What does sustainability mean? It has become a buzzword used to explain a commitment to the best environmental practices and is often used interchangeably with eco-friendly, environmentally friendly, carbon-positive, and green.
Regarding sustainable travel, some destinations use the concept to market the area to travelers who want to help care for the planet.
One definition of sustainability is “the avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance.”
There are concerns over “greenwashing” when a business sells itself as eco-friendly rather than making changes, so it’s essential to consider the authenticity of its efforts.
Traveling itself contributes significantly to this issue, as the carbon footprint of airplanes and cars contributes significantly to environmental pollution.
However, it’s important to remember that people manage destinations, and many of these individuals are motivated to make efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change, even in small ways.
As travelers, we can select where to go, how to get there, and what to do based on a place’s “sustainability.”
If there are concerns over “greenwashing,” which is when a business sells itself as eco-friendly rather than minimizing its impact on the environment, share your ideas with the property on how to improve going forward.
This winter, you can plan a vacation focusing on sustainability and giving the environment a little gift.
If sustainability is a factor in your travel plans, look for things like recycling or repurposing, carbon offsets, solar power, and more signs of a commitment to making a difference for the planet.
Starting in Denver, take the light rail train from the airport into downtown.
Book a room at Populus, the country’s first carbon-positive hotel, which opened in October.
Populus, designed to look like an aspen tree, was built using recycled materials, and tens of thousands of trees have been planted in Gunnison County to offset the emissions from construction.
Consider taking the Winter Park Express Ski Train to the mountains, where you can hop off and hit the slopes.
For those who prefer cross-country skiing and snowshoeing to alpine skiing, get a ride to the nearby Devil’s Thumb Ranch Resort & Spa in Tabernash.
This 6,500-acre property has earned many eco-friendly designations, and you can sleep soundly here knowing that their solar panel arrays have saved 437.68 tons of CO2 so far.
Take the Amtrak train from Denver’s Union Station to Glenwood Springs. The appeal is soaking at the Glenwood Hot Springs Pool or Iron Mountain Hot Springs, with expanded and updated pool areas.
Natural geothermal heat is funneled below the surface, too, so deck surfaces remain snow and ice-free and the bathhouse, lobby, and gift shop are kept warm. The closest ski area is Sunlight Mountain Ski Resort, which offers a shuttle from the town.
You can take a bus from Glenwood Springs to Snowmass and Aspen, where you’ll find hotels and activities within walking distance.
The Aspen Meadows Resort is one example of seemingly small efforts to be mindful of the environment.
It has a kitchen composting program, relies on local growers for food as much as possible, even offers guests free drinks if they forgo housekeeping, and uses renewable energy.
If you choose a destination without train service, you can rent or drive your electric vehicle on one of the state’s scenic byways, which now offer convenient charging stations.
So far, 17 of the state’s 26 scenic byways have added charging stations to encourage the use of EVs and be part of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In 2017, Vail was the first destination in the world to be certified as a “Mountain IDEAL” standard, which the Global Sustainable Tourism Council recognizes.
This is for mountain towns that cater to tourists in both winter and summer and face challenges with water and energy use and affordable housing. Vail was recertified in 2021.
The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa Avon, Vail Valley, has silver LEED certification, which shows that its building practices meet the standards for minimizing environmental impact.
During its recent renovation, the hotel donated its old furniture to the local Habit for Humanity, which will sell it in its ReStores.
When you walk into the resort, you can see a new sculpture, “Royal Elk/Wapiti the Forest King,” made from reclaimed steel (the artist is Nicholas LoFaro of LoFaro METALARTS Ltd., and he also works at the resort).
The Colorado Tourism Office has launched a “Do Colorado Right” campaign that provides insights into how visitors and locals can opt for low-impact travel experiences.
When choosing where to go and what to do this winter, keep it simple by skipping a day of housekeeping at your hotel, bringing your own water bottle rather than using any plastic bottles, and always packing out what you bring in on the slopes and trails.