Two dollars and the polar bear lives?

Be sure to check out the “other” skigreen website sponsored by CLIF® BAR and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF). Along with your ideas on how to ski green, they are looking for your personal stories and photos. The skigreen.org site sponsors the Skigreen Carborn Offset Program. While this program does not help “green” the local ski area, it provides individual skiers an easy way to offset the pollution they create driving up to the ski area. Mini-Carbon Offsets are two dollars and can be purchased at the ticket window with daily lift passes or with season pass sales. Anyone else smell like greenwash here? I do. (more…)

Tags: carbon offsets, green, greenwash, How to Ski Green, resources, science

The bi-partisan Western Governors’ Association (WGA) has given President-elect Barack Obama a four-page letter detailing its recommendations for the new administration’s energy policy, including an “aggressive and achievable national greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.” The Assocated Press reported that the Western Governors’ Association proposed a mandatory national system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions through “market-based mechanisms.”

Why does the WGA support clean energy technology when the 19 member states are responsible for 94 percent of the country’s onshore oil reserves and 66 percent of its coal reserves? (more…)

Tags: carbon offsets, Climate change, Policy & Social Change, skiing

Carbon offsetting as part of a “carbon neutral” lifestyle has gained some appeal and momentum mainly among consumers in western countries who are concerned about the potentially negative environmental effects of energy-intensive lifestyles. Carbon offsets enable individuals and businesses to reduce the CO2 emissions they are responsible for by offsetting, reducing or displacing the CO2 in another place, usually where it is more economical to do so.

Carbon offsets typically include renewable energy, energy efficiency and reforestation projects. Carbon offsets are popular with ski areas seeking to make up for some of the carbon emitted by their electrical usage, grooming and visitor vehicles. Ski resorts are big energy—and energy offset—users. But are these offset programs real or just marketing gimmicks? (more…)

Tags: carbon offsets, greenwash, ski green, Ski Vacation, skiing

Eagle Pass Heliskiing will offer ski ecotourist a way to offset the carbon emissions caused by their clients’ use of a helicopter for their ultimate skiing experience.

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Tags: Canada, carbon offsets, heliskiing, Ski Resorts