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Ski resorts across the west improved environmental ratings for the fourth year in a row during the recession according to the 2010/2011 Ski Area Environmental Report Card, released each year by the Ski Area Citizens Coalition. The 82 ski resorts scattered throughout the West saw an average improvement of 2% in their overall scores. Rating improvement trends resulted from resorts investing in water and energy efficiency projects and for not proposing or implementing terrain expansions into sensitive lands.
Crested Butte Mountain Resort ranked 6th in the State of Colorado, earning an A in “protecting and preserving watersheds” and “water conservation”. The resort received a “B” grade for “habitat restoration.
View Crested Butte Mountain Resort’s Report Card Here
“Though there are some outliers, as a whole we’re happy to see that resorts appear to be taking their environmental performance and practices more seriously,” said Norma Ryan of Ski Area Citizens. “Of 82 ski areas evaluated, only Taos New Mexico made an environmental face plant, and 26 areas received an overall grade of “B” or better. That speaks well for future of the industry.”
The Ski Area Citizens Coalition is comprised of conservation groups around the west, including Colorado Wild and the Sierra Nevada Alliance. The Full Report Card for all 82 resorts and more details can be found at www.skiareacitizens.com.
The Ski Area Citizens Coalition (SACC) has been publishing the Ski Area Report Card for the past 10 years. The Report Card evaluates the environmental policies and practices of ski areas based on a system of 40 criteria. The criteria to evaluate performance includes grading ski areas on their preservation of sensitive lands within the ski resort areas and their actions related to water conservation and quality, and commitment to green programs such as recycling and energy efficiency.