The Ontario Snow Resorts Association (OSRA)[2] has been promoting environmental practices to its membership since 2003 with the creation of the OSRA Environmental Best Practices Task Force. This task force serves as a forum on issues related to environmental sustainability, where ski resort operators can exchange information on best practices and collaborate with one another and with other partners to promote sustainable behaviors among the ski and snowboard community. The task force has developed an action plan that reflects the environmental priorities of ski resorts across Ontario, emphasizing on on slope safety and maintenance.
What's been done[edit | edit source]
Since 2003, the Task Force has achieved several accomplishments including the development of an environmental performance chapter within OSRA's Best Management Practices Manual. The chapter includes best practices regarding:
- Water use and conservation
- Energy use and conservation
- Waste management, and
- "Green purchasing"
- The taskforce has also facilitated the delivery of several successful workshops on topics related to energy use and conservation as well as "green purchasing."
- The best practices documents for energy conservation, water conservation, waste management and "green purchasing" were originally created in 2004, but were more recently updated in 2013.
Project goals[edit | edit source]
My Sustainable Canada, the Center for Sustainable Transportation, along with a research team from the University of Waterloo are helping Blue Mountain Resort, Horseshoe Resort and Glen Eden Ski and Snowboard Centre discover how much fuel their vehicle fleet uses and how they can save money and help the environment through eco-driving and maintenance practices. Over 30 vehicle monitoring devices were installed among light and medium duty vehicles at the 3 ski resorts. These devices measure trip-time, distance, average speed, fuel use, idling time and other driver behaviors. This two year research project will serve as a complimentary component to the Ontario Snow Resorts Association's Engine Idling Reduction Program[3]. Here, there is a focus on limiting carbon emissions.
- In addition, My Sustainable Canada, with help from researchers at the University of Waterloo, are tracking summer driver behavior in fleet vehicles at Blue Mountain Resort. This research looks to understand the relationship between weather, driver behavior, fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions associated with operating light and medium duty vehicles within the resort fleet during winter and summer months when vehicle monitoring technologies are deployed. It is thought that weather (extreme cold in winter and heat in summer) leads to increased instances and duration of vehicle idling. This research aims to characterize driver behavior in relation to weather conditions.
Photos[edit | edit source]
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My Sustainable Canada
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Wylie-Toal, Brendan, Tania Del Matto, Hayley Lapalme, and Nicholas Cloet. "Who We Are." My Sustainable Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. <http://web.archive.org/web/20180902090356/http://mysustainablecanada.org/about-us/who-we-are.html>
- ↑ "Ontario Snow Resorts Association." Ontario Snow Resorts Association. N.p., 2003. Web. <http://www.skiontario.ca/>.
- ↑ "Tracking Driver Behaviour and Fuel Consumption Among Ski Resort Fleets." Sustainable Tourism. My Sustainable Canada, 2010. Web. <http://web.archive.org/web/20170203192134/http://www.mysustainablecanada.org/publications/guidance-documents/130-tracking-driver-behaviour-and-fuel-consumption-for-three-ski-resort-fleets.html>.
Contact details[edit | edit source]
- P.O. Box 575,
- Collingwood, Ontario
- L9Y 4E8
- Tel: 705-443-5450
- Fax: 705-443-5460
- Email: osra@skiontario.ca
