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Wed, Nov. 13

Xanterra South Rim's environmental programs recognized by NPS
Concessioner receives Environmental Achievement Award for significant decrease in resource consumption

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Xanterra South Rim's latest environmental award - this one from the National Park Service (NPS) for the significant decrease in water, electricity, petroleum and other resource consumption - joins a long list of awards and honors for the concessioner's years-long commitment to decreasing resource consumption at Grand Canyon National Park.

The National Park Service recently announced Xanterra's Environmental Achievement Award in the "Building our Future" category. The award recognized several successful environmental projects, including the company's sustainable renovation of the historic Bright Angel Lodge. By installing water-saving equipment and implementing other conservation measures, Xanterra significantly reduced water consumption.

"Our long road toward increasingly sustainable operations began many years ago, long before being green was trendy," said Joel Southall, director of sustainability for Xanterra South Rim. "As our environmental program has evolved, so has the commitment of Xanterra employees to ever-greener operations. Our employees, from housekeeping to engineering staff, are encouraged to recommend ways to reduce Xanterra's footprint in every aspect of our operations."

And Xanterra listens to those recommendations.



"Many households produce much more than three trash cans full of waste every week, and think of how much waste is typically produced during common household remodeling projects," said Southall. "It took intensive planning and follow-through to reduce waste to that level, and I assure you everyone working on that project thought carefully about every piece of waste material that went into the trash bin instead of the recycling bin."


Visitors also notice sustainable cuisine options when they dine in one of the restaurants Xanterra operates. More than 29 percent of total food and beverage purchases are sustainable menu products including sustainable seafood, locally grown produce and beef from local ranchers. The company's goal is to increase that number to 50 percent by 2015. Xanterra defines sustainable cuisine as food that is grown, harvested, processed, packaged and distributed with the least possible amount of environmental impact. The company considers food that is produced within a 400-mile radius of Grand Canyon Village as "locally grown."

For information about all of Xanterra South Rim's environmental programs visit

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