a. Because you don't believe it impacts the earth's climate or
b. Because you don't think it will impact you in your lifetime
You can believe what you do impacts the climate and will have an impact you. But I also believe the cost in terms of personal enjoyment of skiing is not really worth missing out on for what is a tiny amount of co2 as a percentage of global emissions. (I suspect my actual co2 output per year is actually way below average anyway).
@boarder2020, true...and high on the hypocrisy-o-meter which we have been discussing...but I think things going in the right direction. JJ talking more about his personal CO2 footprint these days and doing a lot more ski touring and ski mountaineering. Which is good I think. The point about the Common Good still obtains I feel - interesting that the First Nations, when forced to sign repeated land treaties which were then dishonoured by Washington, said '...stupid White Man...no-one can OWN the land. The land belongs to everyone and everything.....'
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
@valais2, yeah it's all well and good JJ moving to mostly touring now after years of Heli skiing and travelling all over the world. It feels similar to the western world that spent their industrial revolutions destroying the environment for capital gains now telling the developing world they can't do the same thing.
Gored said at the top of this thread "if you care and still go, you are a hypocrite" and others have followed suit.
I don't think that's what hypocrisy is. Hypocrisy is pretending to be better than you are. So claiming you do everything possible to reduce your carbon footprint and then going skiing is hypocritical. But going skiing and acknowledging that you are falling short of the highest ethical standards isn't hypocritical. It's human. We all do it, all the time. We spend money on a holiday, or a new pair of shoes we don't really need, when we know that there are children in Yemen dying of malnutrition. That might make us weak, selfish, vain or lacking in compassion. But if we are not pretending that we don't spend money on such frivol, it's not hypocritical, not in my book.
However, I don't think a carbon calculator would make any difference to my decisions. It was so chilly this evening that I put the heating on. I don't need to work out exactly what the road tolls to the Alps are, either. Or how much my holiday cost. I only need to know that I can afford it, though I also know there are much more virtuous things I could do with the money.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
king key wrote:
Sure, you carry on virtual signalling all day if it clears your conscience. I would bet precious few on here (including me) do little to solve the issue, and nor ever really will.......apart from the odd forum or Twitter comment.
How am I virtue signalling ? I’ve admitted I ski a lot … I also race motorbikes and do track days in my high-powered sports car. I’m certainly not virtuous and admit to my hypocrisy. However, I also think it’s essential to do something to reduce my output and/or mitigate it. So, I subscribe to Wren and assuage my conscience by paying money. So, I’m not in the slightest claiming to be virtuous; I’m simply making the point that if we all do something then, overall, that improves the situation as opposed to saying ‘Stuff It’ and doing nothing.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Reading this thread makes me wonder if there is a relationship between dick size and co2 footprint
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
"I made a site that lets you calculate the CO2 emission of your ski season."
You'd be so much fun on ski trip. For that matter any trip. Can you say "wet blanket"......?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Origen wrote:
Gored said at the top of this thread "if you care and still go, you are a hypocrite" and others have followed suit.
I don't think that's what hypocrisy is. Hypocrisy is pretending to be better than you are.
Well said … agree completely.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I too struggle with the conflict of the climate impact of skiing.
Anyone making lifestyle changes to reduce CO2 could be doing it for 2 reasons:
1) to ease their conscience and make them feel better - fine and totally understandable but essentially pointless
2) thinking that this is going to reduce the impact of global change e.g. "If we all do what I do then the problem will be much less". This is utterly deluded.
The only way we will reduce carbon emissions is when a cheaper and easier alternative to fossil fuels arrive. Until then we are on a way one road to global warming.
We are now at a point where renewable energy is cheaper than fossil fuels, we just need storage solutions to catch up.
If you want to make a difference you are much better off putting political pressure on government to end fossil fuel subsidies and increase subsidies to renewables. And/or supporting/investing in renewable technology. This could actually make a difference.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
@SnowHounder, yes…this
‘…If you want to make a difference you are much better off putting political pressure on government to end fossil fuel subsidies and increase subsidies to renewables. And/or supporting/investing in renewable technology. This could actually make a difference…’
Discussions like the one here are really valuable in creating awareness even if there are differences of view. It’s this political and economic pressure which is vital to a genuine large scale change. But consumer pressure is a very important part of this. Don’t buy plastic cr+p which lies unused….that’s really important. Retail is now data driven for the most part, so small shifts of consumer preference can make a big change in practice.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
king key wrote:
So hardly saving the planet, not that I'm criticising your choices, I'm just trying to see your version of compromise.
Admittedly relatively minor, I try to restrict my needless travel , I try to offset the big ticket trips (although not completely convinced by that), I limit my fuel usage through winter and it's part of my decision to not have children.
In terms of an impact I'm under no illusions that it is virtually nil. I just don't buy into the "if you're concerned you need to live in a yurt powered by lentil farts" approach.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@powdernomad, Thank you and well done
Interesting - I also tried to sign up to powder nomads - but bit intimidated by the pictures to illustrate ski standards - Intermediate looks pretty blood good - advanced is well - expert in my book and expert is crazy ... think I need to put myself down as beginner (equivalent to SCGB gold? ....)
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
SnoodyMcFlude wrote:
In terms of an impact I'm under no illusions that it is virtually nil. I just don't buy into the "if you're concerned you need to live in a yurt powered by lentil farts" approach.
The point I’m trying to make isn’t that any of us are particularly virtuous, I’m certainly not, BUT if we all do a little bit then ‘virtually nil’ actually turns into a lot. There are 8 billion of us on the planet so, axiomatically, the actions of one are immaterial if all others do nothing but if everyone does something then …
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
As ever with these threads I'd point that a lot of stuff a) isn't that difficult and b) has other beneficial effects.
Take recycling. For most people it's now second nature. And rather than having endless landfills a large proportion of stuff goes to a factory instead. And there is another side benefit that we have a much better idea of how much packaging and stuff we are using and what is/isn't recyclable.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Blackblade, …that’s correct. And if it IS the Anthropocene - and it is - then the actions of us each and all in previous generations has done the damage. Ergo we all should act now.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
