More and more companies and individuals are working on SDGs and sustainability in response to climate change. For people who play or work outdoors, maintaining the natural environment is a major issue that directly affects their happiness in life. Vail Resort in Colorado, USA, is implementing sustainability initiatives with astonishing scale and passion to protect the fields they love, and has achieved great success. What exactly is going on at Vail? Let's take a closer look
Vail Resort's presence
Vail Resort is located in the beautiful natural surroundings of the mountains of Colorado, USA, where you can enjoy a variety of outdoor sports throughout the year. Among the countless resorts in the world, Vail Resort is ranked among the highest in quality, and has repeatedly won prizes at the World Ski Awards, the most prestigious awards in the global ski tourism industry
Vail, the envy of skiers around the world and even said to be the epicenter of ski culture, is an opinion leader among snow resorts around the world. The group owns an incredible 41 resorts in North America. In that sense, it is no exaggeration to say that resorts around the world are always paying close attention to the actions and messages Vail takes and that its success is a good example to emulate
The road to zero
Vail Resorts has made a "Commitment to Zero" and set three goals for environmental protection in 2017
These efforts to achieve zero emissions are set out as a clear guideline known as the "Epic Promise." Not only as a company, but each and every employee and resort management staff member is carrying out this Epic Promise with unimaginable passion and strong commitment
Zero CO2 emissions by 2030"
2. " Zero landfill by 2030"
3. "Zero impact on forests and wildlife habitats"
Imagine how daunting these three goals are. Aiming for "zero CO2 emissions " is a goal that society and companies are currently promoting within the SDGs movement, and you'll hear it often in Japan as well. However, seriously setting goals like "zero landfill" and "zero impact on forests and wildlife habitats" is, in a sense, an insane scale.
However, Vail Resort is sane and serious about achieving these lofty goals. To achieve this goal of "zero carbon emissions by 2030 , " Vail Resort is actually implementing the following initiatives:
A 15% reduction in electricity and natural gas usage, building on an existing 19% reduction, through a review of resort operations and investments in innovative energy conservation projects such as energy-efficient snowmaking machines, environmentally friendly buildings, and energy-efficient snow packing
; Purchasing 100% renewable energy
; Investing in programs such as tree planting to offset the CO2 emissions associated with the use of energy sources such as gasoline and diesel.
There is no other resort like this anywhere in the world, and the tree-planting program in particular is perhaps a symbol of Vail Resorts' commitment to the environment
Local energy and CO2 emissions
Vail Resorts invests in lighting, refrigeration, and snowmaking technology to reduce its environmental impact through carbon emissions. Recent investments in snowmaking technology include a $500,000 snow groomer that will save 1.2 million kWh of electricity annually , automated snowmaking at Vail Resorts' Golden Peak and Simbalan resorts, and new artificial snow machines.
*1kWh is a unit of measurement for the amount of electricity used, and is the amount of electricity (electricity) used when 1kW (1,000W) of electricity is used for one hour
Additionally, facilities in areas such as Game Creek, Midvale, and Golden Peak have partnered with local power company Holy Cross Energy to install LED and other energy-efficient lighting
Additionally, Vail Resort partnered with a local refrigeration company to install seven outdoor-air-powered refrigeration units in its on-slope restaurants. These systems have reduced the energy consumption of walk-in refrigerators (huge, prefabricated refrigerators that you can walk into) by up to 97%, helping to reduce the amount of electricity needed. Additionally, Vail Resort is working with FridgeWise, another Colorado company, to replace the cooling fans and motors in its walk-in refrigerators, aiming to further reduce energy consumption
Even more impressive, Vail Resort also has two on-site solar farms, which have generated over 70,000 kWh of electricity and prevented over 120,000 pounds of CO2 emissions .
Zero landfill by 2030
To achieve this goal, we aim to redirect 100% of the waste generated by our operations to more sustainable uses
Improved recycling and composting programs
; Working with suppliers to reduce packaging and source recyclable and compostable products
; Working with local communities to increase reuse and alternative disposal options
; Improving employee and guest awareness through labeling, labeling, and in-house training.
