In recent years, the sport of skiing been having a tough time in Europe. A series of warm winters has meant skiers arriving at their destinations to find grass and daisies there should have been snow. All over the continent, people have been questioning the wisdom developing any more low-level ski resorts, when even World Cup races at high levels have to be postponed for of snow.
Environmentalists might consider this rough justice, however. Ski resorts have always been considered best ecologically unfriendly. They cause forested mountainsides to be levelled and use up huge amounts of energy. guaranteeing snow for skiers means more resorts at higher levels, then this will put even pressure on fragile mountain ecosystems.
artificial snow may be the answer to some of the ski industry's problems, this too has its drawbacks. It weighs five times as as real snow, something which can't be that good for the mountain, to mention the energy used up in creating the stuff; twenty million dollars worth was used in one US resort in one year alone.
So can environmentally conscious skiers do? Well, first of , don't even consider going to
a resort without an environmental policy. You to be able to find out things whether each slope is given a day off to recover, and whether your accommodation is heated by a renewable source of energy, as as all sorts of other details.

Copyright Guardian News & Media Ltd 2007