The Aspen Skiing Company: Their widely encompassing approach to sustainability

Denial still exists, even in the Ski Industry

 

We’ve all heard that one of the main threats of climate change is the increase in temperatures that it will bring. in fact, this is already happening. Since widespread observation became available in 1930, Snowmass has decreased by 57% and is forecasted to continue at a rate of 0.19% per year (US EPA, 2022). 

 

However, what is worrying is that it seems that not all influential members of the Ski industry seem to believe what is happening. In February of 2019, the President of the International ski federation (FIS), Gian Franco Kasper, denied climate science (Wenger 2019).

He claimed a lack of proof and an abundance of snow pack for his thinking, as well as -35 degree temperatures in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Despite an outcry from skiers and companies, Kasper did not resign, only leaving the position upon his death in 2021.

- Gian Franco Kasper, president of the FIS long opposed the evidence of climate change. He died in 2021, three years after going on record stating that climate change was not a threat.

Though the FIS has signed on the UN charter to fight climate change, it is worrying to see that some influential leaders may still be apprehensive about acknowledging the problems existence. Luckily, one big player is setting the standard.

 

The Aspen Skiing company

 

Better known as the Aspen Snowmass, the firm is the second largest ski company in the USA. Sustainability has been a commitment at the company since 1999 when they made their first sustainability report (Wenger 2019). They are also the first resort to employ wind power to run their resorts and has made huge leaps to also employ hydroelectric power and solar power into their resorts. 

-The Apsen Ski company is one of the biggest companies in skiing, with their Flagship resorts in Colorado, USA.

 

Since then, the company has made an effort to host and support climate change activism at their resorts. In the 2018,, the company announced the “Give a Flake campaign”, encouraging guest and visitors to take part by buying merchandise and making donations to a purpose built website, the proceeds of which were donated to climate research.

- Give a flake campaign, launched in 2018, encourages visitors to support climate activism and spread awareness through social media. 

 

The company regularly hosts speakers and climate conferences at their resorts and invests heavily in climate change education for their employees at all levels, kitting them out in “Protect our Winters” POW jackets to show their support for the climate crisis movement (Wenger 2019).

 

Despite potentially putting off more wealthy and conservative clientele, Aspen has stated that the loss is the “cheapest thing they can do”. Aspen is more concerned with preserving its longevity so that they can continue to offer skiing for generations to come.

 

Aspen also works closely with the local towns and communities, encouraging them to take up clean power solutions and also funding programs to increase the spread of more of these solutions to more ski towns.

- An employee cleaning off solar panels at Aspen resort during the 2019 ski season. Solar panels are the most recent addition Aspen have added to the resorts value chain and regularly support local uptakes in solar panels.

The verdict

 

The Aspen ski company is a flagship for how sustainability should be pursued in the industry. Not only to they make efforts in their own resort, they look to develop all aspects of the value chain by including the town and customers as well as regional and national governments in the fight.

 

The status as a private company may gave them more freedom to pursue such courses of action, such as alienating wealthy clients, as a publicly traded company like their counterpart, Vail, operates more at the behest of a large shareholder base they may be unwilling to upset.

 

My hope is that Aspen see’s widespread success in its initiatives and truly shows the industry the benefits that can be had by taking their approach.

References: 

Wenger, T. (2019). Aspen Snowmass Raises the Bar on Ski Resort Sustainability. Who will Follow?. Available: https://matadornetwork.com/read/aspen-snowmass-leading-ski-industry-sustainability/. Last accessed March 1st 2022.

EPA. (2022). Climate change indicators: Snowfall. Available: https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-snowfall. Last accessed March 1st 2022.