Green Stewardship


“The big picture isn’t necessarily about turning off an unneeded light or using recycled paper or offering organic products. Individually, these are all the right things to do, and, collectively, when they’re done, you end up creating a culture of environmental sensitivity.”


That’s what Jason Ryan, General Manager of Signal Mountain Lodge in Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, has done in short order as he moved from front desk clerk to operations manager with environmental and safety responsibilities to the top management position. “We’re doing things right,” he said. “We set standards for ourselves that in turn set an example for others. People from all over the world see how we have managed to incorporate environmental sustainability in our day-to-day operations and they take those concepts home with them, perpetuating the trend to make our planet a better place to live.”


As a result, Signal Mountain earned a third-party Green Star Award by putting fledgling recycling and green procurement programs into operation in the early 1990s. “We started slowly in building a base program by examining products and supplies we used and replacing them with more environmentally-friendly options,” Ryan said. Earning the Green Star logo also developed guidelines and a path that led to future development.


“Once we earned Star status, a one-time event, we continued to grow our programs into long-term efforts that brought us Green Seal accreditation, the first National Park concessioner to become a certified Green Seal lodging facility.” The Green Seal organization examines hundreds of products and services to ensure manufacturers, purchasers, and users are making responsible choices that positively improve the quality of life.


To acquire that credential, all site chemicals, recycling programs, and energy and water conservation practices had to meet stringent standards, allowing the Department of the Interior to bestow an Environmental Achievement Award calling Signal Mountain “an exemplary concessioner in environmental excellence, serving as a model partner in environmental stewardship.”


For those who have spearheaded the efforts, it goes beyond award recognition however. “Our staff has shown a willingness to learn, accept, and practice measures to protect the environment,” said Operations Manager Chris Murdoch. “We wouldn’t be able to participate in the programs, partnerships, and associations we subscribe to if our staff were not committed to our ethics and procedures and we wouldn’t receive these achievement awards if staff didn’t lead by example of effective environmental responsibility.”


For more information on Green Seal, please visit www.greenseal.org.


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