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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us January 20, 2005 Mt. A offers green program By Vickie Aldous Ashland Daily Tidings The Mt. Ashland Ski & Snowboard Resort is taking steps to help fight global warming that could not only damage the environment, but harm ski areas that rely on cold winter temperatures. The ski area has purchased enough renewable energy to offset operating the Sonnet beginner chairlift for the entire ski season. The $700 purchase of 58,000 kilowatt hours of energy helps fund the production of clean wind power at the Stateline Wind Facility on the Oregon and Washington border, according to ski area and Bonneville Environmental Foundation officials. "We bought enough kilowatt hours to pay for wind power to be developed to be enough to power the Sonnet chairlift," said Rick Saul, Mt. Ashland marketing director. The local ski area has joined with 10 other resorts that are members of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association to support the wind energy project. "As a regional organization, it is extremely gratifying to see our members - many of which compete with each other to some degree - come together and take the lead on green energy programs that have regional, national and worldwide benefits," Dan Brewster, chairman of the Pacific Northwest Ski Areas Association, said in a prepared statement. All ski areas have an interest in energy sources that do not contribute greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere. Global warming threatens the ski industry by creating warmer temperatures and wetter conditions, especially early and late in the ski season, according to officials from the non-profit Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Last year, Mt. Hood Meadows Ski Resort was the first to participate in the foundation's "green tag" program by buying enough power to run a chairlift. Resort visitors also were invited to buy $2 "mini-green tags" to offset the emissions released by vehicles driven to the resort outside Portland, according to Saul and foundation officials. Participation jumped to 11 ski areas in the Northwest this year, foundation officials said. The Mt. Ashland Ski & Snowboard Resort joins two dozen Ashland-area businesses that currently participate in the green tag program, according to foundation officials. Residents also participate in the effort. Saul said the green tag program augments a variety of other environmental initiatives at the ski area. To reduce vehicle emissions and reduce congestion on the Mt. Ashland Access Road and in the parking lot, the ski area offers bus rides from surrounding communities, he said. "Last year, we had 83 bus trips from Grants Pass. Each bus trip saves potentially 18 car trips. That means 4,150 gallons of gas were saved and 56 tons of carbon dioxide were not released into the air," Saul said. "It's a great environmental program that compliments our green tag program and car pooling." Visitors who car pool are given vouchers to enter a monthly drawing, he said. The ski area also has teamed with access road neighbors and other residents to clean the road, works with an area radio station to promote car pooling, co-sponsors a July event to pick up litter at the ski area, runs a recycling program, uses biodegradable solvents and sponsors a summer youth service program in which students plant native grass, maintain erosion control devices, pick up litter and learn about the environment, according to Saul. However, the ski area has been faulted by environmental activists for expansion plans requiring the felling of trees that, among other benefits, take up carbon dioxide. For more information on ski areas that participate in the green tag program, and for information on how to buy green tags for your home or business, visit the Web site www.skigreen.org. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Women's Slippers men's slippers Ceramic Piggy Banks heloc libor rate Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Memory Foam Mattress college loans alternative student loans Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation trillion cut diamonds Currancy Exchange Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams