Sterling Planet Teams Up with Sports and Social Change to Lower Environmental Impacts of Sporting Events

Winner of the 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Green Power Supplier of the Year Award, Sterling Planet is a sustainability pioneer and innovative supplier of renewable energy, energy efficiency and low-carbon solutions, and has become a key player in driving sustainability and responsible energy usage in the sports business through relationships with the NHL, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Kroenke Sports Enterprises (Pepsi Center/Denver Nuggets) and Beyond Sport.

Sports and Social Change is partnering with Sterling Planet to offer their carbon neutral solutions to Action Sports event organizers for all types of snowboarding, skiing, skateboarding, surfing, motocross and BMX races and contests, as well as Endurance Racing events including marathons, 5K/10K races, triathlons, cycling and mountain biking events. They believe their combined efforts will help the sports industry run events, tournaments and races that have a big impact on society and very small impact on the environment. 

To learn more about how clean energy solutions and carbon offsets can shrink a sports event's carbon footprint and benefit the environment, please contact Howard Brodwin via email at howard@sportsandsocialchange.org or phone (323) 841-2267.

About Sports and Social Change

At Sports and Social Change we see sports as a dynamic platform to unite a broad range of disparate audiences and focus their time, energy and resources to address critical social issues. Our mission is to provide access to information, resources and opportunities for those seeking connections with social change and cause-related organizations around the world that utilize sports as the primary vehicle to empower change.

Sports and Social Change is committed to providing the sports industry with socially responsible business solutions that positively impact the planet, the sports community and the bottom line. We hold a unique position within the global sports community, with the power to channel the industry's talent and resources to tackle some of the planet's most significant social issues through innovative cause marketing campaigns, corporate social responsibility initiatives, brand & nonprofit partnerships, and empowerment on social enterprise models in sports business. 

http://www.SportsandSocialChange.org 

About Sterling Planet 

Sterling Planet in the nation’s leading retail provider of renewable energy certificates (RECs) in both voluntary and compliance markets and is the only provider of a comprehensive portfolio of carbon-reduction assets – RECs, carbon offsets and innovative White Tags® energy efficiency certificates. Recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the 2012 Green Power Supplier of the Year, Sterling Planet delivers more than 5 billion REC kilowatt-hours annually to members of the voluntary EPA Green Power Partnership, including the top three purchasers. In compliance markets, Sterling Planet is a leading supplier to government agencies and has partnered with 169 utilities nationwide. 

http://www.sterlingplanet.com

Bond Outerwear - Recycled PET & Carbon Neutral

If you aren't familiar with Bond Outerwear you should visit their site and check out their products as they are one of the most progressive if not the most progressive snowboard outerwear companies in terms of sustainability. All of their outer shells and inner liners utilize a blend of recycled PET (made from plastic bottles and containers), and virgin polyester that is completely recyclable. Both are materials that have been used before and can be used again for years to come. All snaps, zipper pulls, and buttons are made from discarded plastic pellets from heavy industry. Bond offsets all their carbon usage for everything from their office power to shipping through Carbonfund.org, and ship directly from their suppliers to their retailers which reduces and saves on fuel usage and unnecessary packaging waste. Bond holds their entire collection to high standards and work everyday to find new ways to innovate and make the most environmentally considered snowboard outerwear on the market.

Hudson Jacket - Sea Spray

SGT's carbon offset program - solar kitchens

Click HERE for Video

Skiers and riders from around the world have come to rely on South America Snow Sessions for satisfying their summer backcountry fix. As the powder-hungry probably know by now, emissions from engines of all sorts, including planes, are stacking up as the number one threat to cold and consistent winters around the world. Now, with a carbon offset program in partnership with Wulcon Energy and the Ecoandina Foundation, the climate-conscious can choose to make sure their travel to and from Argentina isn't just pumping more CO2 into the atmosphere.

"We took an inventory and saw that about 85 percent of the carbon footprint of our trip to Argentina was caused by the flights," says SGT (SASS Global Travel) Sustainability Consultant Ryan Dunfee. "So retrofitting windows or some other project at our Bariloche compound really didn't seem to have as much of a net impact as focusing on the flight emissions."

