2009 GOLDEN EAGLE AWARD WINNER

Grand Targhee, Grand Goals

We are very proud (not to mention ‘super stoked’) to recognize Grand Targhee Resort with the 2009 Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence by a ski resort. The award hails Wyoming-based Grand Targhee for its aggressive greenhouse gas reduction program. Greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) are considered the leading cause of global warming.

In their own words, “Grand Targhee Resort (GTR) is committed to the community, the environment, and the future. The Resort strives to be responsible to the local and global communities of people and nature that make it so unique. Just as these communities help the Resort thrive, GTR recognizes the need and responsibility to play an active role in ensuring their long-term health and vitality … (while) the ski industry alone cannot successfully mitigate climate change…the Industry does reach 50M people a year. That is a big splash, with an even bigger ripple.

Implementing changes to immediately mitigate their environmental footprint was a huge first step, however Grand Targhee Resort has put equal import and resource behind the further education of staff, guests, and local community on all manner of footprint reduction, hoping to extend said ‘ripple for positive change’ far into the future.

Here are just a few of the impressive environmental actions that landed Grand Targhee Resort this year’s Golden Eagle honor:

• GTR joined The Climate Registry (TCR), the leading Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory regulator for North America. GTR is the first business in the travel/leisure sector to become a Founding Member.

• Trained 50% (180 employees, 2008) on climate change, GHG emissions & inventory, The Climate Registry process, and mitigation. Trained 100% of employees for 2009 season.

• Became first ski area to partner with Protect Our Winters (POW), a non-profit organization dedicated to awareness and mitigation of climate change through uniting the winter sports community.

• Created resort-wide ‘no-idling policy.’ Required bus groups to sign a copy of the policy. Reduced GTR transit & shuttle fuel consumption by 780 gallons, or 15,260 lbs. CO2/year.

• Educated 10,000 guests on climate change through events, signage, e-newsletters, and events.

• Reduced average daily trips to the Resort by 20% by providing mass transit system. Saved 54,000 vehicle miles, or 78,923 lbs. CO2/year.

• Reduced grooming operations by 1 CAT/shift, reducing off-road diesel fuel use by 10%, or 151,613 lbs. CO2/year.

• Total CO2 equivalent saved: 166 Metric Tons of CO2 equivalent or 5% of 2007 total.

Again, congratulations to Grand Targhee Resort! Thanks for stepping up in a big way.