Aside from staying in a solar powered catered chalet, here are three things you can do to enjoy an environmentally friendly ski holiday.
With all the fun you get from skiing (and all those after-hours relaxation in your catered chalet), it’s easy to forget that no matter how seemingly benign the simple activity of sliding down a snow-covered mountain slope may be, you're still making an impact on the environment. Multiply that impact by thousands of people negotiating the pistes during high season, and you can imagine the magnitude. But the good news is that it is indeed possible to 'go green' on a ski holiday. The following three tips can help you to be environmentally friendly even while enjoying your winter fun.
Use Green Gear
Turning green is not limited to choosing a catered chalet that runs on solar power. Luckily, there are some manufacturers of skiing gear and equipment that go to great lengths to ensure their operations are sustainable and do not leave too much of a carbon footprint. For example, some manufacturers of snowboards use wind power or solar power to run their factories; by using their products, you'll be encouraging them to continue their efforts, and also send a powerful message to the industry about the direction it should take. Moreover, there is also equipment that in itself is environmentally friendly, such as snowboards made of bamboo or skis made of Paulownia. You can also help the effort by buying used gear or, at the very least, renting it.
Choose Green Ski Resorts
Ski resorts run under the auspices of an industry that solely depends on the good graces of Mother Nature: if the climate degenerates, so could their business. That’s why, apart from offering the option of a catered chalet that relies on sustainable energy, some resorts go to great lengths to minimise their impact on the environment as much as possible. Jiminy Peak, a resort in Massachusetts, for instance, relies on a powerful wind turbine for about a third of its energy demand. Meanwhile, a hundred per cent of the energy usage of Jackson Hole, in Wyoming, is supplied by wind power.
To know which resort is making the extra effort to preserve the environment, join online communities such as the Ski Area Citizen’s Coalition, whose members are actively monitoring the activities of resorts and reporting those that are flagrantly offensive to the environment.
Don’t Throw Away Your Ski Gear
Some people love buying brand new ski gear and equipment every season, thereby contributing to the bad conditions of the world’s landfills. In fact, most ski gear is built to last; if it gets discarded while still in good working condition, imagine the energy needed just to get rid of them. So, apart from choosing to stay at a green catered chalet, another good thing you can do is donate your used gear so someone else can reuse it.
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