Skiing has been an instrumental part of my life for as long as I remember.
I actually couldn’t imagine what I would do all winter without it.
For many skiers December had ended and January was half over and still the snow hadn’t come.
California had one of the worst snowpacks on record.
Comparison of snowpack in California between 12/13 season and 13/14 season.
Meanwhile they also create waste that must be removed, leading to a more energy consumption.
The effects of this are debatable but the bottom line is that this consumption and these emissions exist.
For the purposes of comparison, idling an average car for one hour creates 9.7 pounds of CO2.
Park City Mountain Resort.
Photo: Lee Benson
These seem like big and unchangeable things.
Multiple resorts such as PCMR purchase clean energy from hydroelectric or wind sources.
Others produce their own electricity through building hydroelectric systems.
Composting at Stevens Pass, WA.
Bus-bins above for reusable plates and utensils.
Photo: Stevens Pass
As a member of the skiing community you have a voice.
Stevens pass also uses reusable tableware to prevent the waste created by disposable cups, plates, and utensils.
Touring near Crystal Mountain, WA.
Alpine touring is a great way to experience skiing in a whole new way.
The fact that you earned those faceshots makes them just that much more rewarding.
Often once a single resort adopts something many other resorts quickly follow suit.
Changes like these aren’t made by a single person but they have to start somewhere.
