Carbon Lighthouse is a proud sponsor of the 2013 Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, taking place at Squaw Valley ski resort March 20^th through the 24^th. The event is the culmination of the professional ski season and brings together the U.S. Ski Team, including several Olympic athletes such as gold medalists Julia Mancuso and Ted Ligety.

Squaw Valley worked closely with Carbon Lighthouse to determine the carbon footprint of the competition and offset it through the retirement of legally binding carbon allowances. The calculations included athlete and spectator travel, lift operations, course grooming, snowmaking and special events. The total carbon footprint of the event is 273 tons, or the equivalent of driving 60+ cars for one year.

“Our company and the entire Squaw Valley team are committed to being responsible environmental stewards as the mountain and our environment are absolutely central to the Squaw experience,” notes president and CEO Andy Wirth.

Guests at the event are being encouraged to follow Squaw’s lead and think about their own environmental impact during their time on the mountain.

The ski resort has been working with Carbon Lighthouse over the past year to identify and reduce energy waste across both Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows. Projects are currently underway that will reduce the carbon footprint of the two mountains by over 10% while also saving hundreds of thousands of dollars and improving operations as well.

“We are extremely proud to be sponsoring such an important event for the ski community while reducing the environmental impact and raising awareness about climate change,” said Emma Bassein, Carbon Lighthouse’s Director of Impact. “This is just one of the many ways that Squaw Valley Ski Resort is leading the way in sustainability and we are pleased to make such a large impact through both this sponsorship and our ongoing energy efficiency work with the mountain.”

The event is open to the public and set up for spectator viewing. Carbon Lighthouse will have a booth onsite offering additional information about energy efficiency and climate mitigation, and you can learn more online at www.CarbonLighthouse.com.

Image courtesy Carbon Lighthouse