Snow is an amazing thing. Over 23 million people love and depend on snow for our pastimes and our livelihoods. Snow powers the $62 billion global ski industry, supporting over 950,000 winter tourism-related jobs in the US alone.
The threats that snow and winter face from climate change are very real. We need to take action to slow the impact of climate change on winter so it can be experienced by future generations.
Here are three ways you can help protect winter in less than 60 seconds:
1. Co-Sign the Paris Letter.
From November 30 – December 11, world leaders will meet in Paris at the UN Climate Change Conference/COP21 to decide the future of our warming planet and how, as a global community, we’re going to address climate change. This event will be a tipping point: Will we continue business as usual and ignore this threat, or will we work together to reduce global carbon emissions and preserve this planet for future generations?
Co-sign the Paris Letter & support strong global action on climate change.
Time to complete: 15 seconds.
2. Contact Your Governor and Encourage Them to Support the Clean Power Plan.
Last year, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed the first-ever limits on carbon pollution from power plants. It’s called the Clean Power Plan, and it will slow climate change. It is largely an extension of the EPA’s Clean Air Act. This is a giant leap forward in protecting the health and well-being of all Americans and future generations from the impacts of climate change. The proposal has drawn strong support from millions of Americans, but many state Governors and Attorney’s Generals have vowed to stop the Clean Power Plan to protect the interests of the fossil fuel industry.
Contact your Governor today and tell them you support the Clean Power Plan. (Scroll down to find the widget.)
Time to complete via Twitter: 20 seconds.
3. Get Alerts from Protect Our Winters.
The mission of Protect Our Winters (“POW”) is to engage and mobilize the snowsports community to lead the fight against climate change. Their focus is on educational initiatives, advocacy and community-based activism. Liftopia is a proud supporter of POW and later this month, I am traveling to Washington D.C. to represent Liftopia as part of a coalition organized by Protect Our Winters. We will be meeting with US Senators, the EPA and going to the White House to meet with President Obama’s climate team.
Get email alerts from POW & help them fight the fight to save winter.
Time to complete: 15 seconds.
The past decade has been the warmest on record, with 2015 the warmest year ever. Meanwhile, the northern hemisphere has already lost a million square miles of spring snowpack since 1970 – that is an area 3x the size of Texas. Snow levels are rising and winters are shorter. Climate change is already affecting winter and the time to act is now!
Huge thanks to Protect Our Winters and Chris Steinkamp for leading the snowsports industry to become a strong, organized voice in the battle to fight climate change and protect winter.
Well said Rob! Great to see possibilities for real action!
Thanks Alex!
Love this! Would love to know how to help in > 60 seconds too!
Thanks Scott! If you sign up for alerts from POW they will help you learn how to fight the good fight.
Good luck in DC!
Thanks Valentina!
Hold the phone people. Don’t jump too fast on this. Climate Change is not entirely man made, it is a natural event. Many of these Liberal dogooder ideas will wreck the economy and not save the world in the process. If your customers have no jobs (as these bills will kill jobs, industries, and increase taxes) there will be no customers to ski at the ski resorts.
I’ll jump immediately and not be dissuaded by people that put misdirected fear and loathing for the economy ahead of saving lives and the planet. I’ve studied the facts and understand the immediacy of the need to act to mitigate climate disruption around the planet NOW.
Why are you on this site?
Because I am an environmentalist and want to see the environment stay healthy. But, there is also a limit to what “man” can do and afford. Are you saying “don’t confuse me with facts, my mind is made up.”? That only people who agree with you can comment, or care about the issue? Dreams are nice, but we still need to be logical, use our brains (and not just our hearts), and use some common sense. I thought you were a college professor? Didn’t they teach you think when you got your education and diplomas?
I repeat the question.
Great article, it only takes a few seconds to protect our winters!
Thanks Brianna!
Every ski area in the United States needs to hold a protest on the same day, a SKI-TEST, to stop climate change. Pick a day. Hold all day activist events at the ski areas culminating in a beautiful night ski holding giant snowflakes that spell out SAVE OUR EARTH. It would be INCREDIBLE. Let’s DO IT!!!
Are you going to walk to the hill or drive a car? Fly an airplane to the mountains? Are you going to go naked and barefoot or will you ski in your chemical made plastic boots and carbon fiber skis? Will you wear winter clothing made of hemp or cotton, or will you wear warm, dry, windproof synthetics? When your power plant shuts down, and has to raise its energy prices threefold to buy other energy – how will you power the chair lifts on the hill or heat your home? When your bills and taxes go up, will you have any money left to buy a lift ticket? Keep dreaming about how you will save the world and yet have money to live upon.
Scott we do not need to choose between the Clean Power Plan and cars, airplanes, shoes, skis, clothes, jobs and money. The vast majority of utilities are not fighting the plan because they have already stopped investing in and coal plants and are investing more efficient, cheaper and cleaner forms of energy. The Clean Power Plan would speed up changes that are already happening across the country.
You make some good points, but what if we don’t try to help and not care?? Maybe a letter to my governor is my part. My only part , but still my part. Don’t discourage people.