The Green Ski Resort Guide now has 25 per cent (50 more) ski areas registering over 250 in total. Many of the new additions to the world’s leading 200 resorts that were originally included are smaller resorts which are doing big things for the environment, so it seemed odd not to include them.
We also now have ski areas from New Zealand, Spain, Chile and Korea which were not previously featured.

Four new categories have been added to the ‘tick boxes’ section for each area, bringing the total to twelve. The new categories are:

25 per cent of our 250 resorts can be reached by train (the most resorts with rail stations in them are in Switzerland).

Fifty three ski areas worldwide – just over a fifth of the ski areas included, are 100% green powered, either directly or by offsetting (the most offsetting were in the USA). This compares to a little over half that have at least some renewable energy.

fifty ski areas worldwide – a fifth of the ski areas included – make some or all of their own power from renewable natural sources (only 15 of these were the same as those buying in green power!)

To date, twelve resorts recycle heat from machinery like ski lifts and snowguns to heat buildings or similar. There may be more.

As about 10% of resorts in the Green Guide have been included because they are particularly good on helping the environment, these results cannot quite be directly translated to the entire ski resort business worldwide. However 90% of ski areas are just the world’s leading resorts so with a minor adjustment downwards these percentages will be quite close to the industry ‘norm’ in 2008.
(*Includes resorts that offset 100% of their power – the original ‘green power user’ category did not seem adequate reward for those making huge efforts against those not making many).
We have been contacting all 250 resorts since the start of the year, asking them to update content. More than two thirds have now replied. Some of the more impressive new entries include:
Thredbo (Australia)
Jasper, Mont Sutton* (Canada)
Ruka (Finland)
Chamonix, Les 2 Alpes, Tignes (France)
Alta Badia (Corvara), Madesimo (Italy)
Tryvann* (Norway)
Arosa, Flims, Verbier (Switzerland)
Aspen, Grand Targhee, Snowbird, Squaw Valley (USA)