Environmental Sustainability

  • Zero Carbon Footprint

    Snow Fences Collect Snow

    Green Power

  • Pyhä runs on green power

    Thus, our lifts, snowmaking and lightning produce zero carbon emissions


    Find out more at the bottom of the page.


  • Recycling is important

    Take a look at the instructions for waste sorting here and find out more about recycling at the bottom of the page.

  • We collect snow with fences

    Did you know that the use of snow fences improves slope quality as well as energy efficiency? 


    Read more at the bottom of the page.


Beautiful and unique nature is the most important basis of our business. It is however inevitable that ski resorts have an impact on the environment. We in Pyhä hope that snowy winters and clean nature are still there for future generations. 

Pyhätunturi has actively developed functions to operate in an environmentally responsible way since 2008, when our Environmental Program was established. The Environmental Program has helped us cut our carbon footprint big time. In fact, Pyhätunturi has become the first and only carbon neutral ski resort in Finland.

Find out more

About Our Environmental Sustainability

Zero Carbon Footprint
Green Power
Snow Fences
Recycling Points
Ski-Inn Apartments
Protect our winters

The First Carbon Neutral Ski Resort in Finland

With its environmental program, Pyhätunturi has actively reduced its carbon emissions. By offsetting the remaining carbon footprint, Pyhätunturi has become the first, and only carbon neutral ski resort in Finland. 

Our zero-carbon footprint is a result of following actions:

  •  Already in the beginning of the 2000’s, the Master Plan of Pyhä was designed with the help of Ecosign Mountain Planners, a Canadian company focused on ecological ski resort planning.
  • Since 2009, Pyhä has been running on hydropower and heated with biomass.
  • The lighting technologies of the slopes as well as buildings have been improved to save electricity.
  • Snowmaking processes require a lot of water and energy. We have reduced the need for artificial snowmaking by building snow fences that naturally collect snow on the fell.
  • By improving the energy-efficiency of our snowmobiles, the carbon emissions of the maintenance of slopes have been cut in half.
  • Despite shifting to renewables and improving our energy-efficiency, slope maintenance still produces greenhouse gases. The remaining carbon footprint is offsetted with the help of Nordic Offset, a company offering emission reduction credits under WWF Gold Standard certification. Annually, Pyhätunturi purchases emission reduction credits equalent to the size of its carbon footprint. The credits are transferred to projects of cleaner technology that replace polluting means of production.
    Find out more here.



    Pyhä Runs on Renewable Energy

    Pyhä (simultaneously with Ruka) was the first ski resort in Finland to completely shift to renewable energy, in 2009. The electricity is generated with hydropower and the heating with biomass.

    As a result, our lifts, snowmaking or lightning do not produce greenhouse gas emissions. 


    What is a Snow Fence?

    The use of snow fences is a traditional way of collecting and placing snow in a desired place. Windblown snow blows through the openings of a wooden fence and forms a drift behind it, after which the drifted snow can be placed on the slopes. With the help of snow fences the amount of snow can be multiplied in a particular area. Around 4.2 km of snow fences have been built on Pyhä and the amount is increasing each year. 


    Snow fences improve slope quality as well as energy efficiency

    The use of snow fences used to be very common in Finnish ski resorts until the 1980’s, when artificial snowmaking took over. We in Pyhä have however wanted to maintain the tradition since natural snow combined with artificial snow makes the slopes softer, offering a more pleasant skiing experience. The snow collected with fences is a significant reason for the excellent slope conditions/conditions of slopes in Pyhä.  

    The use of snowfences also reduces the need for artificial snowmaking. Snowmaking forms about 60 % of the energy consumption of Pyhä. Thus, collecting snow with fences is also a remarkably positive act for the environment.


    Waste Sorting in Pyhä

    Recycling is very important to us in Pyhä since by sorting your rubbish properly, the waste becomes either new raw material or energy for producing electricity and heat.

    You will find our recycling points in three locations:

    • K-market parking lot: glass, metal, paper, cardboard and combustible waste
    • Sienimaa crossroad: glass, metal and combustible waste
    • Lake Pyhäjärvi recycling point, next to road Messupyhäntie: glass, metal and combustible waste

    Did you know that you will get a refund for bringing your empty drinking bottles and cans back to the K-market?

    Waste-to-energy

    In Pyhä, instead of dumping our waste to a landfill site, we are now collecting combustible waste. The energy stored in the waste is taken into use, by burning it in an eco-power plant. As a result, electricity and heat for households are created.

    You can sort e.g. your plastics, food scraps and other biodegradable waste, as well as dirty or wet cardboard into combustible waste. Take a look at our waste sorting instructions here. 

    Note that it is very important to separate metal and glass from combustible waste as they harm the burning process. 

    Ski-Inn Apartments - a green choice

    The Ski-Inn Apartments are an ecological choice for accommodation since the carbon footprint  of their energy consumption is zero. The electricity is generated with hydropower and the heating with biomass. In addition, the central location of the apartments reduces the need for a car in the area.

    There are separate bins and instructions for waste sorting in all apartments. The recycling point is located right next to the apartments. We recycle glass, metal, paper and combustible waste. Find out more about recycling here.

    Book your Ski-Inn accommodation here.



    Climate change forms a huge threat to the future of outdoor sports. Winters are shorter and the amounts of snow are decreasing. Protect Our Winters Finland is part of the international POW movement which brings together outdoor sports enthusiasts as well as businesses, to fight climate change. POW Finland spreads the word of climate change, organizes campaigns and events as well as influences decision-makers and businesses.

    Pyhätunturi is one of the main partners of POW Finland.

    Find out more here.