Skiers and snowboarders stand to lose a lot more than the average person if the greenhouse effect starts roasting our lands… A warmer climate means less and less snow, which means less and less skiing. Warm it up enough, and eventually you’re left with no winters, no snow and no skiing or riding. Suddenly that beautiful, snow-capped mountain is just a big hunk of rock.
No matter what side of the greenhouse debate you’re on, it won’t hurt to be a little proactive. And since skiing and snowboarding is a place where climate change poses an exacting threat, why not start rethinking your ski season? Here are a few ways you can cut your footprint and help ensure that your children and grandchildren will get to enjoy the same quality alpine experience you’ve come to love.
Re-Use
Though gear is essential to skiing and snowboarding, it can also be detrimental. In short, gear = manufacturing = big, messy factories sucking up electricity and spitting out garbage. While it’s tempting to buy the latest, hottest new skis or snowboards every year, resist the temptation and put another season on your gear. Unless you’re riding 130 days of hard, big mountain terrain each season, you shouldn’t need new planks every year anyway. Save that money for an extra weekend in Tahoe. Fill any core shots with ptex wax and consider renting or buying used.
Pete Wagner, founder and CEO of Telluride-based custom-ski operation Wagner Skis builds his gear with this very mentality in mind. He practices the most fundamental type green manufacturing out there: he builds equipment to last. Wagner designs customized “prescription” skis and snowboards around your every slope-born whim, and uses durable components to create a product that he hopes will last for a decade rather than a season. The longer it lasts, the less there is to throw away. If you’re new, borrow a board or rent until you know what you want then buy to last from somewhere like Wagner Skis.
Recycle
Okay, every pair of skis reaches an inevitable end at some point. But instead of tossing those big hunks of fiberglass, wood and steel into the local dump, consider extending its life. Give them to a friend who needs a cheap ride; bring them to a local ski swap; or keep them as a back-up for early- and late-season days when you don’t want to scratch up your new set. Turn your snowboard into a bench or no-board to extend its life and give you a new toy. Hang your skis on your den wall as a sort of living souvenir from your past adventures. You could even screw a pair of boots into them and tape the edges for use on a trampoline. This is how many of the best young boarders and skiers train for inverted tricks and learn to work with the extra weight in the air. Just don’t throw them away, and don’t leave them in a rusty pile in your backyard–your neighbors will tell you: that’s just another form of pollution.
Renew
Not all gear is created equal (ly green). You should probably stop short of whittling your own skis out of fallen trees, but be mindful of the gear you’re buying. Look for companies that go above and beyond to promote greener manufacturing. A lot of independent operations run small, green shops.
A longtime pioneer in green practices in the industry, Venture Snowboards operates off of 100 percent wind power and uses Forest Stewardship Council-certified wood in its cores. The aforementioned Wagner Skis uses solar- and wind-sourced energy to power its shop, recycles much of its steel and plastics and sells scraps from its wood cores for use as kindling. If a manufacturer can’t do better than offering you a T-shirt made from organic cotton, look elsewhere.
Journey
The road trip may be an ingrained part of ski culture, but it’s also dirty way of traveling. And these days, it’s damn expensive. Amtrak offers a number of routes that traverse–or at least touch upon–ski country. The California Zephyr line makes stops in Winter Park, Glenwood Springs, CO (Sunlight Mountain Resort), and Salt Lake City (Alta, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude connect to the city via public transportation), and the Vermonter cuts through the heart of Vermont ski country, including a stop at Waterbury (Stowe). You can easily search the Amtrak site for routes in your neck of the woods.
When taking public transportation on a ski trip, make sure to book a room within walking distance of the resort, restaurants and shops, or verify that there’s a free shuttle route to connect you between town and the resort. This way, you won’t even miss your car the entire trip. And you won’t have to worry about digging yourself out and driving around on snowy, slick roads. Having a car always seems great until you realize how much time it takes to deal with traffic, ice and maintenance of your vehicle.
If you’re more of a day-tripper, look for local clubs or ski shops that offer bus trips to nearby resorts. Or carpool with other local skiers and riders.
Destination
In addition to making a greener journey, end that journey at a greener destination. Ski resorts are well aware that their days could be numbered if pollution does indeed warm the earth and end winters as we know them. Many have begun making some critical choices and active changes regarding greener practices. Last year, Berkshire East Ski Resort in Massachusetts declared itself the first resort in the world to be 100 percent self-sufficient by way of wind power. In fact, the resort plans to harvest so much electricity from wind power, that it may even be able to sell some of it back into the grid. Similarly, despite a reputation for excess, Aspen has long been a leader in the green ski movement.
Each season, the Ski Areas Citizens Coalition puts out report cards and lists of the best and worst resorts when it comes to environmental practices like habitat protection and global climate change policies. In 2010/2011, Squaw Valley, Park City and Alpine Meadows ranked at the top. Also consider visiting smaller ski areas, where sprawl and overdevelopment haven’t sunk their greedy claws into the natural environment; you’ll likely save money and enjoy an atmosphere with more nature and less lodge-inspired McMansions.
Want to go even greener? Cut out the resort entirely. No matter how much of a resort’s snowmaking, lift-cranking and heating power comes from renewable sources, the fact is, resorts still tend to be huge, man-made eyesores on otherwise pristine, natural forest lands. You could skip the resort altogether, and rely on a much more natural way of getting to the top of the mountain: you. Ski touring lets you escape the crowds and enjoy fresher powder, more serene surroundings and more vigorous exercise than resort skiing. Of course, it’s not something you get into casually. You’ll need to learn avalanche awareness and skills, purchase a whole new set of expensive gear, and stay in top shape. But if you commit to it, backcountry skiing is a rewarding activity that’s as low-impact as hiking. Enjoy the ride!
