Ski 2008: the new green?
Victoria’s five ski resorts - Mount Buller, Hotham, Mount Baw Baw, Lake Mountain and Falls Creek - are working together to minimise the effect of climate change and global warming on the precious alpine environment, with each mountain implementing a series of sustainable initiatives in line with the Keep Winter Cool charter (www.keepwintercool.com.au).
New developments in 2008 include Mount Buller’s new Doppelmayr six-person ski lift, which is the first lift at the resort to run on 100% green power. Utilising wind-generated energy, Buller’s new chair lift follows in the lead of green energy powered chairlifts Dream, Falls Express and Towers Quad already in operation at Falls Creek.
The snow-making process has been another priority, with both Falls Creek and Mount Buller increasing their number of energy efficient snow producing machines. Over at Hotham, the entire snowmaking network is powered by 100% green energy. Connections in the new snowmaking area of Heavenly Valley are being finalised now.
All wastewater at Hotham is reused and recycled water is used for snowmaking, while Mount Buller’s own $3.4million water reuse project will be fully operational this winter, recycling up to 2 million litres of water each day.
Over at Lake Mountain, energy efficient principles are incorporated into the design and operation including multi-level layout for efficient heat flow and reuse of waste heat from electricity generation to save energy costs each year as well as significant greenhouse gas reductions.
Mount Baw Baw is offering special environmental talks for school students to educate them about surrounding environment and has also using 32,000 cubic metres of soil, displaced from the newly constructed Baw Baw Tourist Road intersection, to facilitate significant rehabilitation and revegetation activities that are underway on certain areas on the mountain.
The resorts are also joining forces to educate the next generation skiers through the Alpine Junior Rangers program. An educational program and resource for primary school students, the Alpine Junior Rangers program teaches children think about the potential impacts of their activities and look at ways they can protect the alpine environment. As an added incentive, a ski-of-free pass is available for all children in Grade 5 level, offer one free admission per child for all five Victorian resorts during the 2008 ski season.
For more information: visit www.alpinejuniorrangers.com.au
Media Contact: Danielle Poulos, Senior Media Officer, Tourism Victoria, on (03) 9653 9773 or email danielle.poulos@tourism.vic.gov.au