Interesting article on ski resorts, global warming, and environmentalism

An article in the online magazine Salon discusses the ski industry's
response to global warming and other environmental challenges. Here are
two interesting excerpts:

"Global warming predictions vary, but it's clear to all but climate
change skeptics that if current trends persist, most of the world's ski
resorts may not survive the next 100 years. ...
But on top of struggling with warmer weather this winter, studies
reflect that in the past 50 years the East Coast has seen a 15 percent
decrease in snowfall. New research on California's Sierra Nevada range,
meanwhile, indicates that if spring temperatures rise by a mere 5
degrees on average, and scientists say they've gained more than 2
degrees since 1950, the Golden State may lose 89 percent of its natural
snow pack. Aspen and Park City, Utah, have sponsored their own studies
that show winter shrinking by about three weeks over the next 50 years,
and this too has got them worried."

* * *

"Rather than embrace ethical business models favored by
conservationists, many resorts have become fixated on terrain
expansion, carving new runs, installing new chairlifts and upgrading
snow-making capacity. As a result, wildlife suffers, forests get
logged, and despite vows of energy conservation, electricity bills
continue to soar. Beaver Creek in Colorado, also owned by Vail, even
has heated sidewalks. Consequently, resorts demand higher prices for
lift tickets, while trying to entice more out-of-state and
international skiers to fly in, pushing second-home sales and
real-estate schemes whenever possible; in fact, a scan of resort Web
sites reveals that real-estate shares billing with environmental
education and skier safety campaigns."

Worth a read in its entirety:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/01/26/skiing/

Joe Ramirez