Resort Sustainability Program | Check out our Looking Ahead section

Current Sustainable Initiatives
Below is a list of many of the current initiatives that are underway across Mount Washington Resort. This list will be updated periodically, as we are continuously looking for better ways of keeping Mount Washington Resort the beautiful special place we all know it to be.

Partnership & Support

• Bretton Woods is a member of the National Ski Area Association's Sustainable Slopes, whose mission states, "We are committed to improving environmental performance in all aspects of our operations." The Resort meets, and in some cases exceeds, the requirements that have been set under the Sustainable Slopes program.


• Mount Washington Resort has recently become a member of the New Hampshire Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Association, whose mission states, "To encourage lodging and restaurant facilities throughout the state to continually evaluate operations for more environmentally sustainable means of pampering our guests while protecting the place that both we and our guests love. The program promotes facilities reducing their impact on the land and natural resources through their own selected initiatives. NHSLRP strives to prosper by helping the hospitality industry realize the financial and marketing benefits associated with potential environmental endeavors."


• Bretton Woods is a member of the NH Department of Environmental Services' Green Slopes initiative as part of the department's Pollution Prevention Program. Through this program, NHDES provides outreach materials, educational seminars, and site assessments in an effort to support sustainable efforts at NH ski areas.


• Bretton Wood's staff members also sit on the Environmental Committee for Ski NH which is affiliated with both the NSAA Sustainable Slopes program and the NHDES Green Slopes initiative.

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Environmentally Preferable Purchasing

• The Resort uses Ecologic cleaners from Ecolab in our housekeeping and food and beverage departments. They are green cleaners that contain no harsh chemicals and are safe for the environment. These cleaning products have been Green Seal certified.


• The Resort is in the process of changing the toilet tissue used in most public locations to a more environment-friendly product, Tork Advanced JRT (Jumbo Roll Towel). This product is made of 100% recycled paper.


• All Paper towel dispensers in public locations, kitchens and bathrooms have been changed to EnMotion automatic dispensers. These dispensers regulate the amount of paper coming out therefore reducing the amount of waste used by the operator. They also contain 40% post consumer waste.


• By making Sysco our main food service purveyor, the need for multiple trucks to deliver to the Resort has been reduced, reducing the amount of fuel used to keep our Resort stocked full of products. Additionally, Sysco is becoming more of an environmentally-conscious company as well, making it easier to obtain more "green" products as they become more readily available.


• We use GoJo soap products in public locations, a Green Seal certified product that has no harsh chemicals and is environmentally friendly.


• The Resort currently uses paper and plastic items that are fully compostable in a commercial composting facility. Currently, plastic cups for beverages are made from corn resin, produced by the Fabri-Kal company. Plates bowls, platters and to-go containers are also fully compostable, produced by the Greenwave company. At the Bretton Woods Base Lodge, products from SCA tissue are used, one of the leaders in environmental initiatives and are members of the Starbucks coffee program. Their cups use no harsh chemicals and are made from 10% post consumer waste, thus reducing the use of virgin tree fiber by five million pounds per year. The sleeve that is used on these cups is made from 60% post consumer fiber as well. The food and beverage staff at Bretton Woods is working with the food and beverage staff throughout the Resort to make similar changes and discuss economies of scale, reduced packaging with bulk purchase and other sustainable initiatives.

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Supporting the 3 "R"s (Reduce, Reuse Recycle)

• The laundry soap has no phosphates, and the use of fabric softener has been discontinued altogether.


• The Resort uses environmentally safe dishwashing soap.


• The Resort receiving departments do not let delivery vehicles idle (except when very cold outside). Also, vehicles are not allowed to warm up for more than 10 minutes. Tire pressures are checked frequently.


• Significant recycling is taking place at the Bretton Woods Base Lodge. Recycling materials are collected at numerous locations around the Base Lodge, including cardboard, glass, plastic, aluminum and mixed office paper. These materials are collected and transported to a local facility for processing. A Resort-wide recycling plan and program for all locations and for our homeowners with Waste Management is in the planning stage.


• The Bretton Woods food and beverage department uses flatware and paper products including cups, plates, bowls and napkins made of 100% biodegradable vegetable matter.


• Linen Reuse cards have been placed in all guest rooms, allowing a guest the option of reusing their bed linens and towels, and significantly decreasing the amount of water used in a facility.

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Energy Efficiencies

• Plans have begun to evaluate energy consumption for lighting and make appropriate changes. As a first step, the Bretton Woods Base Lodge uses many high-efficiency light bulbs, as well as the use of compact and regular fluorescents, in many areas. Some lights are on timers as well, reducing the amount of energy used.


• The Resort is launching an anti-idling campaign. Signage has been purchased and will be displayed in the upcoming months stating that drop off areas are "no idling zones." Employees are also interacting with our bus drivers, vendors and frequent visitors, explaining our policy to turn off their engines when loading or unloading. Additionally, the Bretton Woods' grooming operators are being asked to reduce emissions by turning off their machines during breaks and reducing warm-up times to 15 minutes.


• The Bretton Woods snowmaking department uses two Centac electric air compressors. This has enabled us to reduce the number of large diesel compressors being used to make snow. Most trails are lined with highly efficient tower guns, which use less air, therefore reducing the amount of electricity and diesel fuel consumed.


• The Resort is testing bio-diesel fuel in all Bretton Woods equipment. The Resort wants to ensure that the use of bio-fuels supports sustainable practices and is seeking a bio-diesel source that contains sustainable substances.


• Mount Washington Resort participates in a program with EnerNOC to assist us with reducing energy consumption during periods of peak demand. EnerNOC works with the regional power companies to assist businesses in reducing energy consumption during periods of peak demand. Through this system, called the Price Response Program, we are able to reduce the load on the grid and provide an economic benefit to the Resort. The reduction in demand also reduces air pollution and the overall cost of energy and ensures system reliability by allowing customers to respond to price spikes. The Resort can look at the real time price of energy at any time and make the decision to cut back or keep going. The money we save or "sell back" to the grid, allows us to purchase energy efficient lighting for the Base Lodge and other facilities.


• The Resort has hired RFS Engineering to perform an energy audit on the Resort to determine where efficiencies can be made, and what systems should be replaced.


• A waste oil furnace was added to the maintenance facility in November of 2006, at a cost of $17,000. All used motor oil from grooming equipment, plow trucks and Resort shuttles is burned in this furnace. The old furnace had consumed 5,000 gallons of #2 heating fuel annually. Since installation of the waste oil furnace, the main furnace has been burning only 2,500 gallons of #2 heating fuel per year, saving at least $7,500 per year in heating expense. The waste oil furnace will have paid for itself in less than two and a half years, and the Resort does not have to pay to get rid of waste oil!

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Buy(and Support) Local

• In our efforts to support local businesses, we work with New Hamsphire Made to make local and regional products more available in our retail outlets. We have created a New Hamsphire Products retail display in The Hotel to showcase those local and regional items that can be purchased at our Resort.

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