solar design, mostly recycled interior floors, cabinets, and furnishings, and the largest solar photovoltaic system in the ski industry.

Climate Policy: As the first and only ski resort to join the Chicago Climate Exchange, ASC committed itself to legally binding annual reductions in its CO2 emissions. In 2001, ASC adopted a climate change policy that commits the company's to proactively build green, improve energy efficiency, support mass transport, account for emissions annually, and reduce 2010 emissions to 1999 levels.

Save Snow Campaign: Launched in the fall of 2006, the Save Snow campaign featured a series three full page ads that ran as part of Aspen Skiing Company's winter advertising campaign. These ads are an integral part of ASC's overall marketing strategy and reflect ten years of environmental commitment. These ads are designed to spur debate, discussion and ultimately action by anyone who sees them. ASC's goal with this campaign is to create heightened awareness of Global Climate Change, to provide information and to encourage people to act. To this end, ASC created a new information resource, www.savesnow.com.

Biodiesel:   In the 2004/05 ski season ASC used 50,000 gallons of pure biodiesel.  All of ASC's snowcats run on B20 biodiesel, a mixture comprised of 20% biodiesel and 80% conventional diesel.  Biodiesel reduces black tailpipe smoke and, because of its higher lubricity, enables snowcats to run more smoothly, extending the life of mechanical components. B20 biodiesel cuts hydrocarbon emissions by 20%, and carbon monoxide and particulate emissions by 10%.  As of 2008, ASC will be phasing out the biodisel becuase new clean diesel standards in the US have finally kicked in.

Micro Hydro: To further reduce its CO2 emissions ASC developed a 115 KW micro-hydroelectric plant on Snowmass Mountain.  Using water from a snowmaking pond, it generates 150,000 kWh annually, enough to power 25 homes while preventing the emission of half a million pounds of carbon dioxide. We have more systems planned.