What sierra™ Resort is doing

Protecting the environment is a year-round job at Sierra-at-Tahoe® Resort

The ski and snowboard industry is more than recreation.  It is an institution built on the premise of preservation, conservation and protection of the environment.  Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort takes this responsibility very seriously.  From day-to-day operations to long term planning, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort’s commitment to the environment is evident around every turn.

Employees at Sierra Resort have created PROJECT: GREEN SIERRA in order to bring the resort’s myriad eco-friendly initiatives under one umbrella and create synergies between the many departments.  PROJECT: GREEN SIERRA encompasses resort-wide efforts on behalf on the environment, both new and established, and looks to the National Ski Areas Association Sustainable Slopes Environmental Charter for guidance.

New for 2009-2010, Sierra Resort will be introducing Nature's Bottles, a recyclable and compostable water bottle made from plants. The bottles are made from PLA plastic which is more sustainable and less carbon intensive that conventional petroleum-based plastic. Some facts about Nature's Bottles:

• 75% less fossil fuel used in manufacturing
• 49% less greenhouse gas emissions in production
• Recyclable and Compostable
• Cradle-to-Cradle production strategy

We will also be increasing the number of restaurants that serve food in the reusable black baskets that we introduced last season. In 2008-2009, we were able to eliminate the use of more than 200,000 disposable plates by switching to the baskets. So when you order lunch this season, don't throw away your basket!

Highlights of our year-round commitment to protecting the environment:

Construction/Operations

• We used recycled material to rebuild a roof-top deck above our main lodge during the summer of 2007 and above Grandview Lodge during the summer of 2008.
• We replaced carpet in the main lodge with a carpet that is 25% recycled and has a 100% recycled backing. The new carpet has a Cradle-to-Cradle certification.
• We employ an eco-friendly cleaning service each summer to clean all employee uniforms.
• Waste water from the Vehicle Maintenance shop is sent through a 3-stage cleaning process with an activated carbon filter prior to leaving the shop.
• No chlorinated solvents are used at the resort.
• We have changed out all the light bulbs at the resort to CFL and LED bulbs.
• We maintain a policy of no idling in company vehicles and request that our guests do the same.

Waste Management

• We recycle everything from our offices as well as our operations, including paper, ink and toner cartridges, motor oil, cardboard, glass, plastic, etc.
• Vertical Plus™ members are given 10,000 vertical feet for switching to electronic statements.
• We use bulk dispensers for condiments in our restaurants and for soap and paper towels in our bathrooms to minimize packaging waste.
• We have switched from paper paychecks for employees to paycards, eliminating the use of more than 2,000 pieces of paper per month.
• We purchase 100% eco-friendly disposable products for our restaurants, which recycle at a rate of 1:1.

Transportation

• We offer complimentary daily shuttles to both guests and employees to reduce vehicle trips to the resort. 
• We offer guests the opportunity to offset their trip to Sierra Resort by purchasing green tags through the Bonneville Environmental Foundation or by donating to the National Forest Foundation .
• Guests who drive hybrid vehicles to Sierra Resort can park for free. In 08-09, 610 hybrid vehicles parked in Preferred Parking for free.
• We offer carpooling resources on our web site so guests can find other guests and share a ride to the mountain.

Education and Outreach

• We are working with local school and community groups to continuously develop relevant programs for local children.
• Our Children’s Ski School focuses its programs on environmental education.  We have won awards from NSAA for these programs.
• In the spring of 2008, we sponsored a number of E-waste collection events that gathered thousands of pounds of electronic waste for recycling.
• During the 08-09 season, we worked with Aveda™ to recycle plastic bottle tops, gathering 17 33-gallon trash bags full of plastic bottle tops for recycling.

Sierra Resort Wins the 2006 Silver Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence

The Golden Eagle Awards for Environmental Excellence were established in 1993 to recognize the environmental achievements of ski areas.  Sierra  Resort won the Silver Eagle Award for Environmental Excellence based on the creation of four on-mountain adventure zones that were designed to educate children on local history and ecology.  More...

“Those of us who live and work here take our responsibility to care for the mountain environment very seriously—not because we have to, but because we are all environmentalists at heart,” said General Manager John Rice. “It takes a strong commitment to maintain balance when our forest is used for recreation. By ensuring that sound environmental practices are followed wherever possible in our operations, we deliver on that commitment.”

What You can Do to Help Our Environment