Recycling is a small effort with a huge payoff.
The snow community has a vested interest in protecting the environment, especially in the control of carbon emissions that contribute to global warming - a term that strikes fear in the hearts of anyone who has ridden a glacier or enjoyed a good powder day. However, an integral aspect of our industry is the events, festivals and competitions whose environmental impact may be just as harsh as their marketing effects are beneficial.
Protect Our Winters, an organization that works towards rallying the snow community to take on environmental initiatives, focuses on ways to reduce carbon footprints while still enjoying the sport. “If helis and snow machines need to be used,” says POW Executive Director Chris Steinkamp, “then it’s critical to look in other areas closely to see where other cuts in carbon can be made.” From the snowmobiles used to tow riders to the top of the pipe to the lights illuminating late-night competitions, snow events can seem like an endless drain on resources.
A recent example of efforts made to balance environmental responsibility with cost effectiveness within the snow industry could be found at the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival held at Whistler Blackcomb. Watermark Communications, Inc., the company that runs the festival, minimizes their environmental impact whenever possible, but doesn’t claim to be running a “green” event. “I don’t believe there are many ‘green’ events,” says Sue Eckersley, President of Watermark, citing the necessary airplane and car travel required to reach the mountain and the small, over-packaged product samples handed out by sponsors. “We talk to some of the companies and suggest alternatives,” says Eckersley. “But we live in a reality that we’re competing with other events for limited resources and don’t have the luxury of demanding a higher standard.”
While not advertising it, Watermark does manage to balance economic reality with environmental choices. They actively recycle, a practice that is made easier through Whistler’s extensive recycling program and mandate. They also print materials on recycled paper with vegetable ink, an initiative that increases costs. However, they save substantial amounts of money by re-using signage year after year, replacing logos and dates instead of entire banners.
In addition to social networking for carpooling, on-site recycling, and event clean-up, POW supports minimizing an event’s carbon footprint by purchasing renewable energy. Watermark takes this approach through their work with Bullfrog Power, a Canadian-based ‘green-electricity’ provider. For every volt of power used by the Blackcomb mountain ski lifts and stage areas of the WSSF, Bullfrog injected clean, emissions-free electricity onto the British Columbia electricity grid.
Bullfrog has noticed a growing trend toward environmental awareness and sustainability throughout event organizers in B.C, especially in the snow industry. In February, they powered the Alberta World Cup cross-country ski race. “Event organizers in B.C. are taking a stand for low-impact renewable electricity,” says Theresa Howland, Vice President of the Bullfrog’s Western Region. “Their events will have a reduced impact on the environment and help to raise awareness of the choice people have to support green power for their own homes and businesses.”
The responsibility of snow events doesn’t just fall on event organizers. Their hosts, the ski resorts and the communities that run on outdoor tourism play a large role in keeping snow activities viable, both environmentally and economically. “Whistler Blackcomb has a long term vision,” says Arthur DeJong, Environmental Resource Manager at Whistler Blackcomb. “Our livelihood is based on the natural environment. The issues are fundamental to the outcome of humanity, but we’re the canary in the coalmine. We depend on snow. It’s in our best interest to take a leadership role.”
DeJong believes Whistler’s conservations systems benefit any mountain visitor, including event organizers. Whistler attributes their biggest reductions in carbon emissions and waste to recent initiatives. The Fitzsimmons Creek micro hydro renewable energy project completed this past season is expected to produce an amount of renewable energy equal to that consumed by the ski resort. A focus on re-usable materials, recycling and composting has reduced waste 60% in the past ten years. “Any event here has to recycle,” says DeJong, “simply because it is integrated into our waste management system.”
Steinkamp believes events also have a responsibility of reaching out to an audience who is focused on enjoying snow sports. “There’s an incredible opportunity to engage and influence a large number of people over a week’s time,” says Steinkamp. He believes this attitude should be extended to all sponsors involved in any given event. Bullfrog took the opportunity of the WSSF to promote their renewable energy practices with an informational tent on Whistler’s Village Stroll.
Eckersley admits to giving a preference to environmentally conscious sponsors at Watermark events. “We would support some sponsors because of their environmental practices through lesser sponsorship fees if the cost of sponsorship provide a barrier for them to participating,” says Eckersley. She believes that each sponsor’s actions impact the perception of the Festival.
Events like the Ride Shakedown have a huge footprint.
“I think we have the responsibility to be as environmental as is feasible, but I believe that is everyone’s responsibility irrespective of where their ‘industry’ exists,” says Eckersley. “We try to suggest things to partners and we try to challenge ourselves to be better, but it has to be genuine – hypocrisy doesn’t wash with our demographic or our philosophy.”
Her view resonates with the mission that POW has undertaken. “We’re one winter sports community,” says Steinkamp. “While events do have a large footprint there are many things that can be done to mitigate the impact, while leveraging the event to galvanize the community to take better care of our mountains.”
Story by Transworld Business
1 comment:
Great post.
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