Winter is not coming…
Or at least the one we are used to is not. Global warming has increase the average temperature in the US by 0.55 degrees Fahrenheit per decade since 1970 (1). A trend that is reducing the length of our winters and that has generated a serious concern inside the snow-sport industry; an industry that contributes $67 billion per year to the U.S economy (2).
So, what is happening?
We are starting to see palpable consequences of the rising temperatures in the U.S. According to a study performed by NASA (National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration), during the last 20 years we have experienced 10 of the hottest years in history3. But the story does not end there, the forecast for the next century appears to be even worse; research has estimated that snow will be almost nonexistent below 11,000 feet4.
Skiers ride a chairlift over dry ground at a Tahoe-area ski resort in California in March 2015. Winter has become increasingly unpredictable in recent decades due to climate change, scientists and ski industry experts say, and the snowsports industry is hurting. Credit: Max Whittaker/Getty Images. Bagley, By Katherine Bagley InsideClimate. “As Climate Change Imperils Winter, the Ski Industry Frets.” InsideClimate News |. N.p., 24 Dec. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
Skiers ride a chairlift over dry ground at a Tahoe-area ski resort in California in March 2015. Winter has become increasingly unpredictable in recent decades due to climate change, scientists and ski industry experts say, and the snowsports industry is hurting. Credit: Max Whittaker/Getty Images. Bagley, By Katherine Bagley InsideClimate. “As Climate Change Imperils Winter, the Ski Industry Frets.” InsideClimate News |. N.p., 24 Dec. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
Currently, Ski resorts have been force to shorten ski seasons due to the lack of snow, and in many places, slopes near the bottom of the mountain remain closed almost throughout the season. Many owners have started to question themselves if there is a need to relocate their resorts higher up in elevation. But the price of that rearrangement can be even worse, damaging virgin soils and resulting in a vicious circle of events that will exacerbate the issue.
What can be done about it?
Many states have raised their fears regarding this issue, but particularly in Colorado, the resorts are going the extra mile to attack the problem in a timely manner. The Aspen Skiing Company has started to implement campaigns to reduce waste and emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases. The efforts have been centered in becoming more energy efficient through the use of renewable energy systems (i.e. snowmaking equipment). Furthermore, the company has started an informative campaign to notify skiers, through mountain maps and signs, of the increase in carbon dioxide emissions. The latter, combined with an extensive training of the resort’s staff in the subject, aims to not only generate awareness of the issue but also to encourage the people to speak up to their communities and the government4. Finally, the company has joined efforts with other entities in signing the Climate Declaration; a movement to urge the government and its people to take measures towards this phenomenon5.
Other possible solutions?
As you can probably infer, Aspen Skiing Company is not by itself in this issue and hence will not probably solve it unless it can draw partnering companies to work towards a common objective. The company has taken the first step by generating awareness among its customers and looking for ways to relieve the problem from its own operation. However, in order to attack the root cause of the problem, a more profound approach needs to be adopted.
We have all experienced the pleasant feeling of arriving to our warm room after a full day of skiing. Big part of this is because resorts are running heaters around the clock to keep places at an enjoyable temperature. However, buildings worldwide (and especially in the U.S) account for 33% of all greenhouse emissions (GHE). By investing in new infrastructure, resorts can help alleviate the amount of GHE through better temperature insulation in its rooms6. In addition to new infrastructure, resorts can invest in energy efficient appliances and transportation.
The rise in temperature is something we cannot change, however that does not mean that we cannot take advantage of the opportunities that it brings. Summer sports in locations know for snow-sports is also an opportunity to raise money. With longer summers, these resorts can find ways to attract people and make an even bigger business out of hiking, mountain biking, camping or any other activity that can be performed in the mountains. This business opportunity, if successful, can represent a source of income for the resorts in order to subsidize the future investments previously mentioned.
What else is at risk?
Maybe some of you can find this post too alarming, questioning yourself the real importance of snow-sports. Maybe you even feel that this can be sort of good news; a shorter winter means that spring arrives earlier and hence we will have warmer days throughout the year. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The effect a climate change can have on animals and plants that rely on seasonality can be severely strong; to the point of even jeopardizing our food security7. We still have time to make a difference. (Word count: 744)
References
- Bagley, By Katherine Bagley InsideClimate. “As Climate Change Imperils Winter, the Ski Industry Frets.” InsideClimate News |. N.p., 24 Dec. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- Nick Richardson. “We’re Melting! Climate Change and the Snow Sports Industry.” Climate Solutions. N.p., 24 July 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- Mark Franklin. “Why Global Warming Can Mean Harsher Winter Weather.”Scientific American. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- Grace Hood. “Why Some Colorado Ski Resorts Want Your Attention On Climate Change.” Colorado Public Radio. N.p., 15 Nov. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- “About The Climate Declaration.” — Ceres. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- Biello, David. “10 Solutions for Climate Change.” Scientific American. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
- Nandini, Maureen. “It’s Far Worse than It Sounds: Climate Change Is Making Our Winters Shorter.” Salon. N.p., 17 Oct. 2015. Web. 02 Nov. 2016.
