"A key element of our environmental program is to support sustainable business practices, and the best way to do so is to encourage people to purchase goods and services from those companies and to encourage our visitors and other members of the community to follow suit," said Julie Klein, environmental health and safety manager for Grand Teton Lodge Company. Klein said a list of local companies supported by the company is posted on the company's web site www.gtlc.com and on display boards in lodges operated by Grand Teton Lodge Company.

The current list of local companies with positive environmental practices includes:

Cosmic Apple Gardens. This is a certified organic community-supported agriculture farm located in Victor, Idaho. The farm offers shares of produce each summer to area residents and businesses. The farm's produce is being served to guests at Jenny Lake Lodge throughout the 2003 season. More information is available at www.cosmicapple.com.

Conservation Beef. Working with the Nature Conservancy, Conservation Beef ranchers in Helena, Mont. create individual land stewardship plans that reflect their dedication to the natural landscape and to raising healthier beef products. Several products are offered at Jenny Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park.  More information can be found at www.conservationbeef.org.

Blue Spruce Cleaners. Operating in Jackson, Wyo., Blue Spruce Cleaners uses the environmentally friendly GreenEarth Cleaning System to safely dry clean items for hotel guests and employees. Additional information is at www.greenearthcleaning.com.

Grand Teton Lodge Company is known for its innovative environmental programs involving renewable energy, waste reduction and recycling, protection of wildlife and environmental education targeting visitors and employees. Examples include:

• purchase of wind-generated energy to power Jenny Lake Lodge, eliminating the annual release of some 191 tons of carbon dioxide into the environment
• offering an ethanol blend fuel in all service stations, an initiative that combines the benefits of reduced emissions and renewable alternative fuels
• partnering with the National Park Service to utilize bio-diesel in company buses and trucks
• use of cleaner, quieter four-stroke engines in all motorized boats
• offering a shuttle service for guests and employees to reduce automobile traffic within the park
• undertaking an aggressive recycling effort that includes collection and recycling of more than 150 tons of materials annually
• providing wildlife-proof dumpsters and recycling containers
• affixing metal stripping on buildings to discourage bird nesting in and on man-made structures
• offering interpretive tours that educate visitors about the park ecosystem and ways it can be protected
• partnering with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics to deliver nature-based education to employees and visitors 

Within Grand Teton National Park, Grand Teton Lodge Company manages lodging, restaurants, tours and activities at Jackson Lake Lodge, Jenny Lake Lodge and Colter Bay Village as well as the Jackson Hole Golf & Tennis Club in Jackson, Wyo., just outside the park.