Environmental Program Highlights
Xanterra strives to be on the cutting-edge in environmental performance. The following are a few examples of ways that Xanterra is trying to lead the tourism industry toward being more sustainable.
- Installing one of the largest non-utility renewable energy systems in the U.S. - a one-megawatt solar photovoltaic system in Death Valley National Park (enough energy to power 700 homes a year).*
- 2006 recipient, out of many National Environmental Performance Track partners, of the Corporate Leader award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
- The first concessioner to develop sustainable "Green Suites" (ecologically sound hotel rooms) for guests.
- One of only a few hospitality companies to recycle grease on-site into biodiesel for use in fleet vehicles.
- The first and only national park hospitality company to receive U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at two locations. This includes a LEED Silver rating at Crater Lake National Park for the Annie Creek restaurant and retail building and LEED certification at a Yellowstone National Park employee housing facility.
- Pioneered the development (along with several partners including the NPS) of a mobile propane bottle recycling unit that recycles camper propane bottles, collecting and using the waste fuel to power the unit.
- The first U.S. hospitality company to commit to an absolute reduction target in greenhouse gas emissions (through a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund) and the only hospitality company to actually achieve that goal.
- One of only a few hospitality companies to use on-site renewable solar photovoltaic systems (At Xanterra, these power portions of electricity demands at five national parks).
- The first park hospitality company to develop an internal CAFE standard for fleet vehicles.
- The first U.S. hospitality company to ban sales of certain types of fish species because of harvesting practices deemed harmful to the environment or low species populations.
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- One of a few hospitality companies using renewable, clean-burning biodiesel in boilers and vehicles.
- Achieved the designation of "Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary" from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary System (ACSS) for the Furnace Creek Golf Course in Death Valley National Park.
- The first national park hospitality company to publish a periodic sustainability report publicly disclosing environmental performance.
- Among the first U.S. hospitality companies to receive the prestigious ISO 14001 International Environmental Management System certification for all of its national park operations.
- The first park hospitality company to publish and implement its own Guidelines for Environmentally Sustainable Design and Construction for buildings in national parks.
- The first U.S. hospitality company to be granted "Chain of Custody" certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to ensure sales of sustainably fished wild salmon.
- One of only a few hospitality companies to use renewable wind energy to power a portion of electricity demands at seven national park locations.
- The first, and possibly the only, U.S. hospitality company to track and normalize all natural resource usage and waste generation at all locations through a computerized Ecometrix tracking system.
- The first park hospitality company to set and publicly disclose long-range envrionmental sustainability goals.
- One of the few national park concessioners in the country to achieve Clean Marina Certification (at three locations).
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*By the time this report went to print the one-megawatt solar PV system in Death Valley was designed and engineered, site and permit issues were addressed, and construction had neared commencement. Construction will be completed in February 2008.
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