Cortina thinkS Green is a project by Cortina Skiworld, co-organised with the Municipality of Cortina d'Ampezzo. The initiative was conceived as a way to raise awareness and encourage changes in behaviour, and has developed into an evolving programme that is constantly updated, offering opportunities for education, information and entertainment at high altitude.
With Milano Cortina 2026 approaching, the aim has been to bring together all those interested in promoting greater awareness and care for the local area, through initiatives and activities involving a wide range of participants: stakeholders, institutions, organisations and trade associations, businesses, the media, local residents and visitors.
The idea is to create a multi-voice narrative around the key themes of community well-being and local development, closely connected to environmental protection and the vitality of the local economy. This balance is essential to protecting and supporting the growth of mountain areas, which over time have succeeded in developing a thriving tourism economy capable of keeping their communities alive.
Cortina Skiworld has been following good practices in order to preserve and respect its territory, fully aware that we live in a very delicate environment that need to be taken care of. One ot the best practices is the use of 100% Green certified energy.
Both the Lagazuoi hut and the Lagazuoi Expo Dolomiti have adopted a heating system with solar panels on the mountain hut's roof and on the lifts stations. Lagazuoi company has also replaced diesel boilers with pellet systems, both for heating and domestic hot water.
The company also set up a sewerage pipe from the mountain station. A septic system and a water purifier have also been installed.
The whole area is very caring about awareness-raising activities on the use of eco-label products.
Cortina is increasingly aiming at environmental tourism. That's why a lot of initiatives have been adopted in order to promote alternative mobility, such as charging columns for e-bikes near the mountain huts and at lifts' arrival stations, and charging columns for cars at the parking of the 5 Torri lifts.
Starting from summer 2022, the Averau hut has also been equipped with an electric charging column.
Due to an easily landslide area, in the Ista area there's always been a strong desire to invest in reclamation works. Territories that are not taken care of, in fact, tend to easily deteriorate.
As for water efficiency, during summer and automn the water is stored in two storage basins, and then it's used to produce artificial snow as soon as the weather and climate conditions allows it. In springtime the snow melts and re-enters the natural water cycle. In doing so, the impact on groundwater's withdrawals is significantly reduced. All the water used is pure and without pollutants. Also, there is no addition of any type of additive.
During the summer season, the company takes care of the maintenance of the slopes by mowing the grass, greening the remodeled areas and maintaining the drainage channels.
Rifugio Col Druscié and Masi Wine Bar Al Druscié are already “plastic-free”. Those who want water can refill their own bottles with locally sourced spring water.
Over the years, the organisation has promoted awareness of environmental management among its staff, ensuring that they are aware of the environmental requirements associated with their work. The potential for on-site renewable energy generation (wind, solar and micro-hydropower) has also been assessed. The percentage of renewable energy in the total energy purchased is monitored and maximised, with a preference for energy from efficient, low-greenhouse-gas-emission sources.
Among the environmental protection measures already in place is the installation of Urimat urinals, which operate without water, in the mountain huts and at the base station of the new gondola lift.
Electric mobility, a widespread charging network and the conversion of local transport are objectives that respond to the need for greater environmental awareness in view of the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which will be held in Cortina and will inevitably involve and have an impact on San Vito as well. Projects are also underway in the San Vito di Cadore ski area to convert local transport through the introduction of electric buses.
The San Vito ski area has also designed a system to allocate part of the stored energy to electric mobility.
Organic waste from some of the mountain huts in the area is transported to a dedicated facility in Santa Giustina for the production of biogas.
