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The Environmental Impact of Snowboarding (And How to Combat It!)

The Environmental Impact of Snowboarding (And How to Combat It!)

Finola McDonald |

The Environmental Impact of Snowboarding (And How to Combat It!)

It should be no surprise that almost anything we do impacts the environment. Whether good, bad, or neutral, there's always soemthing, and unfortunately, many of our favorite outdoor activities come with an impact that leans more negative. But today, we are not here to dwell on that. We are here to become aware, educate ourselves, and learn what we can do moving forward. When moving through a lifestyle change that puts the environment at the center, lamenting over what we could have done in the past is nothing but a traffic jam. Instead, making the effort to learn and change our behavior is how we continue forward. So let's do that, shall we?

Impacts of Snowboarding

I'll be real, the impacts are pretty obvious and so are the solutions, but regardless of how "in your face" these things are, they're sometimes hard to see. There's a lot to think about these days, so maybe you didn't think of this, and that's OK. Maybe it's not even the right time for you to read this (as much as I urge that you do), but if it is, let's take a look. There are two main culprits in snowboarding that impact the environment– transport and production. They have a few branches that trickle out of them, but those are our two big targets.

Transport

Some aspects of transport you can control greatly and some you cannot. It's a hard truth, but a truth nonetheless. Let's look at transportation in the form of transportation of goods. Transportation of goods involves the emissions used to transport the finished products required (snowboards, helmets, softgoods, etc.) from where they are produced to where they are sold. Not to mention there's a second cost associated with the transportation of materials used in these items and a third cost that we'll get into later. Solutions? Shop secondhand! Hit up your local second-hand shop, Play it Again Sports, or head over to geartrade.com for any and all snowboarding needs. Shopping secondhand and using what you already have keeps demand low and shipments lower. I promise if you look (not even that hard), you'll find what you need. That brings me to a second solution for this. Whether committing to shop used or committing to cutting down how often you shop new, consume only what you need. What we need is very different than what we want when it comes to material things. Sure, that new jacket color might be sick, but if your current one still works, why toss it? It inevitably gets stuck in the back of the closet, or worse, thrown away which is a whole other can of worms we'll save for another time. The other transportation trouble we run into is your transport to and from the mountain. Now, chances are if you're planning to spend the day with friends, you'll all roll up together, or mostly together...hopefully. But choosing to carpool, take public transit, or (better yet) carpool to public transport can make a WORLD of difference for the air we breathe. Keeping local as much as possible or choosing lower emission forms of travel to get to destination snowboard sites is another way to combat this. Challenging and rewarding yourself with new terrain is not something to deprive yourself of, but you might be surprised at the community you form by staying local for a good portion of the winter. Plus, there is fun to be found just about anywhere if you seek it.

Production

Onto our second half of this dilemma– production. Here, we face the trouble associated with the production of those hard goods/softgoods that outfit us to actually get out there and snowboard, and the production effects of operating lifts and lodges, and making snow. When it comes to producing the materials for the gear we need to get outside, there are impacts from fabric dying and water runoff to the damage done by harvesting wood, using different glues, and the safety of the workers involved. As I mentioned before, it's a lot to think about, and it's pretty heavy, too. You might be wondering how to even continue on. The solution, again, is shopping second-hand or not shopping at all. I'm not saying to ride on your broken bindings or with a cracked helmet, but rather really take care of what you have and shop to replace it when necessary (and both of those cases are necessary, btw). It's going to save you money in the long run and probably your favorite spot to shred, too. Now production at your local ski hill is different. Though these things might be largely out of your control (unless you are a resort owner reading this...), but if there is a suggestion box, there is always time after a sesh to drop in the suggestion for eco alternatives like eco-friendly cutlery/takeaway boxes in the food areas to more solar energy used to power different energy consuming targets like lights and machinery. Don't underestimate your power or the power of your group. It may not work at first, but the more folks who suggest it, and the more you get to know/speak with the employees and maybe those in charge, the louder, more unavoidable those voices become. Oh, and getting to know employees and those in charge? That's just another perk of staying local as I mentioned previously. It might take a village, but it's worth it to see change.
It's hard to hear the reality of your favorite activity. And don't leave here thinking snowboarding is "the problem" because it isn't. Every activity puts a strain on our environment, and in the world we live in today, it's hard to not have an impact. But, we can always strive to do better and to minimize it. We hope this lifts you up in the power of decision and voice. Until next time, have fun, be safe, and make good choices for Mama Earth – We'll catch you outside!