Furnace Creek Resort Celebrates Earth Day Every Day

DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – April 21, 2015 – To many Americans, Death Valley is a no-man’s land boasting forbidding statistics: the lowest place on earth (282 feet below sea-level), the record holder for the hottest day of the year (134 degrees), and three million acres of desert. While the numbers don’t lie, the name “Death Valley” is very misleading. It’s a land abundant with life: stunning landscapes, humbling landscapes painted in ever-changing light, and a sky that is one of the darkest, and thus most beautiful, in the world.
It’s also home, believe it or not, to water. There are a number of ancient springs that bubble up from the ground and none is more famous than Furnace Creek. It’s here that the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe (the native American Indians who still live here) tapped the waters for survival; where the Borax Company and the legendary 20 Mule Teams set up camp; and, since the 1930s, where a gem of a Resort and welcoming Ranch, greet visitors from around the world to a true American oasis.

When you live, work and play is such a fragile, and precious, environment as Furnace Creek, every day is Earth Day, but we celebrate April 22 none the less and look for ways to improve upon our already extensive conservation efforts and dedication to tread ever so lightly upon the land – and even the night sky.

Every aspect of Furnace Creek Resort plays a capacious role in preserving our unique desert oasis for generations to come. It is our responsibility to protect one of the most beautiful places on earth and, with hope, to create a ripple effect of positive environmental change in our global environment.

Here are some of the sustainability initiatives at Furnace Creek Resort:

We produce over 30% of our energy used on property from our 1-megawatt solar facility featuring 5,740 solar panels generating more than 2.3 million kWh/year.

The water does bubble from the ground, and we circulate and reuse more than one million gallons of non-potable water each day by allowing spring-fed pool water to flow into our gardens and golf course ponds to be used for golf course irrigation. The excess is returned back to the desert.

We constantly upgrade equipment that is more environmentally friendly. For example, we replaced the 125-ton chiller and guestroom fan units at the Inn, and added a state-of-the-art Building Management System that keeps interior space at optimal cooling levels at all times. This alone reduced our electricity consumption for the entire property by 10%.

Used French fry oil from our kitchens is converted onsite into biodiesel fuel. This is then used to fuel our lawn mowers used on the golf course.

Recycled cigarette butts. The Furnace Creek “Butt” Brigade collects used cigarette butts on property and recycles them through the organization TerraCycle. For every pound of butts collected, $1 is donated to the Keep America Beautiful Campaign.

Furnace Creek Resort is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts, known for its “Legendary Hospitality with a Softer Footprint.” Xanterra entities include lodges, restaurants, tours and activities in national and state parks as well as resorts, a cruise line, railway and tour companies. For more than two decades, before it became fashionable or required, Xanterra has been a leader in sustainability programs.

Known for its “Legendary Hospitality with a Softer Footprint,” Xanterra Parks & Resorts® entities include lodges, restaurants, tours and activities in national and state parks, as well as resorts, a cruise line, railway and tour companies. Xanterra Parks & Resorts has operations in Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake, Glacier, Rocky Mountain and Petrified Forest National Parks; Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Furnace Creek Resort in Death Valley National Park; and five Ohio State Park Lodges as well as the Geneva Marina at Ohio’s Geneva State Park. Xanterra Parks & Resorts also owns and operates Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., the Grand Canyon Railway and Hotel in Williams, Ariz., the Grand Hotel in Tusayan, Ariz., Windstar Cruises, VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations, Country Walkers and Austin Adventures.