I like your passion in supporting winter, snow and snow-sports.
I agree with you about improving thermal efficiency of the resorts, which will reduce energy consumption. If windows could be oriented in the right direction and made of materials that have higher solar heat gain coefficient, the natural energy of the sun can be utilized to help with heating the building. Buildings made of materials that are better insulator of heat would also retain heat more effectively.
One thing I noticed about pictures that I see in ski resort advertisements is how people featured in the ads are often wearing sun glasses because of how bright it is there. It got me thinking about solar panels for their buildings. I think there is a high potential for greater adoption of solar panels in ski resorts. However, they usually come with higher initial cost and longer payback period.
Thanks for the informative post! I think this issue is something that numerous seasonal industries are grappling with. One, as you mentioned, is an issue of profitability. Shorter seasons and less snow hurts the bottom line and as a result impacts the economic sustainability of these companies. In addition to taking an environmentally friendly approach by reducing GHG emissions and reducing waste, I think the Aspen Skiing Company and similar companies have to take a central role in leading dialogue around climate change. Not only are they strongly impacted by the results of climate change, they are also in a unique position to effect change given the high-impact factor of their client base. Educating families and clients should be a central part of their sustainability efforts.
As an avid skier myself, this post hit close to home for me. Snow sports are not only a multibillion dollar industry but a source of recreation and joy for millions of people each year.
I quite liked the business opportunities that this post addresses, making summer activities at ski resorts more popular as a means to balance out the seasonality of the ski and snowsports business – but this alone isn’t enough.
I agree with the author of this post that there are two primary ways in which ski resorts can do their part to improve the problem of climate change.
First, is to take advantage of the unique position of having a captive audience of people in nature in its purest form. Inherent in having consumers in some of nature’s most beautiful surroundings enables them to not just tell – but also show them – what is at stake with climate change. Using that captive audience to drive awareness of the problem and articulate show in very clear, specific ways how avid skiers and snowboarders can get involved in improving climate change themselves.
Second, is to invest further in improving the environmental friendliness of snow blowing equipment. Millions of gallons of water and copious quantities of electricity are used each season to fabricate artificial snow, resulting in a negative impact on the environment.
The impact of global warming on the winter sports industry is near and dear to my heart, as there are two ski resorts near my house that generate significant economic upturn during the winter months. Therefore, I appreciate the sentiment and concerns expressed in this article.
However, while you mention several efforts that the Aspen Skiing Company is taking in order to reduce their impact on the release of green house gasses, I am concerned that some of their efforts or the recommendations that you’ve made may be counter-intuitive. For example, you mention that the company is, “becoming more energy efficient through the use of renewable energy systems (i.e. snowmaking equipment).” Generally, snow making equipment is run off of either electric, or gas powered generators, which in turn exasperate the problem by releasing more greenhouse gasses. Unless these are solar powered, as is mentioned as an opportunity in one of the earlier comments, I’m not sure that this is really improving their sustainability efforts.
Additionally, you mentioned that potentially companies could open back up their resorts during summer months in order to subsidize some of the costs for efficiency enhancements to their buildings and infrastructure. While this does eventually lead to opportunity for reductions in winter months, doesn’t this also cause the buildings to run for 3/4 of the year that they previously hadn’t, in order to support their new Spring, Summer, and Fall activities? At what point do these efforts allow for cost reductions in the future, but still prevent adding additional emissions in the now.
I agree with the sentiment of the activities, the challenge is finding those that contribute to the effort both in on and off seasons.
Thank you for the article. As mentioned by earlier commenters, your passion for winter sports and the effects that climate change has one them remains throughout the piece. Unfortunately, I would think that many ski resorts would first resort to machines that artificially produce snow. As someone mentioned above, these machines are not quite energy-friendly and might do more harm than good. I am curious about the exact P&L impacts that a shorter ski season has had on a ski resort. My immediate thought is to think of ways, even during the ski season, that these resorts can boost revenue by investing in the experience of the visitors – potentially making the experience more luxury and inclusive of other recreational activities for the whole family. Another consideration throughout the year is how the resorts can take on multiple functions for more diversified streams on income such as being retreats locations, just as our section visited a resort for a retreat.