Les Arcs green rating – Ski Club of Great Britain

Les Arcs: green factor

ISO14001 approved:No

Is the resort ISO14001 approved?

ISO 14001 is a worldwide standard of environmental management for any organisation, created in 1996. Ski resorts on at least four continents are known to be working towards obtaining ISO 14001 certification or to have already achieved it. ISO 14001 is an environmental management system applying to those environmental issues which a ski resort business, or any company, has some control over and can be expected to influence if they want to.

The ISO 14001 standard helps any organisation to implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system; assure itself of its conformance with its own stated environmental policy and to demonstrate that it is conforming with those standards and any other environmental laws and regulations.

Recycling:Yes

Does the resort recycle?

Resorts increasingly offer recycling facilities to guests, either within their accommodation and/or at special recycling points, which are hopefully convenient.

As always there's a range of how far individual resorts go. Some go as far as looking to use waste to run their communal heating systems and others make targets to recycle 100% of all waste.

Green power user:Yes

Is the resort a green power user?

'Green' power (eco-friendly) typically means wind generated or other naturally produced energy such as solar cells. On the other hand, some fuel sources like bio diesel are less polluting than conventional fuels so could be considered a step in the right direction, if not the perfect answer.

Of course there is a great variation in how much (or how little!) a resort can do, from running a few snowmobiles on bio-diesel to having the entire resort operating on wind power or other renewable energies.

Traffic reduction:Yes

Does the resort have a traffic reduction policy?

Traffic reduction can take many forms. Several Swiss resorts and a few in other countries have banned cars altogether for decades. Some have never had cars on their streets.

Other approaches include pedestrianised centres and out-of-centre car parking with resort centre access only on foot or by public transport - hopefully, electrically powered buses. These, along with expensive and/or severely restricted resort centre parking, and an efficient free and cheap bus service, all help to reduce traffic problems and thus cut emissions.

Sewage properly managed:No

Does the resort have a waste reduction policy?

The influx of winter guests to ski areas tends to bring an influx of, what's politely termed 'waste water', to the mountains as thousands of guests use the toilets on the mountain and bathroom in their accommodation.

The most environmentally forward thinking ski areas are using techniques such as composting to reduce waste from mountain restaurants. In some areas purified wastewater is also being used for snowmaking, on the one hand an eco friendly measure as it recycles, on the other it might be argued that if water is needed for snowmaking in an area of marginal precipitation, their shouldn't be a ski area there.

Climate policy:Yes

Does the resort have a climate policy?

If a ski resort has a climate policy it means that the 'great and the good' in the resort have got together to work out a strategy to minimise the resort's impact on climate change and global warming. This can include many different initiatives such as recycling, communal heating, ensuring new buildings cause minimal environmental impact and so on. Most important is the ethos of the community to take the potential environmental impact of all resort aspects of life into consideration now and in the future.

Green building policy:Yes

Does the resort have a green building policy?

Ski resorts are increasingly looking at minimising the environmental impact of their construction projects, as well as the impact of newly erected buildings and other infrastructure.

Having a green building policy means resorts put environmental concerns at the top of the list when working on new projects. This can include a myriad of things from using helicopters to reduce the damage to surrounding land when building in sensitive areas, to using natural, local materials for building and looking for maximum insulation and minimum power requirements, ideally supplied in as eco-friendly a way as possible.

Major Initiatives

Minimum Impact of Vanoise Express
The incredible Vanoise Express which links La Plagne and Les Arcs is a double-decker cable-car (tram) which travels at 45kph and at up to 380m above the valley, carrying up to 200 people a time (hourly capacity 2,000 sph) on a thrilling four minute journey. To minimise the environmental impact the 15m (Euro) lift has no support towers between the two stations.

Since resorts are continuously increasing and improving their environmental practices, we update the Green Resort Guide throughout the year. If you have any information about new resort environmental policies/practices or anything that you think we may have missed, please email greenresortguide@skiclub.co.uk.

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Ski Club Freshtracks holidays to Les Arcs

Families French Half Term: Action zone: 7 nights, 11 Feb 2012; Les Arcs’ ski slopes offer long descents, plenty of steep stuff and trees to head to in a...

Powder Paradise by Rail: Off piste zone: 7 nights, 24 Mar 2012; The off piste runs in Les Arcs offer long descents, plenty of steep stuff and tree-skiing in the...

PE Final Fling: Action zone: 7 nights, 14 Apr 2012; Why not finish the ski season on a high – quite literally – 1800m above sea level to be exact! Make...

ski companies in Les Arcs

Neilson Active Holidays: 25% discount for Ski Club members; Ski Club of Great Britain members can receive a guaranteed 10% discount and up to 25% off Neilson...

