Poster: A snowHead
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The Independent newspaper has an article today by Simon Birch looking at ways skiing is waking up to its environmental impact, beginning with a reference to the Turin Winter Olympics - which are planned to "offset" their CO2 emissions.
The feature concludes with a list of ten ways skiers can reduce their own impact on the planet.
Click here for the full article.
Any comments?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David Goldsmith,
I guess my only question is to why Skiing/Winter Sports writers are obsessed with environmental issues ? I was somewhat surprised when you raised the issues when I joined this board a year go ..( did you pen this article?). I have yet to see a rugby/football/swimming/athletics/cycling etc. article in the same vein.
Given I suspect our chosen sport is a LOT worse than most wrt the environment why are we going on about it ? Guilt ? I even note at least 3 of the 10 ideas ( eg Be more eco-friendly at home) have nothing to do with the sport or its functioning itself ... am I missing something ?
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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?
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Well, The Independent has had a very strong environmental agenda in recent years, so I guess the Turin Games gave them a good reason to run the article.
This piece of The Independent's, about the warnings of the scientist James Lovelock, is actually a lot more stimulating than the ski article. Lovelock reckons that the planet is now past 'the point of no return'.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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well it's clearly a load of cobblers.
Whilst I'm sure that most who love skiing would like to reduce the environmental impact the brutal truth is that taking lots of short haul trips is bad- all that CO2 in the atmosphere....
You could - take fewer and longer holidays- go once for a fourtnoght rather than twice for a week??
Go ski touring- and pack out ALL your waste-
Or just accept that skiing-like many things isn't very ecofriendly and try a bit harder with the rest of your life.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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David Goldsmith, I admit to strong environmental tendencies as well and have previously read some of Lovelock's musings but I also readily admit to being a hypocrite as I am only eco-friendly when it suits me ....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ask your tour operator if they have a written environmental policy; if they don't, ask why not. |
And ask for it in triplicate?
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accept that skiing-like many things isn't very ecofriendly and try a bit harder with the rest of your life.
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This is clearly the right approach as we accept that sking is not at all eco-friendly, particularly jetting off for long weekends. The shocking news that the 3V burn 550 litres of diesel fuel an hour just bashing the pistes is mind boggling.
We can all try to reduce our overall impact on the environment through the rest of the year. Tree planting, going camping in Cornwall, take the train to Paris rather than jet, recycle, turn the heating off and wear the thermals for more than just one or two weeks a year. How far you take it is a matter of individual choice, and looking around one can easily see extremes at each end of the spectrum around us.
Being aware of the issue is a start, and people will only change if they want to. Coercion will not work on an individual basis.
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"* Consider another winter sport. Ski touring, cross country skiing and snow-shoeing are all great winter activities which crucially have minimal environmental impact."
Shouldn't that be cruelly
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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.
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If you don't live in the mountains (and probably if you do), an indulgence in downhill skiing means you're responsible for way more carbon emissions than Mr/Mrs Average Global Citizen. Getting below the average would mean giving it up, along with a lot of other indulgences most snowHeads take for granted. Anything else is mere window-dressing. Those who are seriously worried about the impact of climate change, and continue with their depredations, are essentially hypocrites. Discuss.
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laundryman, I am a hypocrite nm
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brian
brian
Guest
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laundryman, no discussion needed. I am a happy hypocrite
What's the point of saving the planet if your life's passing you by in a skiless way ?
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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.
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Quote: |
I guess my only question is to why Skiing/Winter Sports writers are obsessed with environmental issues ? I was somewhat surprised when you raised the issues when I joined this board a year go ..( did you pen this article?). I have yet to see a rugby/football/swimming/athletics/cycling etc. article in the same vein. |
I think it's because our sport is so affected by climate change that we're more sensitive in than other sports to environmental issues. The validity/futility of that sensitivity is another question...
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AlexF, Seems very valid to me .
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