Summit resorts going green

Winter sports retailers, manufacturers seek sustainable pathways

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By BOB BERWYN
summit daily news
March 25, 2008

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SUMMIT COUNTY – Along with extensive recycling programs and using wind energy to power lifts, the ski industry is trying to green up its retail and manufacturing side.
Consumers could play a big role in the effort by supporting shops and companies that incorporate a sustainable environmental ethic in their operations, said David Imgenie, president of the Snowsports Industries of America (SIA).

The SIA is developing an environmental charter that will mirror the Sustainable Slopes charter adopted by the National Ski Areas Association.

"The big thing we're working on is the recycling of old skis," said SIA president David Ingemie. That involves separating the various materials used in skis and shredding the plastic, which can be re-used for materials like flooring.

Ingemie said the biggest challenge is technical, considering how many layers and materials there are in many modern boards.

"They're engineered to stay together, not to come apart," he said.

An aggressive recycling program could help save space in landfills, including here in Summit County, where old skis can at times be a significant part of the waste stream.
While some old equipment ends up as hand-me-downs, there are times when ski shops simply get rid of an old rental fleet by taking it to the dump, according Kevin Berg, a recycling specialist with the High Country Conservation Center.

One challenge is to collect the old skis and transport them to shredding facilities, according to Ingemie. SIA and the Natural Resources Defense Council is still working on the math to determine whether the planned recycling program will in fact reduce the industry's overall carbon footprint.

Adding an environmental fee to the price of skis, boots and snowboards could help pay for the logistics of recycling, Imgenie said.

"Consumers could bring them back and the money would cover the cost of shipping and shredding," Ingemie said, adding that he'd like to see recycling become part of every retailer's program.

Ingemie said the SIA is also in talks with major ski equipment manufacturers to see if anything can be done at the production level to make the gear greener.

One big issue is that so much of the gear sold in the U.S. is made in China. That makes it challenging to set environmental performance standards, Ingemie said.
Another part of the SIA's initiative is to work with ski and sporting good shops on making those facilities greener.

"We're pretty sure that retailers can reduce their carbon footprint," Ingemie said. SIA's partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council will help set measurable goals for retailers.

Ingemie said he's getting some resistance from the retail side of things.
"We're hearing things like, 'show me the benefit,' and 'show me the consumer cares,' " he said.

Local efforts

One place Ingemie won't get any push-back is Pioneer Sports in Frisco, where the staff is already busy on a slew of projects aimed at reducing the environmental impacts of their retail and rental operations and making the business more sustainable.

Owner Mark Wimberly said his shop is part of a local retail pilot partnership with the High Country Conservation Center.

"Once you start doing it, it's almost easier. It's definitely a mindset," Wimberly said.
Outside Pioneer Sports, Denver resident Wendy Howard said she would definitely choose to shop at a store that is making efforts to be more sustainable.

"It seems like everyone is jumping on the bandwagon," Howard said, adding that she hadn't even thought about the issue of old skis ending up in landfills.

"We keep ours in the garage. We probably have about 20 years worth," she said. "I guess I'd pay an extra $10 on a snowboard if I knew it would go toward recycling."

Efforts at Pioneer Sports include some of the fundamental, common-sense things like looking at non-toxic cleaners for the store, as well as various products used.

That even includes things like a biodegradable bike cleaner, said Kurt Baehmann, a staffer at Pioneer Sports who is helping lead the green charge.

Baehmann said there are numerous companies that are already thinking green. Yakima, for example, works with the Carbon Fund to offset the manufacture and transport of its products.

Wimberly singled out Arbor snowboards for producing boards made from bamboo, considered to be a highly renewable natural resource.

And Lib Tech is making efforts to use non-toxic resins during production, thereby reducing potentially harmful exposure to employees, he added.

Pioneer Sports is also using Purl Wax, a locally made, eco-friendly brand that doesn't include petroleum-based materials, Wimberly said.

Wimberly said he also plans to write letters to companies his store works with to try and build more support for eco-friendly business practices, with the goal of reaching a critical mass.