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Whistler-Blackcomb soars with Golden Eagle

Industry award recognizes ‘consistent dedication to the environment’ Whistler-Blackcomb has been participating in the Golden Eagle Awards since Mountain Sports Media, the publishers of Ski and Skiing magazines, created them back in 1993.

Industry award recognizes ‘consistent dedication to the environment’

Whistler-Blackcomb has been participating in the Golden Eagle Awards since Mountain Sports Media, the publishers of Ski and Skiing magazines, created them back in 1993.

Over the years Whistler-Blackcomb has won five Silver Eagle awards in several different environmental categories, but the main prize, the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental Excellence, has eluded the company – until this year.

After being named as a finalist in four out of the seven environment categories, Whistler-Blackcomb was at last presented with the Golden Eagle Award at a ceremony in San Diego, California on May 29.

"The ski industry has a fundamental need to be a tireless protector of the environment, which is, after all its office," said presenter Kendall Hamilton, SKI’s editor-in-chief. "Whistler has been on the leading edge of environmental programs for years, developing creative and effective grassroots programs that yield meaningful results."

Whistler-Blackcomb’s Environmental Management System (EMS) was praised by the judges, as was the resort’s dedication to social and environmental sustainability.

"We were elated," said Arthur DeJong, the manager of mountain planning and environmental resources for Whistler-Blackcomb. "We’ve been working for over a decade to show environmental leadership in our industry, so it was a great feeling to go to the podium and receive the Goden Eagle."

DeJong attributed the win to the hard work of Whistler-Blackcomb environmental co-ordinator Allana Hamm, and to the level of support for EMS and sustainability "from every level of the company, from the grass roots employees to management."

He also credited the community of Whistler for being committed to solving social and environmental issues.

"At Whistler-Blackcomb we see this as an indicator that our environmental commitment, not just as a company, but as a resort, is evolving in the right direction," DeJong said. "We really want to get to a point where the community is a global inspiration. We like to win these awards, but the real reward will be the meaningful breakthroughs we make in sustainability."

Whistler-Blackcomb was a finalist in four Golden Eagle categories, Fish and Wildlife Habitat Protection, Education, Visual Impact and Stakeholder Relations. They have also been recognized in Waste Reduction and Recycling, and Energy Conservation categories in the past.

In their submission to the Golden Eagle judges, Whistler-Blackcomb called attention to its EMS program, which promotes environmental stewardship, and makes the environment a core value of the company.

Other highlights include:

• Awards from British Columbia Ethics in Action and the B.C. Tourism and Ocean Blues Foundation over the past two years.

• Whistler-Blackcomb’s decision to become an early adopter of The Natural Step sustainability principles, along with the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler, AWARE, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler, and Whistler One Hour Photo.

• In 2002, the staff-financed Environmental Fund supported the project to restore Jordan Creek.

• The waste management program is recycling more than half a million beverage containers each year, reducing costs by over $80,000 a year.

• There is a program to educate staff on energy use, and an energy audit is underway.

• On mountain restoration programs and construction techniques enhance habitat for bears and marmots.

• $300,000 was spent on watershed restoration.

• Whistler-Blackcomb adopted the Kyoto Protocol, committing to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below 1990 levels.

"They looked at all the categories, and realized that we are taking a consistent direction across all areas," said DeJong.

Although Whistler-Blackcomb has a vested interest in a healthy environment, DeJong says the benefits of the EMS and sustainability are already paying dividends.

"The best case you can make for the environment is actually an economic one – if we can prove that doing good for the environment is good for economics, everyone takes notice,’ DeJong said.

Whistler-Blackcomb’s green ways have also benefited the company in other ways, including recruitment. Questions about the environment are part of the screening process at the entry levels, and at the more senior levels the environment has helped to attract top people to the resort.

"The environment is now part of the DNA of the company. As a recruitment tool, younger generations really pay attention to companies that promote social and environmental values," DeJong says.

The runners up for the Golden Eagle Award for 2003 were Aspen skiing Company and Sugarbush Resort.

In the Water Conservation category, Smuggler’s Notch took the award for switching to low flow fixtures and appliances, and using a new artificial reservoir for snowmaking to ease impact on local waterways. Beaver Creek Resort and Crystal Mountain Inc. were finalists in the category.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort won the award for energy conservation after purchasing wind power for their lifts, planting additional trees, encouraging carpooling for waiving parking fees for vehicles with three or more occupants, and giving employees and season pass holders free bus passes. Aspen Skiing Company and Stevens Pass were the other finalists.

In the Fish and Wildlife Habitat Protection category, the Silver Eagle Award went to Wachusett Mountain Ski Area for reducing the effects of waterways. They paved areas, regraded the parking lot, installed catch basins to redirect and slow the flow of runoff, and built a settling pond to reduce silt in fish habitat. Aspen Skiing Company and Whistler-Blackcomb were finalists.

In the Education category, Beaver Creek won the award for developing a permanent Environmental Learning Center, with full-time employees and educational displays.

Mad River Glen Cooperative and Whistler-Blackcomb were the runners-up.

In the Visual Impact category, Alta Ski Area won for devising an underground siphon system from Cecret Lake to the snowmaking operations that did not impact on the visual beauty of the area. Whistler-Blackcomb was again a finalist, along with Big Mountain.

In the Stakeholder Relations category, Aspen Skiing Company again took top honours with a community advisory committee working on environmental issues. Solutions so far have included a computer recycling program, free parking for hybrid vehicles, and highway cleanup initiative. Whistler-Blackcomb and Steamboat Ski Resort were finalists.

In the Waste Reduction and Recycling category, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area won for their recycling and reuse programs, diverting bottles, paper, construction materials and cardboard from the waste stream. Keystone Resort and Sugarloaf USA were finalists.

The Golden Eagle Awards were established in 1993 by Mountain Sports Media to recognize and encourage mountain resorts to take a more active role in environmental protection and enhancement.

The resorts compete for the awards, as they do for every other honour in the industry, and according DeJong the Golden Eagle Awards are no exception. The only difference is that companies will openly share the secrets of their environmental successes.

"When someone sets a standard in the environmental big picture, you study it, you benchmark it. We are competitive but if we are going to be an inspiration to others there has to be a willingness to share and be open about our faults so we can move forward," DeJong said.

The awards can be found on the main floor of the Roundhouse Lodge on Whistler Mountain.