The focus of the Forever Resorts environmental program is not just environmental compliance, but rather, the creative implementation of environmental initiatives to reduce waste and move towards sustainable operations. There are hundreds of examples of such initiatives, some of which are listed below to illustrate our commitments and successes.

Take a look at some of our best management practices we've gathered for your enjoyment.

CERTIFIED MARINA MANAGER PROGRAM

The Certified Marina Manager Program is recognized for its potential long term and wide impacts on the professional leadership of the marina industry. Achieving the International Marina Institute Certified Marina Manager (CMM) designation is a major step toward international recognition as a marina manager who has distinguished himself or herself as an outstanding professional. Similar to the leading professional qualification and certification programs in other industries employers seeking the best qualified managers for marina properties depend on Certified Marina Managers to satisfy their marina properties are run as professionally as possible.

Currently there are less than 170 CMM designations world wide. Forever Resorts is proud to have 14 individuals with the CMM designations. Marina businesses (both private and municipal) have rapidly changed in the past 20 years from uncomplicated local family facilities offering limited services into sophisticated, capital intensive enterprises, highly regulated by state and federal coastal and environmental agencies. The industry demands the leadership of top professionals who have proven that they can demonstrate creative, effective human resources and property management skills, displayed sound judgment and practical knowledge-including knowing where to get the answers in today's complex business environment. These professionals, who continually work to keep up with the changes, improve their knowledge, and share their experience with others are recognized and honored through the CMM Program.

FOREVER RESORTS LOWERS CO EMISSIONS IN FLEET OF RENTAL BOATS

Forever Resorts' Fun Country Marine Industries builds the houseboats used at their numerous rental locations across the U.S. Prior to 1999, the Forever fleet of houseboats was used at five locations. Since the Forever Houseboats were first built, Forever Resorts recognized environmental efficiencies and consumer safety could be achieved by improving boater safety training and reducing impacts to the over-stressed air in and around the marinas where the houseboats are operated. As a corporate initiative Forever Resorts has been successful in addressing this concern.

Each of the Forever Houseboats was powered by two 4-stroke Volvo Stern Drive Engines producing 65,000 PPM of carbon monoxide emissions. The overall carbon monoxide emissions from the entire houseboat fleet were 18,720,000 PPM.

By 2005 the Forever Resorts Houseboat Fleet size had increased by 51% and expanded the number of rental locations to a total of eleven operations. During the past 6 years the fleet of rental houseboats contained a mixture of engine types: 30% of the houseboats had 4-stroke stern drive engines and 70% of the houseboat fleet now had a new outboard engine producing only 600 PPM carbon monoxide emissions. The combined emission of carbon monoxide from the engines in this current mixed fleet of houseboats was 8,632,400 PPM. While the houseboat fleet was increased in number by 51%, the overall carbon monoxide emissions were decreased taking the carbon monoxide engine emissions from 18,720,000 PPM to 8,632,400 PPM. By changing the type of engines from 4 stroke to Evinrude outboards to power the houseboats they build, a 54% reduction of 10,087,600 PPM carbon monoxide was experienced.

In addition to a significant carbon monoxide reduction, the Evinrude outboard engines required no changing of oil or oil filters normally required by marine engines. The use of the two stroke outboard motors reduces the waste generated when disposing of used oil and used filters when performing regular maintenance on the engines. During the combustion process the Evinrude outboard engines incinerates the engine oil and eliminates it entirely in the process. The engines do not use oil filters which eliminate the addition of oil filters into the waste stream.

FOREVER RESORTS ESTABLISHES CLEAN MARINAS IN TEXAS, NEVADA, ARIZONA AND CALIFORNIA

Marina at Lake Meredith in the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Lake Amistad Marina in the Lake Amistad National Recreation Area are both Clean Texas Marinas. The Clean Texas Marina Program promotes the adoption of practices by marinas that will promote clean water in Texas. The guiding principles of the program are to: Improve the environmental quality of Texas waterways; Encourage voluntary participation; Support the regulatory process; Create a strong environmental ethic; and Promote individual responsibility through public education.

FOREVER PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Chisos Mountains Lodge, a Forever Resorts property, partnered in 2003 with the National Park Service in Big Bend National Park, Texas to reduce the environmental footprint of visitors to the park including each partner's operational business bi-products and services. Working in partnership with the National Park Service, Rafael Del Campo, manager of the housekeeping department at Chisos Mountains Lodge in Big Bend National Park, directs the Big Bend Resorts recycling program. He and his crew collect, sort and recycle over 90% of everything recyclable and take it to the NPS Recycle Center where it is sorted, crushed and baled for transport.

In each room, guests are encouraged to assist the Lodge with the conservation of water and electric use plus the recycling of trash including aluminum, glass, newspaper, white paper, corrugated cardboard and #1 & #2 plastics. By working as partners to incorporate environmental considerations into purchasing standards, recycling, and education Chisos Mountains Lodge and the National Park created solutions that make both environmental and business sense. It is their desire to maintain a collaborative effort of network partners and generate community awareness demonstrating the need to reduce, reuse and recycle. The effort enables an opportunity to promote, educate and inform visitors about the use of environmental products not only in the Park but also in their own communities.

The recycling program for Big Bend began in 2003 and resulted in collecting over 16 tons. Approximately 45 tons were recycled in 2004 with a goal of 50 tons set for 2005. Due to the recycling measures implemented throughout the National Park, it is now estimated the landfill for Big Bend has been extended by 30 years.

The Forever Resorts recycling program has not been limited to the boundaries of the National Park. The international border community of Ojinaga, Mexico and its residents benefit from the volunteer training efforts of Forever Resorts' team member and former resident, Rafael Del Campo. He volunteers his time to train elementary students how to recycle in school and the benefits of recycling at home. In 2004, Rafael, with representatives of the National Park Service and Forever Resorts, met with the Mayor of Ojinaga to assist in establishing a recycling program for the City of 40,000 people. The new training alliance allowed the community of Ojinaga to not only benefit from their efforts with a cleaner community, but also created community awareness and much needed jobs.
In 2005 the Department of Interior honored Chisos Mountains Lodge and their partnership with Big Bend National Park for the environmental recycling efforts presenting them an Honorable Mention citation for a NPS Environmental Achievement Award commending their dedication to recycling.

EPA GREEN POWER PARTNERSHIP

Forever Resorts' Signal Mountain Lodge in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming became the first National Park Service concession to join the Green Power Partnership in 2004. The Green Power Partnership is a voluntary EPA organization dedicated to supporting the use of renewable energy.

The resort has committed for 360,000 KWh of 100% Wind power from their local utility, Lower Valley Energy. With this purchase, over 10% of their electricity usage for the next two years, they will reduce their environmental impact by over 250,000 pounds of CO2, as well a combined 1100 pounds NOx and SOx, two main air pollutants from burning coal and other fossil fuels.