Full-time staff dedicated to waste management operations
To achieve its goal of "zero waste by 2030 through recycling, composting, and landfill diversion," Vail Resort has created four full-time winter waste positions—another innovative initiative not often seen at resorts. The waste
diversion team is responsible for shipping 150 tons of cardboard, 90 tons of scrap metal, 14 tons of compost, 250 tons of non-compound waste, 7,000 gallons of vegetable oil, and multiple truckloads of recyclable materials to various suppliers and carriers for reuse. Considering a pickup truck typically carries two tons, this is a staggering amount.
And what's amazing is that the team patrols everywhere from the lift ticket counters to the summit, always on the lookout, looking for creative ways to recycle everything from lift tickets and granola bar wrappers to office memory cards and even coffee beans
Composting is commonplace, and there are also ideas for reducing heavy metal waste
Composting stations have been set up at Midvale, operated by Vail Resort, and behind many of the resort's restaurants. Composting is the process of fermenting and decomposing organic matter such as food waste and fallen leaves using the power of microorganisms to create compost. The resort has been composting the large amount of food waste generated daily as part of its operations since 2008, and the composting facility has been in operation since 2018
They also have a unique method: once every two years, they donate electronic devices and other items that are no longer needed at the resort to employees free of charge. This prevents heavy metals from ending up in landfills and reduces CO2 emissions by eliminating the need to transport waste . They say they have succeeded in reducing waste by more than 5,000 pounds (about 2,300 kg) each time.
Zero impact on forests and wildlife habitats
Vail Resort is committed to these efforts to preserve the natural environment essential to resort operations
●Minimize the environmental impact of resort development
. ●Plant trees to replace forests lost during development and operation.
●Continue and expand support and cooperation with organizations that protect local forests and wildlife.
As an example of how each employee can contribute to this commitment, the group holds a community volunteer week each fall, during which approximately 300 employees volunteer at businesses in Vail and the Beaver Creek area in mid-September
The company also has an "Epic Volunteer Employee Program," which allows employees to take paid time off to participate in volunteer activities for 40 hours a year. Employees can use this time to participate in any volunteer project around the world. While many employees choose to volunteer locally, some also travel to other parts of the world, such as Nepal, Mexico, Patagonia, and the Dominican Republic
We asked Plack a local
"If the goal isn't big enough that you don't know how to achieve it, then it's not a big enough goal to solve the environmental problems."
John Plack, Communications Manager at Vail Resort
We also spoke to John Plack, Communications Manager at Vail Resorts, for more details
-How did you set your current sustainability goals?
John: Our current "Commitment to Zero" was announced in 2017. Our Senior Sustainability Director, Kate Wilson, took the approach that "if a goal is so big that we don't know how to achieve it, it's not big enough to solve environmental problems."
As a wilderness-based company, we have an obligation to protect the incredible environments where we live, work, and play. We have made great progress toward achieving our goal of zero environmental impact from resort operations (zero carbon emissions, zero landfills, and zero habitat impacts) by 2030. Vail Resorts currently owns and operates 41 resorts, so our "Commitment to Zero" represents an opportunity for one resort company to make a significant contribution to environmental conservation.
-What are the results of your efforts so far? How do your employees view them?
John: All of our employees are deeply involved in sustainability efforts. We've had great success at all of our resorts, including here at Vail Mountain. We haven't finalized our next progress report yet, but as of last year, we had achieved 85% renewable energy for the electricity consumed at our 34 resorts in North America
You can see last year's progress report at this link ( http://epicpromise.com/media/2275/epic-promise-progress-report-2021_final-1.pdf
At Vail Mountain, we're especially proud of the progress we've made in snowmaking efficiency. Our new snow guns (SMI Super PoleCat and HKD Phazer towers) are customized for our locations at Vail Mountain and are among the most energy efficient in the industry
This reduces the energy used to make snow in Vail by 85 percent, equivalent to the energy required to power 73 average American homes and the carbon footprint of 126 standard cars. 75 percent of the water used to make snow is not consumed but instead returned to nearby watersheds.