Ski Hiver: 15% discount for Ski Club members; 15% discount for members. Ski Hiver have catered and Self catered chalets/Apts in the Paradiski ...

Skiworld: 10% discount for Ski Club members; Largest independent ski operator in the UK. Featuring over 100 catered chalets, plus self-catering...

Ski Solutions: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Ski Solutions is Britain's original and largest specialist ski travel agency. We have been in...

Skitracer.com: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Skitracer is a specialist travel agency offering a wide range of chalets, hotels and apartments in...

First Choice Ski: 5% discount for Ski Club members; * Please note: Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Great value family...

Ski Beat: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Ski Beat offers catered chalet holidays to La Plagne, Les Arcs, Meribel, La Tania, La Rosiere and...

Inghams: 5% discount for Ski Club members; With over 75 years experience in ski, offering holidays in 80 resorts in 9 countries, Inghams offer...

Thomson Ski & Snowboarding: 5% discount for Ski Club members; * Please note: Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Great value skiing...

Drive Alive: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Great deals on ski holidays throughout Europe. Designed for the motorist or independent traveller. ...

lastminute.com: 5% discount for Ski Club members; lastminute.com is the UK’s leading online travel and leisure retailer. Speak to one of our expert...

Crystal Ski: 5% discount for Ski Club members; * Please note: Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Skiing and snow...

Ski Amis: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Ski Amis offer catered chalet holidays of a high standard at affordable prices in the top French...

IGLU.COM: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Igluski.com is an award-winning ski specialist (Best Online Agency 2010), working with over 70 tour...

Ski Lagrange: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Lagrange specialise in ski holidays to France, with accommodation options to suit all budgets, in a...

ifyouski.com: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Ifyouski.com was founded in 1999 by members of the British Ski Team and is one of the most popular...

Mountain Heaven Ltd: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Mountain Heaven Ltd offers superb catered and self-catered accommodation. Our catered chalets are...

Crystal the Finest: 5% discount for Ski Club members; * Please note: Calls to 0871 numbers cost 10p per minute plus network extras. Luxury ski...

Erna Low: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Independent ski specialist Erna Low offer the widest range of self catered accommodation in France,...

Ski Independence: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Ski Independence is the UK's leading independent specialist offering the very best hotels,...

Club Med: 5% discount for Ski Club members; The Club Med ski holiday experience: more inclusive, more exclusive: - A choice of 21 locations in...

ski accommodation in Les Arcs

SnowChateaux: 15% discount for Ski Club members; Snowchateaux - Voted one of the top 5 places to stay. - The Daily Telegraph Ski Guide A...

Go-Alpine Chalets: 15% discount for Ski Club members; "Quite simply an excellent week in a superb chalet in a prime location for skiing both...

Sunweb Holidays: 15% discount for Ski Club members; Sunweb Holidays - Offers fantastic value accommodation in the top ski resorts in France and Austria!...

Alpine365: 10% discount for Ski Club members; Alpine365 offers fun and memorable catered chalet holidays in Les Coches, La Plagne all the year...

Savoie Holidays: 10% discount for Ski Club members; Savoie Holidays offers catered and self-catered chalet holidays in Tignes, Les...

Pisteside Holidays: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Pisteside Chalet Holidays is owner run offering a very personal friendly service at our luxury ski...

Pierre & Vacances: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Pierre & Vacances is the largest provider of ski accommodation in France with over 100...

Vanilla Ski: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Personal and friendly owner run chalet. With 15 years experience combined with ski hosting, expert...

Chalet Iris: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Chalet Iris is a luxury 4 bedroom chalet situated in the village of Nancroix an original alpine...

Chalet Merlo: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Luxurious, spacious 12 bed catered chalet with stunning views. Sauna, hot tub, gym, wifi, home...

PowderBeds.com: 5% discount for Ski Club members; PowderBeds is an online Ski Accommodation Retailer, offering a huge range of hotels, apartments,...

Pierre & Vacances Premium Arc 1950 Village: 5% discount for Ski Club members; The Arc 1950 Village is a brand new complex of 321 apartments sleeping up to 10 people. At 1950...

Chalet Pecchio: 5% discount for Ski Club members; Spacious, excellently equipped 8-10 bed catered chalet with stunning views. Wifi, flat screen TV’s...

Pierre & Vacances Premium Les Alpages de Chantel: 5% discount for Ski Club members; The Residences MGM Les Alpages de Chantel residence is located on the hillside of Arc 1800. It...

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