Courtesy of SASS

This is a solar kitchen.

Companies hoping to offset the impact of their operations typically partner with a carbon offset provider. The money from purchasing carbon offsets is invested into projects that should prevent more carbon from being released into the atmosphere, such as renewable energy like solar and wind. It sounds like a one-to-one erasure of a companies' impact, but problems arise when an offset provider deals in projects that have already been fully funded, or don't ever come to fruition

In SGT's case, Dunfee wanted to tackle the large impact of client and coach plane travel, and make sure their offsets were put to work locally. Dunfee connected with Martin Wainstein of Wulcon Energy, one of Argentina's first sustainability consultancies. Funded by SGT coaches and clients, Wainstein completed their first carbon offset project this past summer, installing two solar kitchens and a energy efficient stoves for rural high-desert villages.

"When he offered the idea of funding a self-contained local offset project, not just contribute cash to some huge wind farm, it was really attractive," says Dunfee. "Plus these solar kitchens and the heat-efficient stoves help these communities on a social level, even more than the reduction in CO2 emissions."

Courtesy of SASS

This is how a solar kitchen works.

Replacing conventional cooking stoves fueled by shrub wood, and providing high-efficiency heating stoves that reduce the amount of firewood needed, the project will offset "150 tons of CO2 over the next 20 years." That's equivalent to 30 round trip flights from Boston to Argentina, according to Dunfee. As he mentions, the project offers a great side-benefit: freeing up the villagers from the time-consuming labor of gathering fuel wood.

"You have young kids who are in school, and villagers who are trying to scrap out a living in a very rugged landscape, and all of a sudden they now have a few more hours in their day to do something productive instead of looking for firewood," says Dunfee.

No doubt getting to South America to score some August backcountry lines is a good investment. But, as Weinstein notes, an even more important one is making sure that climate change doesn't win -- and a great place to start is taking on the impact of travel when skiers and riders head out to play.

"We spoil ourselves and get to travel the world and use up all these resources that it has to offer without giving anything back," says Randall Stacy, a Rome am rider and SGT guide intern who offset his flight to Argentina through the project. "I realized that donating solar ovens to these people would be a small change in our lives and an enormous change for them. Then again, that gets me thinking: if a small change for me did so much for them, what would happen if we all made big changes in our lives to help the world?"

Story by Jesse Huffman, ESPN

Traveling to shred this summer? Offset your trip!

If you're traveling to shred this summer consider offsetting your trip(s) with renewable energy purchases, like those from Carbonfund.org or Terrapass.com. Although there's still some controversy over carbon offsets--the funds still go to an invaluable service: supporting and developing alternative energy sources. The very alternative energy sources that we'll need to see more of, if we hope to continue riding into the 2100s!

Interesting op-ed on how carbon markets are taking off in Europe

JULY 6TH, 2011 BY NICK NIGRO, Txchnologist

• At a time when many are adopting the narrative that carbon markets are faltering, the European Union (EU) is aggressively pursuing the expansion of theirs to include aviation. One of only two mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) cap-and-trade systems in the world, the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) plans to fold in a new sector beginning in January 2012. Our research shows reducing GHG emissions from aviation is critical if we are to mitigate the impacts of global climate change. Low-carbon fuel technology and other technologies for airplanes are advancing at a rapid clip, but we need a climate policy – either a price on carbon or something else – to get over the hump.

Although there are many opportunities to reduce aviation’s impact on global climate change available now,experts expect GHG emissions from aviation to grow by up to 300 percent by 2050 if left unchecked. Action in the areas of advanced biofuels, airplane navigation and landing systems, and engine and airframe efficiency could help considerably.  However, because of market failures, many new technologies may not succeed without public policy.

The point of market-oriented regulations like the EU ETS is to help push that new technology into the market without deciding technological winners. That appears to be exactly what’s happening with aviation in Europe. Low-carbon fuel technology along with more advanced engine and aircraft designs are beginning to enter the market just as new regulations are about to take effect. For example, European airlines including KLM and Lufthansa are beginning to fuel some of their planes with advanced biofuel-petroleum blends.

