The Highlands is committed to sustainability, and we're working hard to reduce our environmental impact at every level of resort operations. Over the next few years, we'll continue to utilize a combination of cutting-edge technology and ingenuity to increase efficiency, reduce waste and emissions, and ensure the health of our natural resources for generations to come. Our efforts are in coordination with ForeverProject, Boyne Resorts' goal of reducing carbon emissions to net zero throughout North American operations by 2030.
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
Mindful Efficiency
Create and maintain a culture of reduction: energy use, waste output, water impact; balanced with maximized utilization of our human, technological, natural, and financial resources.
Tireless Conservation
Protect the natural environment unwaveringly, ensuring proper use for purposes related to outdoor recreation, and preserving or rehabilitating the land over which we are stewards.
INNOVATIVE COLLABORATION
Support and reward outreach and partnerships that extend beyond all traditional boundaries, providing deeply valuable impact among our team members, and in our communities, industry, and environment for the long term.
NET ZERO EMISSIONS
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COLLABORATE WITH LOCAL/REGIONAL UTILITIES SUPPLIERS TO IDENTIFY AND ACT UPON OPPORTUNITIES OF EVERY SCALE TO REDUCE ENERGY AND FUEL USE -
ENGAGE EXPERTS AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS TO HELP CHART A PATH TOWARD A FUTURE OF SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS -
FULLY IMMERSE NET ZERO INTENTIONS, TACTICS, AND TARGETS INTO THE COMPANY’S CULTURE -
THOROUGHLY AND CONTINUOUSLY EDUCATE TEAM MEMBERS ON THE PURPOSE AND SPECIFIC PLANS, THE NECESSITY OF THEIR SUPPORT INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE WORKPLACE, AND THE VALUE OF THEIR INPUT AND IDEAS -
PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE ENERGY WHERE AVAILABLE AND PARTICIPATION WITH LOCAL/REGIONAL GOVERNMENT TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT AVAILABLE IN EACH RESORT COMMUNITY -
FURTHER REDUCE ELECTRICITY USE THROUGH FOCUSED AND ONGOING REVISION OF RESORT OPERATIONS PRACTICES IN AREAS SUCH AS SNOWMAKING, SNOW GROOMING, AND TURF MAINTENANCE -
CONTINUED ENHANCEMENT OF LOW-ENERGY AND PROPRIETARY SNOWMAKING EQUIPMENT -
PURCHASE OF ONLY THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT, SYSTEMS, AND TECHNOLOGY AT ALL LEVELS OF THE OPERATION; UPGRADING AS POSSIBLE -
UTILIZE GREEN BUILDING GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF FACILITY AND REAL ESTATE PROJECTS -
REDUCE DEPENDENCE ON NATURAL GAS -
FORMALIZE THE COMPANY’S HISTORICAL COMMITMENT TO PLANTING TREES AS A MEANS OF OFFSETTING ENERGY USE
NET ZERO EMISSIONS
Boyne Resorts’ operations throughout North America will achieve 100% renewable energy for the 2020/21 Winter season and will maintain a commitment to clean power into the future.
- By sourcing a global purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs), all resorts and city facilities will reach 100% clean power
- Early 2021 installation of a large-scale solar array at Boyne Mountain Resort in Michigan will serve as a pilot for installation projects to take place at multiple locations in the resort network
- Strengthening relationships with suppliers committed to renewable energy becomes a priority along with guiding the outlying suppliers to develop and execute timely plans for use of clean power
NSAA CLIMATE CHALLENGE
Led by National Ski Areas Association (NSAA), Climate Challenge is a voluntary program dedicated to helping participating ski areas target and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, engage in advocacy on climate change solutions, and reap other benefits in their operations, such as reducing costs for energy use. Each of our nine ski resorts is Benefits include access to formal training and tools to conduct a GHG inventory and identify opportunities for reductions and savings, and the ability to benchmark operations against others.
Participation requires endorsement of NSAA’s Sustainable Slopes program including a pledge to the following, as well as prioritized focus on areas such as water, waste, transportation, design and construction, forest health and habitat, and supply chain:
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Incorporate sustainability into all aspects of our resorts
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Lead by example, and educate employees and guests about sustainability
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Place collaboration over competition when it comes to sustainability
- Advocate for climate protection
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
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ENERGY EFFICIENT SNOWMAKING
The Highlands recently replaced several of our older snow guns with state-of-the-art HKD R5 Impulse towers and sleds out on North Peak. This installation will not only allow us to open a skiers’ favorite earlier in the season, but it will use only a fraction of the amount of compressed air formerly needed for snowmaking. These energy efficient snow guns have lowered the required time to cover the same amount of terrain by nearly 24 percent, allowing The Highlands to outpace the regional effects of climate change. This installation is projected to save over 600,000 kWH, throughout the course of each season.
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COMPOSTING & RECYCLING
The Highlands has recently teamed up with Emmet County Recycling to compost all our pre-consumer food waste. We are proud to be working with a program that last year alone diverted over 220,000 pounds of local restaurant food waste from the landfill. They in turn mix the food waste with yard waste and turn it into nutrient rich compost for local farmers and gardeners. Additionally, our food and beverage department has switched to using Your Green2Go compostable takeout containers and plant starch utensils. Our new composting program is a nice complement to our current recycling efforts, which last year alone were responsible for diverting over 290,000 pounds of paper and over 115,000 pounds of mixed containers from the landfill.
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RENEWABLE ENERGY COMMITMENT
As of January 1, 2021, Boyne Resorts committed to a renewable energy purchase with CMS Enterprises, a CMS Energy subsidiary, which entirely offsets electric energy consumption at its resorts and facilities throughout North America. As a result, The Highlands’ electrical consumption will be 100% renewable energy for 2021 by sourcing a global purchase of renewable energy credits.
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