SAM Magazine—Scottsdale, Ariz., May 9, 2017—Berkshire East, Mass., Taos Ski Valley, N.M., and Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Calif., won the 2017 Golden Eagle Awards for Environmental Excellence, presented by SKI Magazine. In addition, SKI named Onno Wieringa of Alta Ski Area, Utah, the “Hero of Sustainability” for 2017. This marks the 25th year for the Golden Eagle awards, which recognize resorts that actively address environmental issues.

Berkshire East won in the small ski area category (fewer than 200,000 annual skier/boarder visits) after it launched an energy efficiency program that included a $3 million investment into 500 LED lights along with snowmaking and pumping upgrades. In addition, the resort installed a wood burning system that uses wood cut from the resort's forest management and glading work, and a sawmill to produce finished lumber from blow-down timber for construction projects. The resort opened a Renewable Energy Classroom in 2016 to teach students, groups, and organizations about wind energy, solar fields and energy efficiency measures.

Taos Ski Valley took the top environmental honor in the medium-sized ski area category (200,000 to 500,000 visits) for its “Taos Verde” sustainability program. This year, Taos became the first ski resort in the world to become a certified B Corporation, meeting the highest standards of verified economic, social, environmental performance, and public transparency. Taos reduced its overall energy consumption by 10.9 percent in the past two years, part of its commitment to a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020 in NSAA's Climate Challenge. Taos has discontinued the sale of disposable plastic bottles—offering reusable bottles as an alternative—which will remove 10,000 plastic bottles from its waste stream annually.

Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows won in the large resort category (more than 500,000 visits) for its multifaceted approach to sustainability and leveraging its influence in support of climate change solutions. Squaw has reduced its own carbon footprint through a broad array of regional transit and parking initiatives, including free POW Parking for HOVs, free electric car charging, and free skier shuttle services, eliminating roughly 85 tons of CO2 in emissions annually. Squaw also partners with Protect Our Winters (POW) on several other initiatives, and joined a Regional Clean Power Coalition to encourage power provider Liberty Utilities to replace coal with renewable energy sources.

Alta's retiring president and GM, Onno Wieringa, is SKI's Hero of Sustainability. He commissioned one of the first ski area greenhouse gas inventories and publishing an environmental report. In 2008, he founded the Alta Environmental Center (AEC) to pursue sustainability internally for the ski area, and to serve as a resource to the community. Wieringa served for years on the NSAA Environmental Committee and Ski Utah. Through the Mountain Collective, he has encouraged peer resorts to pursue sustainability and helped boost participation in the Climate Challenge.

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