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| Stan Rey at Whistler Blackcomb - Photo by Paul Morrison |
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| Arthur de Jong |
All of these eco projects have been spearheaded by Arthur de Jong who heads up Whistler Blackcomb’s Environment Team. A
team player, de Jong says he is only as good as the people surrounding him:
“Allana Williams our Energy manager has been integral on many of these
initiatives as she leads our energy conservation programs as well as the many
staff at WB who help drive these initiatives. I am privileged to work with so
many staff that are committed to driving our conservation culture.”
Over
more than 30 years at the British Columbia resort, his various roles have
included Ski Patrol Manager and Mountain Operations
Manager for Blackcomb, leading to a close rapport with the mountain terrain and
a profound understanding of the mountain ecosystem. Pioneering work in
environmental planning led to de Jong’s current position as Mountain Planning
and Environmental Resource Manager. “On climate change, we have considerable
resilience here in Whistler but ultimately we will go as the global economy
goes,” says de Jong. “That is why we must demonstrate what a conservation
culture is and compel the general economy to do the same.” His everyday job is to develop sustainable planning
techniques in order to improve guest experiences without compromising the
natural environment.
In de Jong’s introduction to his annual operating footprint report
2015, he said that Whistler Blackcomb’s primary sustainability goal for mountain
operations was as close to zero footprint as possible. “The business imperative is we become more cost efficient by
operating with fewer inputs and outputs of fuel, hydroelectricity, and
waste,” he explained. “A direct benefit
to the bottom-line.” But there was also a moral imperative, he added: “Our
general economy and society critically need examples of economic models that
demonstrate sustainable growth especially targeted on the reduction of fossil fuels
thereby addressing climate change.”
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| Courtesy of Whistler Blackcomb |
He also explained that companies with the strongest brands place
emphasis on actions that align with both imperatives, thereby adding
value to the
bottom line
and also society in general. “Reducing our operating footprint clearly aligns
with this,” he concluded. An example of this is The Fitzsimmons Creek Renewable Energy
Project which will return back
to the power grid what Whistler Blackcomb consumes from the grid, leaving a zero
footprint. This run-of-river project produces 33 gigawatt hours of hydro
electricity per year – enough to power the resort’s winter and summer operations,
including the 38 lifts, 270 snowguns and 17 restaurants. Involving more than
six years of studies and planning, the Project is owned by Fitzsimmons Creek
Hydro Limited Partnership in which Whistler Blackcomb is a
strategic partner. This work led to the resort being awarded the Golden Eagle Award for Overall Environmental
Excellence at the 2010 National Ski
Areas Association National Convention and Tradeshow.
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| Courtesy of Whistler Blackcomb |
In respect to on-mountain development, he has learned not to change
ecosystems for human use, but to build recreational experiences inside
ecosystems. “That was vision with the Symphony chair expansion,” he explained. This high-speed chairlift opened on December 16,
2006, bringing access to 1,000 acres of skiable terrain in the Symphony
Amphitheatre, previous only accessed only by arduous hiking. The design team
included a black bear researcher and a professional forester along with
planners and engineers, who had to manage a lift with 2,400-hour capacity, while
preserving the natural wildlife and fish ecosystems.
One
of the ways the footprint was minimized included only
moving trees that were between tree islands or presented a disease threat. Trees
were removed via helicopter and all lift towers and assemblies were placed via
helicopter. The selective forestry approach - called a “silviculture
prescription” – actually enhanced lichen production for deer and berry
production for black bears. And denning and wetlands areas were kept exempt
from development. All lift foundations were built over the snow during April
and May 2006, ensuring ground disturbance was reduced to the foundation site only.
By utilizing many other environmental safeguards, the overall footprint – originally estimated at 40 per
cent - was reduced to less
than five per cent.
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| Courtesy of Whistler Blackcomb |
During de Jong’s stewardship, Whistler Blackcomb has
also developed programs for widescale recycling, organic waste composting,
reduction of single use cups, and garbage reduction in public and staff areas
with signage to increase awareness. Through reduction, reuse and recycling,
particularly in food and beverage, levels of waste have reduced 60 per cent
since 1998. And building retrofits have saved more than 860 tons of emissions.
The Whistler Blackcomb staff culture helps perpetuate the resort’s
environmental goals. Involved in programs such as the Habitat Improvement Team,
Operation Green Up and an annual Mountain Clean Up Day at the end of the ski
season, employees are partners in environmental stewardship. As a result of all these eco efforts, Whistler Blackcomb was
named by Maclean’s Magazine in 2009 as one of Canada’s 30 Greenest Employers.
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| Courtesy of Whistler Blackcomb |