-What are you struggling with in your current endeavors?
John: We have resorts in 15 states across the United States, some at elevations over 10,000 feet (approximately 3,048 meters), so I think zero landfill is the most difficult of our "zero commitments" to achieve. To achieve this goal, we prioritize not producing waste in the first place, reducing the amount of waste we have to separate, transport, and process
We work with our partners and suppliers to reduce and divert as much waste as possible, and what we can't reduce, we reuse, compost, and recycle to keep it out of landfills. All of our resorts, including Vail Mountain, are working to solve environmental problems in unique and innovative ways, and we believe that collaboration between resorts (sharing solutions and discoveries) is key to solving them
We're getting really close to our goal! For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to temporarily switch to disposable products for the safety of our guests and employees, but in the 2020-21 season, we recycled 9.8 million tons of waste (about 490 light truck loads), reducing waste by 483 tons compared to the previous season. We couldn't have gotten this far without our guests and our amazing team
-How did the position of Environmental Lead come about? What exactly does it involve?
John: Our company understands that achieving our sustainability goals won't happen overnight, so we've created new roles within the company and resorts, such as Environmental Leaders, to bring this initiative to life. From setting goals and tracking progress to implementing plans and driving innovation, these roles are responsible for ensuring all resorts are making progress toward achieving our sustainability goals
At Vail Mountain, they're integral in implementing new energy-efficiency programs and developing waste-diversion technologies. For example, environmental leaders oversee how waste is manually sorted on the mountain and transported via Vail's unique gondola system, unique in the world, to an underground recycling center. There, they focus on proper waste sorting through a network of partner organizations that upcycle and divert more waste each year
-How do employees individually address environmental issues?
John: Our employees are incredibly passionate about the environment. They love the outdoors and our beautiful mountain environment. From picking up trash on the mountain to sorting it at work, they're committed to achieving our sustainability goals
-How do you raise guests' awareness of environmental issues?
John: We reach out to our guests using all kinds of communication tools, including social media, blogs, and publishing progress reports. We also have a system in place that allows customers to donate to forest conservation organizations when they purchase products or services, similar to the National Forest Foundation's Skier Conservation Fund
But one thing worth noting is that we don't have many trash cans in areas where people eat. We ask that guests hand over their trash to the staff as much as possible so that they can see how it is sorted. We're often asked, "Where are the trash cans?" and accepting trash directly from guests is part of our service, but it also gives guests an opportunity to see our sustainability efforts in action
- Do you hand your trash over to staff? Is receiving trash part of the service?
John: Yes. I hope that people can see how serious we are. A goal that is so big that we don't know how to achieve it can only be achieved with the help and passion of everyone
Teaming up with guests and the local community
Vail Resort not only works with its own resort, but also with the city of Vail and the surrounding area to carry out a variety of large-scale activities. For example, each year, the resort donates a total of over $8.6 million (approximately 1.245 billion yen at 1 dollar = 140 yen) to over 250 NPO partners who are working to conserve the environment in mountainous areas around the country
Guests visiting Vail Resort are also eager to support these efforts. As of 2016, voluntary donations made by guests to forest conservation organizations when purchasing products and services within the resort exceeded $1 million (approximately 140 million yen at $1 = 140 yen). This is what makes Vail Resort so great. By supporting Vail Resort, guests are highly aware that they are also playing a part in environmental conservation efforts. They are proud to be guests of Vail Resort
You may also see donation boxes on the tables of restaurants on the slopes or next to cash registers at Japanese ski resorts. However, it's unlikely anyone would put a 10,000 yen bill in there. The exceptional level of awareness among guests is surely the result of Vail Resort's passionate commitment to sustainability. With the best management and the best visitors, Vail Resort is truly the world's top resort in both name and reality
"We are committed to protecting the wonderful environment in which we live, work, and play."
When considering the future of resorts and their individual roles in the carbon-neutral era, there is certainly much to learn from Vail Resorts.
Photo provided by Vail Resort.
Interview & Translation by Suisei Nakagawa.