Lakewood, CO (Thursday, February 24, 2005) - Ski resorts across the U.S. are educating guests about the potential impacts of global warming on snow sports, enlisting athletes to help spread the word, and spotlighting solutions to global warming in their own operations.

This weekend kicks off the third season of Keep Winter Cool, a joint effort by NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) and the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA). On Saturday, February 26th, resorts from coast to coast will highlight the problem of global warming and deliver a unified message on how to solve it. NSAA supports Keep Winter Cool as part of its national 'Sustainable Slopes' initiative, an industry-wide environmental stewardship program.

Global warming is a key environmental issue and a bottom line issue for the $3 billion ski industry and its employees. It is also a lifestyle issue. Protecting the winter recreation experience is crucial for more than 11.5 million U.S. skiers and snowboarders.

"We are working hard to preserve the magic of skiing and snowboarding for generations to come," said NSAA President Michael Berry. "The ski industry has demonstrated leadership on tackling the problem of global warming and we remain committed to putting solutions in place."

Climate experts say without action soon, ski regions could see less snow, reduced snow pack, and shorter, more erratic seasons. The effects of global warming are most pronounced at northern latitudes during wintertime. Snow pack also provides clean water for drinking, agriculture and wildlife. And alpine drought can leave mountains more susceptible to fire.

Enlisting the Help of Athletes
This season, a number of high-profile athletes have joined the campaign and are helping the industry spread the word on global climate change. Concerned about the potential impacts of global warming on her sport, Olympic gold medalist Picabo Street speaks out in public service announcements (PSAs) airing this season encouraging skiers and boarders to do their part in solving the problem of global warming. Also featured in PSAs this season are top snowboarders Dave Downing, Jeremy Jones and Romain De Marchi.

Leading by Example
To demonstrate the opportunities that exist right now, many of NSAA's 326 member resorts are applying clean energy solutions to cut their own warming pollution. Ski areas are investing in energy efficiency and green building technologies and retrofitting facilities to save energy (and money). About thirty (30) resorts are now supporting renewable energy by purchasing or using pollution-free green energy in their operations. Many resorts provide or promote carpooling or mass transit by guests and employees.

Eleven (11) ski areas in the Pacific Northwest are collaborating with Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) to address global warming through a regional Green Tags program. The resorts (Cooper Spur, Hoodoo, Mission Ridge, Mt. Ashland, Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Hood Meadows, Timberline Lodge, Ski Anthony Lakes, Stevens Pass, Schweitzer Mountain and Summit at Snoqualmie), are purchasing green energy for their operations as well as making "mini green tags" available for purchase by resort customers. BEF is a nonprofit with the mission of supporting and developing new sources of renewable energy (including wind, solar and biomass power). Green Tags enable consumers everywhere, independent of their electric utility or their geographic location, to be able to support alternative energy resources and the environmental benefits that result from reducing our reliance of burning fossil fuels to produce electricity.

Other examples of resort action include:

• California's Mammoth Mountain has reduced electricity needs by 9% and reduced propane use by 70,000 gallons per year. In fact, consolidated energy savings at Mammoth to date have been so great that even with its new Village Gondola on line and powered up, the ski area is still using less energy overall than before its completion.
• Northstar-at-Tahoe is offsetting approximately 215,600 pounds of global warming emissions associated with the ski area's energy use by buying more than 150 megawatt-hours worth of renewable energy credits from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, representing renewable energy produced from non-polluting wind resources located in the Pacific Northwest.
• Aspen Skiing Company in Colorado has joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), North America's first voluntary, legally binding multi-sector market for reducing and trading greenhouse gas emissions. CCX members commit to reduce GHG emissions by 4% by 2006 from a 1998-2001 baseline. Aspen is the first company in the resort industry to join CCX.
• Keystone Resort's lights and lifts used for night skiing and riding are powered by wind energy. Keystone is partnering with 3Phases Energy of California to offset electricity used for all night ski lights and lifts by purchasing 707 renewable energy certificates per year for the next three years. The 707 renewable energy certificates represent 707,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity, enough to prevent the emission of almost 500 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, and is equivalent to the electricity used by 65 homes in one year.
• Steamboat Ski Resort is purchasing 3% of its total electricity requirements from green energy sources starting in the 2004/2005 season. This commitment joins the resort's previously announced plans to power its new $1.3 million Leitner-Poma triple chairlift with wind-generated electricity.
• Hunter Mountain in New York is purchasing enough wind energy credits from Community Energy to power Hunter's 33,000 square-foot beginner and family Learning Center for the entire ski season.
• In Utah, Alta Ski Area is doing a comprehensive energy audit of its facilities with Utah Power to improve its energy efficiency. The Canyons is using solar powered lighting. The Canyons, Deer Valley and Park City are all participating in Utah Power's Blue Sky Program. The resorts have increased their purchases of green wind power for their operations this season from 6 percent to 15% of total usage.
• Sugarbush in Vermont won a state grant to promote the use of biodiesel in the state. Sugarbush will use biodiesel in its grooming and snow removal equipment. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel derived from seek crop oils such as soy, or waste grease from restaurants.
• In Wyoming, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort powers two of its chairlifts, Moose Creek and Union Pass, with wind power.

• Northstar-at-Tahoe in California is offering customers a chance to add a full or Mini-Green Tag to their lift pass in order to help offset the vehicle emissions associated with their trip to the ski area. This means visitors to Northstar can "Ski Pollution Free."
• In Colorado, Arapahoe Basin will offer Climate Club memberships for $25. Climate club members offset their individual GHG emissions and receive resort discounts.
• Attitash Resort in New Hampshire will be highlighting alternative modes of transportation including mass transit, rail and pedal power to inform guests about ways to minimize environmental effects caused by automobiles. On display will be information from the N.H. Department of Transportation (mass transit and bicycle/pedestrian division), N.H. Ride Share, carpoolworld.com, and erideshare.com.
• Guests of Hunter Mountain and Gore Mountain in New York can sign up for green energy for their homes. Both resorts will have representatives from Community Energy on Outreach Day. Hunter Mountain will make a donation to the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and the Catskill Center for every home signing onto the Community Energy program on the 26th. Gore Mountain's Northwoods Gondola will operate completely on wind energy sponsored by Barton Mines.
• Mount Hood Meadows' entire operation on Saturday will be 'climate neutral' through Green Tag purchases by Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Meadows is promoting the purchase of $2 mini green tags to guests to offset the CO2 their vehicles produce in a trip to and from the mountain.
• The Canyons and Park City in Utah will have Utah Clean Energy Alliance staff on hand to assist with outreach on wind power purchases on Sustainable Slopes Day.
• With Smugglers' Notch's (Vermont) SkiCool program, guests are offered 'climate neutral skiing' for $10. The resort matches 25% of funds raised. Proceeds go to renewable energy company Native Energy.