“Skiing is the next best thing to having wings.”
Oprah Winfrey
Anyone else have skiing on the brain lately? For ski lovers, nothing beats the exhilaration of a day on the slopes – crisp air, fresh powder, and sunlight reflecting off the snow. This has been an epic season in some areas, and not so much in others. One season doesn’t make a trend, but the warming trajectory we are on isn’t great news for winter sports. So what is the future of skiing in a warmer world?
Solving climate change is about protecting what we love. If you love skiing or other winter activities, you may be interested in understanding the impact of climate change.
According to Twila Moon, a scientist at the National Snow and Ice Center in Boulder, CO, “there’s the year-to-year luck of the weather, but it’s now happening against a background trend of warming temperatures.” The warming is causing changes already, with more to come. So what does this mean?
How will climate change impact skiing?
- Less snowfall – it has been declining by about 3.5% per year
- An increase in the rain to snow ratio
- Greater need for snowmaking to keep resorts running
- Shorter ski seasons – US ski resorts are projected to have their seasons cut in half by 2050
- Ski resorts will look for ways to adapt to the changing climate
A group of athletes, business leaders, and scientists started a non-profit organization called Protect Our Winters to “protect the places we live and the lifestyles we love from climate change”. They promote policies to help transition us toward clean energy, so we can preserve the outdoors for future generations.
At the Alpine Ski World Championships earlier this month, the US Ski & Snowboard Team wore uniforms with a climate theme to raise awareness. This came together through a collaboration between Protect Our Winters and Kappa, the team’s apparel sponsor, with a goal of getting people talking. The race suits depicted a satellite image of polar ice that has broken away because of melting.
Competitive skiers have a better view of the big picture than the rest of us. They have seen first-hand the problems we are already facing with warmer winters. Multiple World Cup events were canceled this season due to warm temperatures and lack of snow. Climate change poses a threat to the winter sports millions of us enjoy. The good news is, if we continue to accelerate the transition to clean energy, we can change course.
What can we do?
- Educate ourselves about the effects of climate change on the activities we love
- Find an organization working on solutions and give financial or volunteer support
- Talk about climate change with friends who share our passion for these activities
Let’s do something about climate change. Learn about it. Think about it. Talk about it.