The EU’s view is that equally pricing the carbon emitted from airplanes flying into and out of European airports is fair and reasonable. And to that end, countries like the United States and China could look at this as one more additional cost to doing business in Europe and support the plan. They don’t. Their concerns include the legality of the program, the fairness of European-specific action, and the economic impact on the aviation industry.

The EU deserves credit for being a first-mover on this issue.

Both countries claim the move is illegal and an act of “extraterritorial jurisdiction” or ETJ. ETJ is an arcane legal term that essentially means a country is trying to exercise authority beyond its borders. U.S. airlines filed a lawsuit in 2009 with the European Court of Justice challenging the legality of the EU plan. The airlines are also concerned that their tight profit margins will be squeezed further, which could lead to even more fees. The International Air Transport Association estimated the program would increase the annual cost to Europe’s airline industry by 1 billion Euros while their profit for 2011 is expected to be less than half that. It’s unclear how much of the additional cost could be passed on to consumers.

Though the U.S. government is not a party in the case, it also believes the program violates international treaties. The U.S. government has officially come out against including U.S. airlines in the EU plan saying the intentions are good, but the method is wrong. Since aviation is a global industry and climate change is a worldwide problem, the US argued it’s sensible to want an international agreement instead of a patchwork solution that may be unfair. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has been working on such an agreement for many years.

Meanwhile, China is taking a retaliatory approach by putting the brakes on a major deal with Airbus, blaming the current “political environment.” Using a $4 billion deal as a bargaining chip is certainly an aggressive move by the Chinese. China also makes the claim that the EU program is illegal.

If the EU plan is legally upheld, the U.S. and China could meet its requirements if domestic measures are taken that result in equivalent GHG emission reductions. The purchase of fuel-efficient planes like Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner could reduce emissions and save airlines money in the long run. In addition, biofuels and other alternative fuels can act as a hedge against unstable oil prices, which have seen significant volatility in the last decade. In fact, seven U.S. airlines intend to start fueling some U.S.-based flights with biofuels. Finally, the U.S. military is leading the way in establishing a market for biofuels in aviation.

There are lots of reasons to want more low-carbon fuels and fuel-efficient technologies in the aviation marketplace. Along with hedging against oil price volatility and improving national security, mitigating global climate change is an important co-benefit of efforts to move off oil. Climate policy is a necessary step to help drive technological innovation and address these problems head on. The EU deserves credit for being a first-mover on this issue.

Nick Nigro is a Solutions Fellow at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. He is responsible for research, analysis, and communication of transportation technology and policy solutions for reducing greenhouse gases. Opinions in this piece do not reflect the views of Txchnologist or General Electric.

TGR Purchases Carbon Offsets For “Deeper”, “Light The Wick” And Donates 1% Of 2010 Revenue To POW

Protect Our Winters - Pacific Palisades, CA and Jackson, WY, July 5, 2011 - As climate change continues to impact winter sports, Teton Gravity Research (TGR) is taking a lead role in protecting the winter season that is the foundation for their business. TGR has taken a top-down approach to sustainability, which includes a multi-year partnership with Protect Our Winters (POW), the global environmental snow sports nonprofit and by purchasing carbon offsets for all of their winter film properties.

While film productions are inherently carbon-intensive, TGR is doing all it can to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from throughout the production process, which includes mechanized travel and post-production. This year, for the third year in a row, TGR purchased offsets for “Deeper” and “Light The Wick” through Protect Our Winters as the last step in their carbon reduction strategy.

The offsets, which are generated by the permanent conservation of the 2,200 acre Van Eck Forest in Humboldt County, CA, and follow a rigorous carbon offset project accounting and verification process, are registered through the Climate Action Reserve. With the help of TGR, management of the Van Eck Forest Project is expected to reduce more than 500,000 tons of CO2 emissions over a 100-year period by ensuring that the existing stores in this carbon rich forest are never lost.

