Greener Skiing

Feel free to post your own opinions on climate change in the ski industry on here too, will be interested to hear everyone's thoughts ^ +K

Thanks again to anyone who does it!

One response was saying that ski manufacturers should do nothing for climate change because it's a natural cycle.

Its an interesting argument and one that I always used to believe in however I did a bit of research, and apparently we have already brought that cycle forward by roughly 7,000 years and in the space of 200 years could bring ourselves to a premature ice age. (N.B. Ice age might sound awesome, but you need food to ski, around 99.99% of the world's population would die)

Also some scientists predict that by 2020, the scarcity of food due to drought will be such that nuclear war will break out and destroy the world before the natural process has a chance. 2020...that is within all of our lifetimes...

Personally I think the gapers will go first...

Ridiculous survey system prevents me from sharing results but I can tell you some of them:

60% Say climate change is definitely a threat

16.7% Say probably

24.1% Definitely buy skis with green policy

38.9% Say probably

nearly 90% of you travel to ski resort by car (not surprising in the us I guess)

50% of you ski 10+ weeks a year (lucky f*ckers)

You were right (well 33.3% of you were) 25% of the worlds co2 emissions come from the usa,

the typical USA citizen produces 5x the world average of CO2 emissions.

42.6% say organizations DEFINITELY in the ski industry have a moral/ethical responsibility to climate change

33.3% Say probably

What the ski industry SHOULD DO

1.source energy for their factories from green sources Fri, 2/27/09 10:33 AM 2.make less harmful emission when producing products Fri, 2/27/09 2:17 AM 3.i just want them to preform well. Fri, 2/27/09 2:14 AM 4.Use environmental products in gear Support anti-climate change/green organizations Fundraise for these organizations Plant Trees Act responsibly Fri, 2/27/09 2:13 AM 5.Give some sort of the procedes to some sort of organization thats trying to help. Fri, 2/27/09 2:12 AM 6.make skiis with recycled products Fri, 2/27/09 2:11 AM 7.donate to environmental causes or have more sustainable practices Fri, 2/27/09 2:09 AM 8.use more sustainable technology to run their businesses Fri, 2/27/09 2:09 AM 9.I dont know Fri, 2/27/09 2:08 AM 10.make their skis in the goddamn united state of america instead of china Fri, 2/27/09 2:08 AM 11.recyclable/recycled/biodegradable materials Fri, 2/27/09 2:07 AM 12.offer some sort of ski recycling. Fri, 2/27/09 2:06 AM 13.use more bamboo and soy products like soy epoxy and in the future use bamboo fiberglass when its fully developed. more bamboo fiber clothing. ultimately use less materials and cut down on waste. try and get production out of china. try growing bamboo in north america with hydroponics and greenhouses. (no need for chemicals) Fri, 2/27/09 2:03 AM 14.get rid of gapers!!! Fri, 2/27/09 2:01 AM 15.Promote incentive for research into greener alternatives (especially transportation related). Fri, 2/27/09 1:53 AM 16.Use renewable energy to power lifts, use recycled materials for buildings/rails, build jumps/pipes out of dirt in the summer to conserve snow, arrange buses for public transportation. Fri, 2/27/09 1:53 AM 17.For each 100 pair of skis sold plant a tree, and recycle products. Fri, 2/27/09 1:49 AM 18.Nothing climate change is an inevitable and unyielding force of nature. Fri, 2/27/09 1:48 AM 19.Promote carpooling. Fri, 2/27/09 1:47 AM 20.Wind power and other 100% clean energies Fri, 2/27/09 1:41 AM 21.use greener, but stronger materials in skis/ski equipment Fri, 2/27/09 1:36 AM 22.Reduce the price of "green" products Fri, 2/27/09 1:09 AM 23.jlgj Fri, 2/27/09 12:34 AM 24.higher amounts of renewable energy sources in resorts e.g wind turbines at the top of peaks, solar panels Thu, 2/26/09 11:40 PM 25.recycle? Thu, 2/26/09 11:39 PM 26."Green" skis Thu, 2/26/09 11:38 PM 27.Convert all power usage to come from wind/solar Thu, 2/26/09 11:30 PM 28.In the process of cutting wood, they shouldn't waste any wood. Thu, 2/26/09 11:25 PM 29.Promote integrated 'zero carbon' resorts. See BREEAM or American LEED accreditation. Its the lifts and infrastructure that use energy. Not equipment. Thu, 2/26/09 11:24 PM 30.Cut down on waste Thu, 2/26/09 11:16 PM 31.Stop printing ski passes on plastic/paper/gold and insert a little chip into each and every individual in the world that you just top up to ski with. Thu, 2/26/09 10:23 PM 32.They buy wind credits for sure, but I think they could move to more PhotoVoltaic Energy (Solar Panels) Thu, 2/26/09 9:56 PM 33.Nothing, its a natural cycle Thu, 2/26/09 8:14 PM 34.contests promoting low carbon footprint Thu, 2/26/09 8:09 PM 35.there are too many possibilities that can be done. Thu, 2/26/09 8:07 PM 36.Stop flying their reps around to test equipment. Localize it. Thu, 2/26/09 8:01 PM 37.less heliskiing Thu, 2/26/09 8:00 PM 38.sponsor me? Thu, 2/26/09 7:56 PM 39.Ski areas should use as much wind, solar, and other alternative kinds of power that are readily available at their resorts Thu, 2/26/09 7:55 PM 40.Cleaner power generation to operate resorts. Thu, 2/26/09 7:51 PM 41.Not produce skis in CHINA! Thu, 2/26/09 7:51 PM 42.build a bubble around ski areas Thu, 2/26/09 7:50 PM 43.less plastic in topsheets/sidewalls. less waste produced Thu, 2/26/09 7:46 PM 44.I believe climate change is a falocy generated by our government Thu, 2/26/09 7:43 PM 45.provide awarness to everybody and take charge in it Thu, 2/26/09 7:32 PM 46.partner with eco-minded non profit organizations to build awareness Thu, 2/26/09 7:21 PM 47.o_O Thu, 2/26/09 7:13 PM 48.at least be Carbon Neutral, whether through tree planting, carbon credits, renewable resources, etc Thu, 2/26/09 6:59 PM 49.- improve methods of snowmaking (having to use less amounts of water) Thu, 2/26/09 6:56 PM 50.take into account all aspects of greeining a business Thu, 2/26/09 6:47 PM 51.develop better ways to transport items, and better advertising for such items that require showing. Thu, 2/26/09 6:45 PM 52.recycled products clean energy Thu, 2/26/09 6:39 PM 53.GO GREEN!, instead of using wood cores, find a composite material that resembels it Thu, 2/26/09 6:37 PM 54.plant trees, green factories and materials, ski recycling program Thu, 2/26/09 6:31 PM

It's quite intersting to see that most of us have at least an idea that shit ain't good.

a) Assignments are more enjoyable

b) I have an excuse to be on NS when I should be working

c) I will hopefully get a better mark!

Continued plus karma as before :-)