While it is a beautiful sport that offers incomparable thrills, skiing - like any other recreational activity - has an undeniable impact on our natural world. Skiing's reliance on cold climates and natural weather patterns means, invariably, that climate change comes with its own unique set of consequences.
Not only this, but the sheer magnitude of the environmental crisis we find ourselves facing means that action must be taken to mitigate any negative impact we have on the planet. Thankfully, there are resorts throughout the ski industry that are taking significant strides to reduce their carbon footprint.
Val d’Isere, France
This popular French ski resort, located in the expansive Three Valleys ski area, has taken numerous measures to reduce its impact on the environment. It’s an effort that’s been met with recognition, with Val d’Isere receiving the Flocon Vert (Green Snowflake) label in 2022.
Since 2012, Val d'Isère has been investing in renewable energy sources to power its ski lifts. The 2022 ski season also saw Val d’Isere pivot to using green transportation, with the introduction of electric shuttle buses. Val d’Isere intends to continue to introduce further electric buses; it’s projected the resort will have a fleet of 15 all-electric vehicles by 2025. Those buses not powered by electricity instead use a sustainable, synthetic biofuel which reduces the carbon emissions of the vehicles by up to 90%.
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Zermatt, Switzerland
From its position at the foot of the Matterhorn, Zermatt has carved out quite a reputation for its eco-conscious actions – namely, its car-free policy. Zermatt encourages sustainable modes of transport around the resort, including walking, eTaxis, the free eBus service, and horse-drawn carriages, a service offered by the Mont Cervin Palace. Around 500 electric buses are registered in Zermatt, and are the core form of transport around the resort.
Zermatt has been recognised as an Energiestadt (‘energy city’) since 2016, an accreditation that serves as a mark of the resort’s commitment to utilising sustainable forms of energy. Zermatt uses multiple forms of renewable energy, including solar and hydroelectric power.
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Avoriaz, France
Much like Zermatt, Avoriaz runs a car-free policy within the resort – as it has done since the resort’s inception in 1966. With the paths entirely covered in snow, the resort encourages visitors to walk - or ski! - their way around the resort, with its lift system enabling guests to reach either end of the resort in little time at all.
Great measures are taken to ensure the resort’s natural snow is preserved as much as possible, in an effort to reduce the reliance on snowmaking facilities. Avoriaz uses wooden snow barriers to protect the snow from wind and to keep it in place.
Avoriaz also acts sustainably through the optimisation of the schedules of its snow cannons and snow groomers, using a GPS-based software called Snowsat.
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Whistler Blackcomb, B.C., Canada
The Canadian ski resort of Whistler has been at the forefront of the skiing world’s commitment to sustainability for decades, with the resort’s first sustainability policy dating back to 1999.
Since then, Whistler has undertaken numerous sustainable projects and initiatives, spanning from waste reduction to preserving the biodiversity of the resort’s natural surroundings. The resort is committed to the principles of Reducing, Reusing and Recycling, and has managed to reduce waste by 70% since 2009.
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Lech Zürs, Austria
Lech Zürs has made a staunch commitment to sustainability in the form of a strict limit on the number number of guest beds offered in resort, the number capped at 10,000 in an effort to mitigate the impact of tourism on the local environment – and, indeed, to ensure a high-quality of guest services.
Lech harnesses renewable energy sources, with the resort using regionally sourced wood chips to fuel its biomass heating plants. The first heating plant, located in Oberlech, was built in 1997; since then, three other plants have followed, with the construction of the last completed in 2010. Together, the four biothermal heating plants have dramatically reduced the region’s carbon emissions.
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Here at the Oxford Ski Company, we are aware of the role we have to play in mitigating our impact on the environment. Learn more about our environmental commitments here.