Keystone's Commitment to Zero

Posted on February 20, 2023

Keystone's Commitment to Zero

Enjoying our mountain playground is an awesome privilege for us all. But that privilege comes with a deep responsibility. In order to continue playing in the mountains we call home, we must do all that we can to protect and preserve them.

In 2017, we (Keystone and all of Vail Resorts) announced our goal to achieve a zero net operating footprint by 2030. Together, we can protect our local communities and natural resources, but it’s going to take all of us, including you.
North Peak in Keystone, CO.

OUR COMMITMENT TO ZERO

So what does it mean when we say we have a commitment to zero? For us at Keystone (and across Vail Resorts), it means we have set a bold goal to reach a zero net operating footprint, and specifically via zero net emissions, zero waste to landfill and zero net operating impact on forests and habitat by the year 2030. As of Nov. 2022, we reached 100% renewable electricity across all our North American mountain resorts, and 96% worldwide. But these large-scale achievements are only made possible when we work together.

Two friends hike to Erickson Bowl at Keystone, CO.

OUR LOCAL EFFORTS

To make a difference in the world, you have to start in your own backyard. Over the past few years, we partnered with the National Forest Foundation to fund 220 projects that maintain and restore the health of the White River National Forest. To ensure these projects address the most prevalent issues facing our communities, we established an Advisory Committee comprised of local stakeholders to steer funding and support unique needs within Summit County.

  • Reusable Products and Facility Upgrades
    • We’re also moving to reusable products wherever we can. We have waste sorting stations at all of our food and beverage outlets to supply local composting efforts and reduce items we send to the landfill. We’ve upgraded many of the buildings around our resort with LED lighting to save energy.
  • Upcycling and TerraCycle
    • Enjoying the view from the Timber Ridge porch? Odds are, you’re sitting on trash! Though, maybe not in the way you might think. Through a partnership with Pepsi and Teracycle, we’ve collected plastic wrappers (think, chip bags, candy wrappers and hand-warmer wrappers) and recycled them into Adirondack chairs, picnic tables and more!
  • Energy-Efficient Snowmaking
    •  Over the past few years, our team has also invested in sustainable, state-of-the-art technology for our early-season snowmaking efforts. These snowmaking machines come with internal weather systems and automatically detect ideal snowmaking conditions based on the temperature and humidity outside, allowing us to take advantage of each and every opportunity. But because these machines only operate in ideal weather windows, this novel approach to snowmaking doesn’t just create a perfect snow surface, it also conserves energy.
Chairlift on Dercum Mountain at Keystone

We’ve made great progress, but it will take all of us to do right by our environment and our planet. Here’s how you can do your part next time you visit Keystone:

  • Travel as a pack
    • Carpooling reduces emissions and greenhouse gasses. Plus, if you carpool as a group of four or more, you’ll also have access to free, up-front parking in River Run Village and Mountain House East!
  • Ditch the plastic water bottles
    • And instead, use a reusable one! Keystone offers water-filling stations all over our mountain and base areas. Stay hydrated, and keep our planet happy!
  • Discard responsibly
    • After wrapping up a meal, head over to our discard stations, where a team member will sort your waste appropriately among composting and recycling.
    • Out on the mountain? Read our signs for directions to the nearest dining location or discard bin.

We can make a real difference to protect the natural spaces and beautiful ranges we call home. But, it’s going to take all of us. Learn more about our commitment to zero here.