Saving Our Mountains: The Facts

Posted by Matt Gahman on Monday, January 18, 2016

This statistic is alarming - over the past century America’s highest elevations have experienced 3 times the global average temperature increase. More than just a fun place to ski and ride, these ecosystems provide up to 85% of the water we depend on (not to mention providing space for our beloved snow sports, areas for forests to thrive, and habitat for wildlife of all types).

Climate change poses special problems for national parks and wilderness areas because most of the land area within their boundaries is at higher elevations. If these trends continue, who knows what winter will look like throughout the years to come.

The Buckman family decided many years ago that we would play our role as a company in being as eco-friendly as possible. From our solar project to our recycling program, the Buckmans.com Green Initiative is leading the way in the use of sustainable, renewable energy. Our team works hard for a greener, cleaner environment for all of our families to enjoy for years to come, and so can you! Here’s how:

Use Greener Energy

Just about everything we do in our daily life emits CO2 into the atmosphere. Each and every small adjustment we make can have a positive impact in preventing the onset of climate change. 

Our homes contribute a large proportion of overall carbon emissions. Reduce your emissions (and lower your energy bills) with these easy pointers -
• Invest in energy efficient windows
• Turn off all appliances (from the socket) when not in use
• Replace electrical equipment with energy efficient models
• Insulate your home

Buckmans.com is proud to have a state-of-the-art solar energy system at our corporate headquarters in Pottstown, PA! The rooftop and ground-mounted solar array supplements the power needed to run our manufacturing facility (to learn more about this plant, visit buckmansinc.com). Currently, our roof-mounted array is the largest in the state of Pennsylvania!

By using electricity from a clean, renewable energy source, we offset 2.5 million pounds of carbon dioxide a year. This is equivalent to conserving over 127,300 gallons of gasoline annually. We also have roof-mounted arrays on 5 of our 6 retail stores, making these locations energy-neutral!

Reduce Your Waste

Garbage buried in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas. We can all reduce this gas by keeping unnecessary items out of landfills. Start composting kitchen scraps and garden trimmings along with recycling paper, plastic, metal and glass.

In addition to utilizing available renewable energy technology, Buckmans.com actively recycles paper and plastic products. Last year we collected, bundled and recycled over 1,000 Lbs. of paper products, 51,000 Lbs. of corrugated materials, and 159,800 Lbs. of plastic.

By making this concerted effort, over 200,000 Lbs. of waste each year are no longer sent to a landfill but are recycled and re-used. We’re working hard to keep our mountains pristine for years to come.

Educate Our Youth

Now is the time to start educating our children about climate change and its effects. In the classroom, by parents, and even simply through leading by example, it’s time to get our children more involved in making life greener! Give them the responsibility to make sure lights and other electronics are turned off in their rooms, get them involved in recycling and composting, and reward them for their good work with an afternoon of fresh powder!

Preventing climate change in the future is more important than ever, not only for future fun on the slopes, but also for our overall quality of life. The enormity of global warming can be daunting, but it’s important to remember that we all contribute individually! Reversing climate change is an action we can take every single day to ensure the future of our children, their children, and snow adventure for years to come.

Categories: Winter Activities & Tips