Secondly, TGR has also made a significant contribution to Protect Our Winters, representing 1% of their annual revenue, verified by nonprofit partner 1% For The Planet. The contribution to POW will be used to help fund their athlete-led educational program “Hot Planet/Cool Athletes” which provides a foundation for professional snow sports athletes to talk to high school students about climate change, inspiring them to become future climate leaders. “We’re excited to have the on-going support of TGR, one of our founding partners. They’re taking serious responsibility for their carbon footprint – reducing what they can, offsetting the rest and supporting organizations like POW to educate and mobilize the winter sports community”, said Chris Steinkamp, Executive Director of Protect Our Winters.

“We’re very conscious of the impact we make on the environment at TGR. The environment is the basis of our existence. We continue to evolve our behavior to minimize our impact and to utilize our broad reach to create awareness. Our partnership with POW helps address these initiatives”, said Steve Jones, TGR’s Co-Founder.

TerraPass - Carbon Offsets for Driving, Flying, & Home/Business Energy Use

Think about how much you drive and fly to your favorite shred spots each year? If you're like me you probably rack up a good amount of miles which is causing a good amount of carbon dioxide emissions (I drive 400 miles/weekend to get to Tahoe). Good thing that TerraPass, a social enterprise based in San Francisco, CA provides carbon offsetting products available to individuals and businesses that lets you take responsibility for your environmental impact and reduce it. TerraPass helps you calculate how many pounds of carbon you emit and then provides you with a number of carbon offset packages. TerraPass uses proceeds from member purchases to fund greenhouse gas reduction projects such as wind farms and methane digesters. TerraPass products include a Road TerraPass to offset car emissions, a Flight TerraPass to offset airplane emissions, a Home TerraPass for home energy use, a Business TerraPass for organizations, and a Wedding TerraPass for weddings and other events. For more information and to purchase go to www.terrapass.com.

Arbor - An Environmentally Conscious Snowboard Company

Arbor is one of my favorite board companies. Not only do they produce a wide range of durable, functional, and beautiful boards they have been working to be more environmentally friendly for over 15 years. Their boards are made of sustainable woods like koa, poplar, and bamboo. Each year the company donates 5% of its profits to an organization such as: The Nature Conservatory, The Rain Forest Action Network, and American Forests. In addition, they are also working with True Offsets to help restore forest lands and offset more carbon emissions then they are actually responsible for, making Arbor a “less-than-zero carbon emitter”. All of their advertising is printed with soy based inks which make them easier to recycle. And they also buy wind credits to help offset the electricity used at their headquarters in Venice, CA. If you’re in the market for a new board add Arbor to your list!

arborcollective.com/snowboards

New Website and Survey Look Behind-the-Scenes at Ecolabels’ Environmental Claims

Ecolabelindex.com allows consumers and companies to compare green certifications side-by-side.

As consumers and companies become increasingly aware of their environmental impact, a surge of ecolabels have flooded the marketplace. Today, hundreds of ecolabels worldwide compete to tell us which products are best for the planet. These colorful stamps on labels declare products to be “carbon neutral”, “forest safe”, “fairly traded”, or any number of standards of sustainability. But in the self-regulated ecocertification industry, how can consumers and institutional buyers really know what these stamps of approval mean?

The 2010 Global Ecolabel Monitor

Enter the 2010 Global Ecolabel Monitor – a collaboration between the World Resources Institute andecolabelling.org founders Big Room Inc. that gives a behind-the-scenes look at how different ecolabels certify their products. We invited 340 ecolabels in 42 countries to participate in a survey of their performance, organizational structure, and verification systems. The results are housed atecolabelindex.com, a web resource that gathers ecolabels onto a common platform to make it easier for consumers and institutional buyers alike to interpret and compare them.

The survey covers questions such as how the ecolabels’ rules were created and how they are funded. It also asks how the ecolabel is enforced, for example via site visits, audits, and/or third party verification.

Increasing Transparency and Accountability in Green Certification

The Global Ecolabel Monitor illustrates that there is clearly scope for improvement in ecolabel transparency and accountability. Over half of the ecolabels we invited to participate were unreachable or unwilling to share information about the metrics underlying their certification. Additionally, less than 30% of the ecolabels surveyed recognized, or were recognized by, any of their fellow labeling organizations, making it impossible to know for certain if one ecolabel’s interpretation of “green” would pass muster with their peers.

