FYI – below is a link and the first few paragraphs of a recent article featuring some of the fantastic and proactive efforts of another Southall (my brother Joel) who is the Director of Environmental Affairs for Xanterra Parks and Resorts at the Grand Canyon. SEA, Inc. will continue to expand our interests and focus areas into sustainability issues for both offshore and onshore industries.
Xanterra Parks & Resorts Recognized for Environmental Commitment at Grand Canyon National Park
Submitted by NPT Staff on June 9, 2012
We often view national parks as environmentally sensitive areas, and along that line of thinking we expect businesses that operate in the parks to be conscious of that in their operations. At Grand Canyon National Park, the National Park Service has recognized Xanterra Parks & Resorts for its environmental ethics.
The Park Service just honored Xanterra, which also operates in other parks including Yellowstone, Zion, Crater Lake and Death Valley, for operations that produced a significant decrease in water, electricity, petroleum and other resource consumption.
The 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.”