For those of us who live in the Great Lakes Region, it’s the time of year when snow and ice set the scene. Visions of a winter wonderland may be inspiring you to participate in any number of wintry recreational activities, including skiing, ice skating, snowmobiling, etc. Before you join in any reindeer games, however, you may want to take a moment to consider how P2 applies. Here are some resources to help you out.
- Ski Areas Topic Hub: Developed and maintained by the Peaks to Prairies Pollution Prevention Information Center, this P2Rx Topic Hub provides P2 information for ski area operations managers and technical assistance providers.
- Clean Snowmobiles Topic Hub: Another great resource from the folks at Peaks to Prairies, this guide discusses the pollution and wastes associated with snowmobile operation, more environmentally-friendly snowmobiles, and what snowmobile dealers, tour operators, fleet managers and enthusiasts can do today to prevent pollution from their snowmobiles.
- GLRPPR’s Outdoor Recreation Sector Resource includes a subcategory devoted to Ski Areas. The Tourism/Leisure Sector Resource may also provide helpful information if you’re traveling to a resort.
- The GLRPPR Help Desk Archive includes a question and answer related to how to make an ice arena more energy efficient.
- A recent post from Treehugger discusses an environmental scorecard for U.S. ski resorts provided by the Ski Area Citizens Coalition.
- Check out the web site for Crystal Mountain resort in Michigan. This ski area has a chairlift called the Crystal Clipper that is powered by wind energy.
- The USDA Forest Service provides Ski Area Best Management Practices (BMPs).
- The Green Room is a database of ski area environmental programs and practices provided by the National Ski Areas Association.
- Protect Our Winters (POW) is a non-profit organization that focuses on global warming and the winter sports community.
- Venture Snowboards and Arbor Snowboards are a couple of snowboard manufacturers that use sustainably harvested materials and donate portions of their profits to conservation efforts.
