It has been told to me a number of times that the only thing that would keep Colorado drivers from purchasing SUV's was if the ski season was visibly cut short. It is hard not to notice the sheer number of SUV's when driving up the I-70 corridor which connects Denver to Vail and numerous other ski resorts. It is a three and then two-lane divided highway covered with gas guzzlers that apparently thought they were an Indy car in a past life. The number of cars is limited on highway 99, but that still doesn't mean that a good percentage aren't SUV's. I sometimes feel that my little warrior of a VW Golf called the Green Bean is going to be eaten alive. But over the past few years, I have felt more secure on the roads. People are realizing that they don't need a million cubic feet of space for a family of four to enjoy a day of skiing. You can call me a hypocrit because I still drive to the mountains every weekend, but I honestly feel that I'm doing my part. If only everyone drove a more fuel efficient car, the CO2 that would stay out of the atmosphere would be amazing. Luckily, it looks like things are going that way.
Skiers and their driving habits are not the only ones that will feel the effects of global warming. The ones who have the most to lose economically are the ski resorts. Just ask one of the thousands of workers who were told they didn't have a job at the beginning of this season on the East Coast of Canada or the U.S.
I can't speak for every resort, but I will tell you what my former employer is doing to lead the industry. Aspen Skiing Company (ASC) employees have the option of donating two dollars from every pay cheque to an environmental cause. This is something that almost every employee takes part in. Vending machines have sensors so when they are not used for a bit of time such as at night they automatically turn off saving electricity. But the biggest effort is the Cirque, a lift that was built without using any emissions and runs off of 100% wind power.
ASC is also the first resort company to vow to reduce it's CO2 emissions annually in compliance with the Chicago Climate Exchange and this past fall launched it's 'Save Snow Campaign' designed to spur debate and encourage people to act. Guests can also purchase SkiGreen tags making their day on the hill CO2 neutral. The proceeds support new local renewable energy projects. All of this makes ASC a leader in the ski industry. They are keeping the world green and the mountains white.
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It sounds to me that someone misses CO, not that I can blame you. But as a current resident of CO, enormous SUVs on I-70 are a common site and seem to be directly in contrast to the ideals that seem to go hand-in-hand with skiing, preservation and enjoyment of our natural resources. However, it seems that most Americans have a hard time adding 2 and 2 and getting 4.
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