More than a third of US consumers say they are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products. But ecolabels, like nutritional labels on food, are only helpful when they are clear, transparent, and consistent from product to product. Imagine if one cereal box only had calories listed and another had only protein content; and both measured their nutritional content in different ways. How would you make an informed decision about which box was healthier?

From environmentally-conscious individuals shopping for themselves and their families, to institutional buyers stocking the shelves of multi-billion dollar retailers, purchasers of all sizes need transparent, concise comparisons to decode the ecolabels on the products they are choosing between. Improving transparency in the ecolabel marketplace is an important first step to reduce consumer confusion and increase credibility. Ecolabelindex.com will continue updating and tracking the developments of ecolabels, making it easier for consumers and companies to identify and select the ecolabels that are credibly, transparent and effective.

Story by Jeff Rodgers - World Resources Institue

POW Riders Alliance - SuddenRush Atlantic Rainforest Initiative

Protect Our Winters has partnered with our friends at the SuddenRush Atlantic Rainforest Initiative (SRARFI) in an effort to pool the contributions of the global winter sports community so as a united front, they can protect one of the last remaining rainforests on earth.

Protecting rainforests is the single most effective thing we can do to offset climate change. Burning tropical forests contributes 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, that is more then all cars, trucks, trains and planes combined!

The rainforest that we’re targeting is a special piece of land, stretching along Brazil’s Atlantic coast - less than 7% of the once-expansive Atlantic rainforest remains today. It extends inland to eastern Paraguay and the province of Misiones in northeastern Argentina, and narrowly along the coast into Uruguay. Our target is to protect 172 acres, creating an ecolological corridor that one day will reach the borders of the Serra do Conduru State Park.

The unique aspect of the Riders Alliance is that all intact rain forest that we sponsor is then transferred to the Brazilian government and into a natural reserve that guarantees governmental protection for eternity.

It will also be re-planted as a sustainable rainforest so that the it creates real income for the inhabitants. Today, entire communities and tribes earn five to ten times more money in harvesting sustainable plants than they can earn by chopping down the forest for subsistence crops. This much-needed income source creates the awareness and economic incentive for the population in the rainforest to protect and preserve the forests for long-term profits for themselves and their children and is an important solution in saving the rainforest from destruction. This is the only solution that makes a real impact, and it can make a real difference.

Join The POW Riders Alliance

Whether you’re a pro or a weekend rider, we invite you to join the POW Rider’s Alliance by offsetting your carbon footprint and taking a huge step in reversing climate change. Offset a day, a month or an entire season year and your contribution will be invested towards protecting this rainforest for eternity. One your contribution is made you’ll automatically be able to see the tract of protected land via GoogleEarth and will also become a valued POW member.

Again, it’s the most important thing we can do to both offset carbon emissions and conserve precious biodiversity. Each of us should contribute in some way to help protect the lifestyle we love and by investing in the most effective way to stabilize climate change, collectively we’ll help slow down global warming for generations of riders behind us. Together We Can Protect Our Winters.

To help you determine your carbon footprint in tons visit this website: http://www.nature.org/initiatives/climatechange/calculator/

The average US individual emits approx. 20 tons of CO2. For reference, to offset approximately 1 ton of CO2/year you’d need to purchase 2.5 acres of rainforest land. For more information about the SuddenRush Atlantic Rainforest Initiative (SRARFI), please click here!

South America Snow Sessions and Air Travel Carbon Offsets

As part of SASS's effort to reduce a big part of the carbon footprint of a trip to South America, they’ve partnered with Native Energy to provide carbon offsets that offset the 4.5-5.5 tons of CO2 emissions generating during the two flights. For about $65, campers can offset the carbon footprint of their air travel by funding an equal amount of new, clean energy. They can be purchased during registration and are available to all clients this summer, which is sick! Kevin Hackett, at Native who used to run the legendary freeski brand Siver Cartel back in the day with Mike Nick, sent SASS this video highlighting the founding of the Greensburg Wind Farm. The Greensburg project is pretty wild, check it out HERE!

South America Snow Sessions

Native Energy

How To Green Your Next Event

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.”

protectourwinters.org

wssf.com

whistlerblackcomb.com

Story by Transworld Business