Taos Ski Valley’s journey to carbon neutrality
Here at Taos Ski Valley, we know that an appreciation for the mountains runs deeper than skiing and riding. That’s why we are committed to protecting our environment. This month, we have taken another critical, industry-leading step toward that commitment by announcing that Taos Ski Valley is now a CarbonNeutral company, as certified by Climate Impact Partners, a leader in the voluntary carbonoffset market.
Carbon neutrality is the net effect of carbon emissions with carbon removal or elimination. This milestone comes alongside years of work to reduce emissions including: lifts and snowmaking using 100 percent renewable daytime solar, thanks to our partnership with Kit Carson Electric; installation of more than 200 high-efficiency snow guns; committed use of electric vehicles, including snowmobiles, cars and the first-ever, all-electric snowcat in North America; retrofitting existing buildings throughout the resort to reduce their energy impact; and building new structures with clean energy as a priority.
Although we believe this is a noteworthy and important accomplishment, we know that a certification using carbon offsets is only the first step in an ongoing journey toward emissions reductions. Carbon offsetting enables businesses to meet their climate goals by putting a price on carbon to incentivize further action toward emissions reductions. It also provides critical funding to accelerate the world’s transition to a low-carbon future. Carbon offsetting means purchasing a carbon credit and “retiring” the unit to compensate for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Yet, carbon offsets are often criticized by the press or environmental advocates. Some observers object to “market-based” approaches for solving environmental problems. Others have reservations about how carbon offset credits are used, or the quality of the carbon offset credits. Some claim that certain carbon offset credits are not valid if the carbon reduction is not additional, meaning that the reductions would have occurred anyway. The Climate Impact Partners’ projects we support involve offsets that meet the following criteria: additional, legally attributable, measurable, permanent, unique and independently verified.
To achieve our carbon neutral certification, we had to calculate and measure the resort’s total carbon footprint — because you can’t fix (or offset) what you can’t measure. This exhaustive undertaking considered direct and indirect emissions from fossil fuel use at the resort, electricity purchased from the grid, emissions from waste, employee travel, and our supply chain. Measuring these required incredibly minute calculations, such as putting electrical submeters in places around the resort using electricity, surveying employees on their commute distances and vehicle types and even counting trash bags daily. Once our carbon footprint was calculated, we worked with Climate Impact Partners to offset it by funding projects that are independently validated and verified to meet recognized third-party standards.
The projects we have elected to support have both a positive environmental and social impact aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. One such project introduces families in Ghana to an efficient cookstove, the Gyapa, and helps to employ local people to make the stoves. The Gyapa cooks food more quickly, requires nearly 50 percent less fuel and is less smoky. The stove not only cuts carbon emissions, but also reduces exposure to toxic fumes. Reducing the amount of wood used for cooking saves families as much as $100 annually, while protecting Ghana’s tree cover, which has decreased 19 percent since 2000, according to Global Forest Watch.
Today, we will use carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality. But we know it is not enough. More important than the certification is the milestone achievement of understanding our entire carbon footprint and placing a self-imposed “carbon tax” on our business. With these measures in place, we now have real incentive to decrease both to work towards zero emissions, not simply carbon neutrality.
With our long-term emissions reduction strategies in place and accurate carbon tracking, we are well on our way. This, coupled with our status as the world’s first and only certified ski resort B Corporation, confirms Taos is the industry leader in environmental responsibility.