Summary of Environmental Performance
The company’s overall environmental performance is best assessed by looking at annual trends and progress toward meeting the 2015 goals. Individual Xanterra operations set property-specific, annual environmental goals that are tied to the company-wide 2015 goals. A facility’s specific objectives and targets are measured for performance against annual goals that are congruent with the 2015 goals. While this data is explained and analyzed in detail in later sections, here are a few highlights from the last seven years (2000-2006):
Progress Towards Xanterra's 2015 Environmental Vision Goals
|
Resource
|
Xanterra's 2015 Goal
|
2006 Progress Toward Goal
(baseline year 2000*) |
| Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Decrease greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions by 30% | Greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) -17.0% (-20.2% normalized)*** Sulfur and nitrogen oxide Nitrogen oxide |
| Renewable Energy | Increase usage of renewable energy to provide 7% of total electricity consumed | Renewable energy provides 18.2% of all electricity usage (excluding hydroelectric) in Xanterra's national park operations. Companywide, this represents 11.5% of all electricity used. From 2006-2007 renewable energy increased 28%. (These figures include new on-site solar PV systems being developed in 2007 in Death Valley and Rocky Mountain National Parks). |
| Solid Waste | Divert from landfill 50% of all solid waste generated |
Diversion rate Waste to landfill Waste recycled/diverted |
| Fossil Fuels | Decrease fossil fuel usage by 30% |
Electricity usage Propane usage Natural gas usage Heating fuel oil usage Diesel fuel usage Gasoline usage |
| Sustainable Cuisine | Increase purchases of sustainable food items to 50% of all companywide food expenditures | Sustainable cuisine purchases have increased from $1.4 million in 2004 to $3.1 million in 2006, a 120% increase in two years, totaling 11.4% of companywide food expenditures. |
| Transportation | Achieve companywide CAFE (corporate average fuel economy) standard of 35 miles per gallon for all passenger vehicles purchased annually | Xanterra's 2007 corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) was 20.4 mpg (EPA rated combined city/highway), an 8.1% increase from 2002 (since data was first tracked). |
| Hazardous Waste | Generate zero hazardous waste | Hazardous waste recycled has increased every year, more than 294% since 2000. Hazardous waste generated and disposed has fluctuated with a small downward trend. All operations except three are CESQG or generate zero regulated hazardous waste. |
| Water | Decrease water usage by 25% (baseline year 2003) | Total companywide data is currently not accurate enough to report. Property-specific data is reported in the Water section of this report. |
*All goals use a baseline year of 2000 except where specifically noted otherwise.
** Electricity usage includes total kilowatt hours used company-wide, regardless of the source of that electricity.
*** These figures account for on-site renewable energy generation, as well as renewable energy purchases.
Much of Xanterra’s resource usage continues to trend favorably. Xanterra considers one of its most significant achievements to be its 17 percent gross decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (20.2 percent normalized for revenue), not only because of the importance of climate change, but also because greenhouse gases indicate fossil fuel usage and its associated impacts upon natural systems and national security.
Progress Toward Meeting President Bush's New Executive Order
In 2006, President Bush signed a new Executive Order (E. O.) named Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management. The new E.O. requires Federal agencies and its contractors to advance the nation’s energy security and environmental performance by achieving specific goals (outlined below). The E.O. consolidates and strengthens five previous E.O.’s and two memorandums of understanding and establishes new goals, practices, and reporting requirements for environmental, energy, and transportation performance. Xanterra, as a contractor to the federal government, not only will meet, but also exceed, these goals. Below is a summary of Xanterra’s progress toward these new goals.
|
Resource
|
2006 Federal E.O. Goal
|
Xanterra's Progress Toward
Executive Order Goals |
| Fossil Fuels | Reduce petroleum consumption in fleet vehicles by 2% annually through 2015. Reduce energy intensity 30% by 2015 |
Although total fleet vehicle petroleum consumption has increased over the last seven years by 20%, due to an increase in the number of vehicles, annual fleet average fuel economy has increased more than 8% in seven years. Electricity intensity (normalized for revenue) is down 17.5% |
| Renewable Energy | At least 50% of current renewable energy purchases must come from new renewable sources (in service after January 1, 1999) | 100% of Xanterra renewable energy purchases come from new sources |
| Emissions | Reduce greenhouse gas emissions thruogh reduction of energy intensity by 3% annually or 30% by 2015 | Xanterra's greenhouse gas emissions intensity (normalized for revenue) is down 20.2% in seven years |
| Solid Waste | Divert from landfill 50% of all solid waste generated | 51% of solid waste generated is diverted or recycled from a landfill at Xanterra national park operations |
| Procurement | Expand purchases of environmentally-sound goods and services, including biobased products | Sustainable cuisine purchases have increased 120% in the last two years. Environmentally preferable purchases continue throughout the company |
| Transportation | Increase purchase of alternative fuel vehicles when commerically available. Increase alternative fuel consumption 10% annually | Xanterra has undertaken numerous steps to reduce the environmental impact associated with transportation (see Transportation section of this report for details). |
| Building Performance | Construct or renovate buildings in accordance with sustainability strategies | The last two buildings Xanterra fully constructed are both US Green Building Council LEED certified. Many Xanterra renovations use the LEED Existing Building rating system as a guideline during design. |
| Water | Reduce water consumption intensity by 2% annually through 2015 | Data not available |
| Pollution Prevention | Reduce use of chemicals and toxic materials and purchase lower risk chemicals and toxic materials from top priority list | Xanterra has switched to Green Seal certified nontoxic cleaners and is phasing out ethylene glycol with propylene glycol at most operations |
| Electronics Management | Electronic products purchased must meet Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool standards; enable Energy Star features on 100% of equipment, and reuse, donate, sell, or recycle 100% of electronic products | All new Xanterra computers are Energy Star rated. All old computers are recycled or donated. |
| Environmental Management Systems | By 2010, increase to at least 2,500 the number of Federal operations that implement environmental management systems | All Xanterra federal national parkj operations have functioning environmental management systems certified to the ISO 14001 standard* |
*Xanterra's Everglades ISO 14001 certification of EMS was temporarily suspended due to closing of the operation from Hurricanes Wilma and Katrina in 2005-6. The EMS and its ISO14001 certification will be reengaged in late 2007.