1.Be aware of your environmental impact as skiers and snowboarders… Educate yourself about your environmental impact on the mountains and what you can do to minimise it.

2.Do not leave any litter on the slopes… When the snow has gone the litter is still there. Orange peel takes up to two years to break down and cigarette ends up to five years. Put all rubbish in bins or take it home. Don’t smoke on chairlifts. Stub your cigarettes out in ashtrays provided. Also, if you find litter on the slopes or around the resort, do the right thing and pick it up.

How long does it take for it to disappear?

• a paper handkerchief = 3 months
• a tube ticket = 4 months
• a match = 6 months
• a cigarette butt = 1 to 2 years
• a chewing gum = 5 years
• a tin can = 10 years
• a plastic bottle = 100 to 1000 years
• a glass bottle = 4000 years

3.Respect the natural habitat of mountain animals and plants… If you ride through trees, you can damage them by knocking off branches and killing young shoots under the snow. Take care. Many areas are out of bounds to protect the natural habitat of animals and plants - not just for safety reasons.

4.Choose a resort which uses environmentally friendly practices… Many resorts now use bio-diesel fuel in piste-bashers, solar panels for heating, hydro-electricity/wind energy for power and a host of other initiatives. Some resorts use the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001 as a mark of their environmental credentials.

5.Do your bit to reduce global warming on holiday… Switch off electrical appliances and lights each time you leave a room or the chalet. Re-cycle household waste (SnowCrazy does this for you and provides a bin for glass and plastic) and reuse your towels each day.

6.Reduce CO2 emissions… By flying fewer miles or switching from air to rail, you can help reduce the volume of greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. At home and when possible, use your bike instead of your car. Calculate your flight emissions and then ‘neutralise’ them through community projects which save exactly the same amount of carbon dioxide...Airline flights are among the fastest growing sources of global warming gases. But you can make your travel a little greener. Click here The Carbon Neutral Company.

SnowCrazy has adopted green policies…encourage other operators you travel with to do the same. Find out if your travel agent offers train travel as an alternative to flying, if they use paper from sustainable forests for their brochures, if they use low-wattage light bulbs in their chalets and bio-degradable detergents.

Thanks for your support!

Wristband campaign
Although the craze of wearing wristbands has died down, the message still holds value. To buy your RESPECT THE MOUNTAIN wristband follow this link: Ski Club

The Travel Foundation
The Travel Foundation is helping the UK travel industry take effective action on sustainable tourism. Download their ´Insider Guide´ and Make a Difference whenever you travel:
Insider Guide