Verbier has unveiled a list of innovative initiatives in the resort’s on-going efforts to minimize its environmental impact.

One of the most innovative is to install sonar machines beneath its trail grooming equipment. This ensures that the resort’s lift company is aware of snow depth across the piste and does not waste water and energy making snow where it is not needed. It also means that grooming can be suspended where snow cover is too thin or does not need grooming for any other reason, avoiding the risk of damage to underlying vegetation and ground.

The lift company also uses bio-diesel for the grooming machines and some of their vehicles (cars on mini-vans).

In addition, the Commune de Bagnes encourages the building of houses with geothermal heating. The increase has then been really important over the last three to five years according to the architects of Verbier.

The community also produces electricity by using the waterfalls of the channels for the drinkable or used water. Every year, these” micro-poweer-plants”(three in total) produce the power for 2,000 people - about a third of the Commune’s residents.

The Commune de Bagnes has also ordered an analysis of the traffic in the resort and has initiated a plan to be enacted during the period from 2010 to 2015.

The main projects are to reduce traffic in the centre of the resort; create pedestrian areas and zones with priority to pedestrians in the centre. Public transports will be further developed and people encouraged to leave their cars at home.

When possible, the Commune the Bagnes, the lift company, the tourist office and events organisers already encourage people to come by train – or leave their car in Le Châble – and use the gondola to reach the resort and/or the slopes.

www.verbier.ch