SAM Magazine—Olympic Valley, Calif., April 18, 2016—No need to spend time hunting for a closer parking spot on your next trip to Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, so long as you bring at least three friends. The resort has partnered with Protect Our Winters (POW) to offer free premium close-in parking to guests who carpool with at least four passengers in the vehicle.

“POW” Parking will have 125 dedicated spaces at Squaw Valley and 100 spaces at Alpine Meadows. There will be no net change in the number of parking spaces at either area, and general parking remains free.

“Transportation to and from the resort is our single largest indirect contributor to greenhouse gas emissions,” said Michael Gross, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows director of environmental initiatives. “We are focused on reducing that number, and we need the help of our guests to get that done. POW Parking will help take cars off the road and encourage people to think about how their actions impact climate change, while providing an added level of convenience to our carpooling guests.”

POW executive director Chris Steinkamp agreed. “Carpooling is one simple and effective way to reduce our impacts, and now carpoolers will be rewarded for changing their habits. Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is a second home to POW, and we're honored to partner with them on the POW Parking program,” said Steinkamp.

How much of a difference can carpooling make? Evaluating the top ten geographic areas with the highest concentration of Squaw/Alpine passholders, if just 20 percent of this group carpooled to the resort with a total of four people in the vehicle (as opposed to the current average of just over two), seasonal emissions would be reduced by 758 metric tons of carbon dioxide. This emissions savings is the equivalent of driving 1.8 million miles, powering 104 homes for one year, or burning 85,293 gallons of gasoline.

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