Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole is Preparing for Earth Day by Spotlighting Its Green Initiatives

Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole has always taken their eco responsibilities seriously. Over the last few years the Resort has implemented such initiatives as a soap recycling program, composting in the cafeteria, in room reusable water boxes, sustainable beauty products in The Spa, culinary partnerships with local food purveyors and contributions to the Jenny Lake trail restoration.

Reuse

Since 2010 the Resort has been partnering with Clean the World, a social enterprise leading in the global hygiene revolution, to save lives and protect the environment through the Hospitality Partner Program. The program begins by collecting discarded soaps and shampoos used at the Resort. The bars and bottles of shampoo are then collected and shipped to a warehouse to be sanitised and re-packaged for distribution to countries in need of such products. In the last five years, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole has recycled more than 16,065 pounds (7,287 kilograms) of waste and 23,242 bars of recycled soap.

“We're incredibly excited to be making a difference through this impactful partnership with Clean the World. We're making strides to preserve the environment while simultaneously providing at-risk communities with access to soap,” says Myra Castillo, Assistant Housekeeping Manager.

Reduce

Pigs in Thayne, Wyoming are getting a taste of Five Star culinary excellence with the Resort’s recent composting program. In the fall, the Resort partnered with Haderlie Farms, a diversified family farm located in Thayne to participate in their compost collection program. Green bins have been placed in the employee cafeteria and kitchen areas for the disposal of food scraps and waste. Each week, the bins are collected and sent to the farm where the contents are either fed to the pigs or used for compost.  Since October 2018 Four Seasons has successfully diverted four tons (4,000 kilograms) of food waste.

“In our throw-away culture, it’s nice to know you have an option: To take food scraps that would add to our overflowing landfills and recycle them to a local farm. There, the scraps can be turned into beneficial compost,” says Curtis Haderlie, owner of Haderlie Farms.

Recycle

At the start of 2019, the Resort rolled out a new eco-initiative to exclusively provide its guests with reusable water boxes for in-room use and beyond.

“In Jackson Hole, we are fortunate to have some of the purest drinking water in the world, fresh from the Tetons to our taps.  We hope the water boxes will help keep our guests hydrated during their stay with us and cut down on the use of plastic water bottles," says Ed Gannon, General Manager.

In addition to the water boxes, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole has completely converted all of its straws, to-go cutlery and cups to biodegradable options.

Wellness

The Spa, which prides itself in awaking a sense of holistic wellness, has just announced a new line by Rawceuticals, an industry leader in green initiatives. All of the ingredients are sourced sustainably and ethically, their packaging is bio-degradable and their “buy one, plant one” tree program is taking a leading role in giving back. The products are available for sale in The Spa and are also used in the Organic Mountain Facial treatment.

“These products are an amazing fit for our spa, not only because of their eco-initiatives but also for their pure and effective ingredients such as hemp seed oil, kakadu plum and cold pressed coconut; perfect for targeting the harsh effects of this dry climate,” says Nicole Meneveau, Spa Director.

Culinary

The Wyoming tradition of vast ranches and farms inspires the culinary team at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole to utilise locally sourced produce and meats throughout their dishes when available, including Carter Country Meats and Vertical Harvest.

“If we can keep it local, we will,” says Executive Chef Michael Goralski. “The short growing season makes it challenging at times but our partnership with Vertical Harvest has been great in allowing us to source local products grown right downtown.”

Vertical Harvest of Jackson Hole sells locally grown, fresh vegetables year-round to members of the Jackson community and surrounding area along with various local culinary partners, including Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson Hole. Vertical Harvest replaces 100,000 pounds (45,000 kilograms) of produce that is trucked into the community each year. This 13,500 square foot (1,250 square metre) greenhouse grows an annual amount of produce equivalent to 10 acres (4 hectares) of traditional farming. Their microgreens can be found in all three of the Resort’s outlets, along with other seasonal items.  

Carter Ranch is nestled in the western slope of the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. The ranch, including roughly 40,000 wild acres (16,000 hectares), is fed by 27 natural springs and looks over a mosaic of juniper, sagebrush, red dirt and limestone cliffs. With its grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic free promise, The Handle Bar sources its burger meat exclusively from Carter Country Meats.

Giving Back

Summer 2018 was the last of major construction for the Jenny Lake Renewal Project, a USD 19 million renewal effort at Jenny Lake by Grand Teton National Park Foundation. The multi-year project was to temper the impact of countless visitors who have come to enjoy the Tetons and Jenny Lake. The work involved rebuilding trails to help endure summer visitors and Rocky Mountain winters. Efforts include realigning paths away from sensitive areas, reclaiming overrun and worn-out areas, adding accessible areas, strengthening bridges and retaining walls, and providing interpretive information and improved front-country services intended to educate and orient visitors to the landscape before them. Four Seasons Resort and Residences Jackson contributed USD 25,000 to the project.

“We were excited to help with this the restoration project of this amazing part of the park. I am excited to say that we have just committed to helping fund another restorative project and the details of which should be announced in the coming weeks, so stay tuned,” says Cory Carlson, Director of Sales and Marketing.  

Follow the Resort’s Instagram account @FSJacksonHole to find out more about its green efforts and exciting new projects.