Look forward to greener skiing

What? Skiing isn't green?!

According to New Scientist report, skiing can have lasting negative impacts on alpine areas, including erosion, habitat removal (to form the runs), and so on.

While those in many southern hemisphere locations are facing a future sans snow, those in the north will be cheered to hear that skiing can now be made greener, since more and more snowy locations are looking to expand into the ski industry.

Scientists have developed specialised software that allows users to enter the kind of ski operation they want to run (eg. boutique resort). According to the article, "The software then homes in on the preferred general region and seeks out those locations with the combinations of available land and humidity levels most likely to produce powder snow. Among many other factors, it also analyses accessibility by road, slope steepness - to work out the risk of avalanches - and the likely erosion from tree felling. A key factor is the ready availability of electricity to power the ski lifts."

It's an interesting combination of business and environmental goals. Have you ever considered the environmental impacts of your skiing?