Skippress - Index

Skippress - US_2007_2008 - Index

36
Snowshoe Mountain is not only the South’s biggest-by-far ski resort, it’s
part of the mighty Intrawest empire. And though Snowshoe is one of the
signatories to the Congressional letter and the Environmental Charter, when
it comes to global warming, it’s just talking the walk. As marketing director
Brad Larsen reluctantly admits, “We haven’t done much beyond recycling
and use of paper with high fi ber content. But, say, moving our groomers
to biodiesel or moving to reduce our CO emissions… we haven’t taken
2
that step yet.”
The irony is that with its West Virginia location, Snowshoe will be among
the fi rst affected by rising temperatures.
But there’s a double irony. Last year, Snowshoe had a great season, “one of
our best ever.” Why? Because its competitors, in Virginia and North Carolina,
“get [the effects of warming] even before we do. So when our neighbors
were closed, we were 50 percent open. Sometimes 75 percent.”
That pretty much defi nes Pyrrhic victory.
OK, now the good news. When it comes to reducing their carbon footprint,
some American ski resorts are models for the planet. And the model for the
models is what many might consider a most unlikely source — Aspen.
“ The ski industry
should be yelling ‘fire’
in crowded theaters.
“
Photo: Patrik Lindqvist/Skier: Stefan “Obi” Oberlander/Location: Chamonix, France
Yes, Aspen, home of the rich and super-rich, is leading the world in
confronting global warming. Alison Gannett maintains, “Aspen has clearly
reinvented the meaning of ‘green’ as the new ‘white.’”
Here’s some of what Aspen has done.
• earned an A rating from the Ski Areas Citizens Coalition
(www.skiareacitizens.com) on environmental issues
• got a ‘green company’ ISO 140001 certifi cation
• adopted stiff green-building codes
• invested heavily in wind, solar and hydro projects.
• Created a website, www.savesnow.com,
to protect the planet from simmering.
Aspen even took the EPA (the Environmental Protection Agency, but more
accurately, the Environmental Predators Association) to court for failing to
regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act — and won.
Others are following. According to Alison Gannett, “Whistler, Jackson
and Park City are emerging as new green leaders, with comprehensive
carbon-reduction plans, wind-power-generation proposals and immense
transportation reforms. Jiminy Peak is kicking ass with its construction
of a wind turbine right on the summit — which will generate about 70%
of all its power needs and guarantee affordable energy for the future.
Other areas like Crested Butte Mountain Resort and Alta are joining the
game; they’re all discovering that being green makes great business sense
and generates great PR.”
Not everyone is as sanguine as Gannett. Mother Jones reporter, co-author
of The Exception to the Rulers and Ski Press writer David Goodman, says,
“If the ski industry is doing something about global warming, they’re
keeping the secret better than a poacher guards his powder stash.
“Stopping global warming involves more than switching to effi cient light
bulbs and recycling toilet water. The ski industry should be yelling ‘fi re’ in
crowded theaters. The industry has to engage in the political process in a
high-profi le way. We need businesses to confront the do-nothing politicians
and challenge other businesses, such as the oil industry, which are funding
junk science front groups that oppose global warming initiatives.
“And,” Goodman adds, “ski areas have to tackle one of the biggest
contributors to global warming in snow country: the cars coming to the
slopes. They need to advocate and invest in mass transit.”
Goodman issues this warning: “If we want to be skiing in 20 years, skiers
are going to have to become rabid environmentalists and good politicians.”
But if you think the snow world has seen the light, consider the World
Snowboard Federation’s initial report from the Europe SnowForum, held
in Chamonix, France, in late April 2007. It reads: “Nobody seems really
warried [sic] for the bad season 06.07. even if global warming is defi netly
[sic] a problem, the lack of snow of the last season was absolutely [sic] an
exception and we can hope on a better winter 08.”
It’s not the grammar that’s worrying; it’s that determined happy face with
eyes wide shut.
Skiers need to open our eyes. If we’re going to save our snow, we need to
demand action and take action. Because we will be among the fi rst and
worst affected by global warming, we need to lead.
Richard Branson put it best. The president of the Virgin empire said: “It
is in the self-interest of all islands on the earth to set an example because
they will be among the fi rst affected.”
Branson was speaking of the Caribbean, but our mountains are also
endangered islands. And we, too, must set an example. We’re
already affected.
fomoinfo on how you can help cool our warming planet, go to skipressworld.com