SUSTAINABILITY
STAYS THAT MAKE AN IMPACT
Environmental • Social • Economic • Cultural
At Mountain Shadows, we’re focused not only on reducing our environmental footprint, but on all four pillars of sustainability. From reducing water usage and limiting food waste to supporting local arts and the community, learn about all the steps we are taking. By choosing to stay at our resort, you can enjoy a travel experience that seamlessly blends comfort and sustainability, supporting our commitment to environmental stewardship and community wellbeing.
Awarded One MICHELIN Key 2025 | a top-of-the-industry achievement that recognizes a significant, positive contribution to the destination
REDUCING WATER USE
- As part of a 2017 redesign, The Short Course reduced its turf area from 34 acres to 13 acres (a 68% reduction) and introduced natural desert landscaping, drastically reducing water usage.
- On the golf course, we feature low-water Bermuda grasses, more than 1,000 moisture meters, and an advanced irrigation system that precisely distributes water throughout the course to enhance resource conservation.
- The resort grounds feature drought-resistant plants, including Mexican Fence Post cacti, Palo Verde trees, African Sumac and Honey Mesquite, just to name a few. These plants require minimal water to thrive in the Sonoran Desert landscape.
- The resort features water-efficient fixtures, including high-efficiency faucets, low-flow showerheads, and high-efficiency toilets, to reduce water consumption throughout the property.
- As a guest, you can help conserve water by reusing towels and linens.
SHOWCASING ART, CULTURE & THE DESERT LANDSCAPE
- Want to explore the destination’s art and cultural offerings? Our concierge provides the inside scoop on the best local museums, historical sites and much more. You’ll leave with a whole new sense of what Scottsdale and Paradise Valley have to offer.
- For those looking to respectfully explore the natural landscape, we provide guidance on where and how to explore. Our concierge can offer tips on what to bring for your Camelback Mountain hike, or wherever the day takes you. Plus, check out our jogging, hiking and cycling map.
- Mountain Shadows is proud to showcase local artists in The Gallery, our fully functioning gallery space where Curator Cece Cole debuts new exhibitions seasonally. Artworks are available for sale, supporting the local arts community. Resort guests and locals can also enjoy free art receptions, with an opportunity to meet the artists and learn more about the featured exhibition.
SAVING ENERGY & reducing emissions
- High-efficiency HVAC systems use zoned cooling to avoid unnecessary energy use, along with variable-speed motors that adapt to changing conditions. Heat exchangers recover and reuse energy throughout the resort.
- All roof areas feature a solar-reflective coating, reducing the need for cooling.
- LED lighting is used throughout the property, with 75% of public area lighting and 100% of guestroom lighting being LEDs.
- In vacant guestrooms and meeting rooms, drapes are closed, and thermostats are set higher to reduce air-conditioning needs.
- Elevators operate with a belt-driven mechanism designed to improve energy efficiency and minimize emissions.
- Floor-to-ceiling glass increases natural light and reduces artificial lighting needs, while dual-pane windows lower heating and cooling energy use.
- Electric and Tesla charging stations are available to guests arriving in electric vehicles.
- Team members receive training in energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation practices to help reduce resource usage throughout the resort.
supporting the community
- Through the City of Scottsdale’s Adopt-A-Road Program, Mountain Shadows conducts regular cleanups along Scottsdale Road between Camelback Road and Indian School Road, supporting environmental stewardship and community beautification.
- The resort supports a number of local nonprofit organizations — including Scottsdale Arts, Ballet Arizona, Starry Foundation, and Fresh Start Women’s Foundation, among others — by contributing experiences for raffles and giveaways.
- We are proud to be S.A.F.E. Action Project certified, supporting efforts to combat human trafficking in Arizona through partnerships and team member training.
- Through our Leave A Power Suit Behind initiative, we enable meeting attendees to donate work-appropriate attire, helping women in our community step confidently into their next opportunity. This program is offered in partnership with Dress for Success® Worldwide, the leading resource for advancing women in the workplace globally. It offers career reskilling, support for entrepreneurs and women-owned businesses, and programs in sustainability, financial education and wellness.
REDUCING WASTE & USING ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
- Filtered water stations are available for water bottle refilling, reducing the need for plastic bottles. This saves over 117,000Â bottles from the landfill annually.
Coming Soon: In fall 2026, we will introduce water stations at the golf course, reducing reliance on single-use plastic water bottles and supporting our ongoing waste reduction efforts.
- All paints used throughout the resort are low-VOC, supporting improved indoor air quality and a healthier environment for guests and employees.
Our red flower amenities are biocompatible, cruelty-free, vegan, formulated without parabens, and packaged in biodegradable containers. To minimize waste, we feature full-sized, refillable products rather than single-use bottles.
COOKING SUSTAINABLY
- We support regional farmers and purveyors by strengthening local supply chain connections, contributing to the regional economy, and helping reduce transportation-related energy use and emissions.
- Kanaloa, which provides all of our fish at Hearth ’61 as well as some banquet seafood, follows the strict Monterey Bay Aquarium standards for sustainability.
- Our Hearth ’61 steak comes from Niman Ranch, which works exclusively with small, family farmers and ranchers that follow humane and sustainable practices.
Following safe food practices, food leftover from banquet events is served in the employee cafeteria, reducing food waste.
Our culinary team members are trained in food waste reduction practices that support resource conservation and waste diversion.
Restaurant items packaged to go are provided in compostable containers.
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