Environment

We recognise the importance of the environment and we are aware the impact our lives and holidays can have. At Ski Dream we are doing our bit by introducing a corporate social responsibility policy and at present we are trying to make our office as carbon neutral as possible. We recycle a range of materials and print our brochure on paper from sustainable forests and trees from IS14001 certified mills. Our office uses 'A' efficient energy appliances and we prefer to buy from suppliers who have an environmental policy. In 2008 we will also be offsetting our CO₂ emissions from all our flights flown by members of our staff.

Of course the resorts we ski in have a duty to the environment too and their policies vary greatly. Ski Dream is actively encouraging resorts to adopt environmental policies. You can do you bit for the environment by choosing a resort that has an effective environmental policy in place already. A number of practices are being adopted by resorts, including the use of clean, renewable energy sources in resorts. In the USA 58 resorts in 16 states are buying renewable energy to offset all, or part of their operational energy use. The full list of these resorts can be found here www.nsaa.org/nsaa/press/0607/green-power-fact-sheet.asp. This website also contains an annual report sustainable slopes for US ski resorts which highlights resorts' progress each year.  Additional information about ski resorts in the US with the best policies visit www.skiareacitizens.com/index.php?nav=browse1 or www.keepwintercool.org

For most environmentally friendly ski resorts in Canada visit http://www.utsb.ca/research_ski_areas.html

Some of the most environmentally friendly resorts are; Sun Peaks, Sundance, Aspen, Jackson Hole, Whistler, Telluride, Zurs and Lech. Some of the worst tend to be in Bulgaria and Serbia. Opinions on which resorts are the best tend to vary but useful sources of information are www.saveoursnow.com and www.skiareacitizens.com.

YOU CAN HELP TOO:                                                                                                

Other things you can do to help the environment when on your skiing holiday are:

- Take your litter with you, when the snow melts at the end of the season there is an incredible amount of rubbish left.

- Consider taking a day flight as scientists at the University of Leeds have found that night flights have a greater impact on the environment because of the effects of the condensation trails they leave.

- Consider the plants and animals when on the slopes. Avoid skiing in areas where young trees are growing and where animal tracks can be seen. Many areas are roped off to protect the environment not only for your safety.

- Choose an airline with a young fleet. We believe this, and possibly investment in algae biofuels, are some of the long term solutions to balancing the environment with our passion for ski holidays. Algae biofuels produce about 30% more oil per acre than land based crop biofuels, which can involve deforestation. Lighter aircraft, more fuel efficient engines and the way aircraft are operated (e.g. keeping the use of aircraft engines on the ground to a minimum) are part of this solution. The more modern the aircraft the more fuel efficient it is likely to be, so when choosing an airline bear this in mind. Whilst there are still debates about carbon off-setting schemes, including tree planting we still recommend you off-set you emissions from your ski holiday by visiting Carbon Care - www.climatecare.org/living/calculator-help/. In 2008 Ski Dream will be off-setting emissions from all staff travel.

- When in a resort turn down the thermostat in your hotel, condo or chalet. Many have individual controls so remember to turn this down before you head out of the door to slopes.

- Most hotels will replace towels and bath robes daily. We encourage you to conserve energy and water by using the same towel / bath robe as much as possible.

It is not just the resorts who are making a contribution to the environment as more and more hotels are putting policies in place and are recognising their need to do their bit. There is no better example than the Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole which opened in January 2008.  It has numerous ideas and projects in place to minimise its environmental impact.