Is Wintersport Sustainable?

It’s spring break! Meaning that half of the Dutch population can be found in the ski resorts during these spring holidays. A week on the slopes. To enjoy the beautiful, white mountain tops and hopefully the sun will shine.
There is love for the mountains and nature. But, is wintersport that sustainable?

Ski instructor and environment

A few years ago my nieces, brother and I went to a ski instructor show during our holiday, on top of the mountain. We had to go up with the ski lift in the dark, where the ski show was. I always had been a big fan of ski shows and was looked forward to it. It was really amazing to see all ski and snowboard teachers, BoBo the Penguin and other mascots ski. Not to mention that my nieces and I had a crush on the ski instructor who participated in the ski show 😉

From that moment I knew for sure that I also wanted to become a ski instructor. Like that I could ski as much as I wanted. I could spend the whole day in nature and improve my skiing technique. Make money with skiing .. Yes please!

A few years later I got my Anwärter in Kaprun, Austria. You need this diploma to be able to give ski lessons in Austria. The training itself was great fun, but also quite intense. Long days and lots of information. Everything in German. On the other hand, it was all great fun and I learned a lot.

After the training I immediately went on to teach at a ski school in Austria. It was a very nice ski school to work for. I met a lot of new people and yes, I could ski as much as I wanted. So I know quite a few things about the wintersport feeling.

We have not thought about this …

But is wintersport sustainable? What I have not thought about all this time is the damage that comes with wintersport. Wintersport is not sustainable at all, the opposite is true! This realization has actually been so shocking that I wanted to share it with you. Almost nobody talks about this, and nobody pays attention to it, while it is an important topic.

Although we often go on wintersport out of love for nature, we destroy nature at the same time. But how is that possible? Are there other environmentally friendly, sustainable ways to go on a wintersport? And what happens if nothing changes? Can we compensate our vacation? I like to share it with you, to let the mountains and nature together and to show more respect to nature.

The journey to the mountains

The journey to the mountains itself already involves a lot of pollution. It is a long journey to the mountains, so a lot of fossil fuels are used. A lot of air pollution is also involved. Best way would simply be to not make the journey at all, but I know that this is not an option for many people. At least not for me. That’s why “a sustainable wintersport” doesn’t really exist, but we can try to reduce our impact.

Some means of transport pollute and burden the environment more than other vehicles. As we may know today, an aircraft is the most polluting vehicle. That is why I would strongly advise against flying.

The car is already a better alternative. The more people you share the car with, the better. This is less harmful to the environment. So always try to carpool, or see if there are people on BlaBlaCar who have to go the same way as you. Share on social media when you have a free spot in the car. By traveling with more people in a car, you reduce the impact on the environment. Besides that you can also share the expenses, which makes it cheaper (;

Then there is also the option to travel by public transport. This is the most sustainable option. For example, night trains run to Austria from the Netherlands. You can also choose to go by bus. For example with FlixBus.

Creating slopes

What makes wintersport itself so damaging for nature? There are several factors that play a role here. For example, quite a few forests have to be felled to make room for slopes and lifts.

Trees absorb CO2 from the air. They also clean the air and release oxygen. When a tree is felled, all CO2 that the tree has ever taken up is released again. We need trees very badly, and we should cut down as little as possible. The construction of slopes also causes erosion. In addition, wild animals living in the forests are losing their habitat.

Snow cannons

Then there are the snow cannons. These are used when there is not enough snow. These too are a huge burden on the environment. They consume a lot of energy and water. For example, a sustainable alternative to winter sports is to go to a high area. Fewer snow cannons are often needed here.

Ski lifts

And what about all the ski lifts? In addition to building ski lifts, electricity and oil are the main culprits. “For example, a linkable chairlift uses 41,000 kWh of electricity per season. For a ski resort with only ten lifts, it costs around € 5,000 per ski day.“

The parts of the ski lifts often have to be lubricated with oil. Because environmentally friendly biodegradable oils are often too expensive, polluting oils are used.

Pistenbully’s

Then there are the pistenbully’s, which are busy every night to smooth out all the slopes. The pistenbully’s also use fossil fuels and therefore also cause pollution and CO2 emissions.

Ski equipment

What I want to put first is that skiing is not a fashion show or showoff. Well, maybe for some. Not for me.

By having the newest, most fashionable and most expensive ski equipment, you really don’t get better at skiing. So let’s get that out of our head and focus on the real stuff.

A ski suit, ski goggles, helmet, ski / snowboard shoes, skis / snowboard, gloves, ski poles, thermal clothing and ski socks. We often need this equipment about once a year.

Second-hand

If you want to have your own things, try to buy them second-hand. There are plenty of good skis and snowboards on the marketplace. Everything you need, someone else has, and vice versa. In some thrift stores you can also find beautiful ski suits. Also of good quality and for a better price.

Also read: No More Fast Fashion – 3x Thrifting Tips

Wintersport brands that are sustainable

If you can’t find it second-hand, buy it from a sustainable brand. For example with Picture of Patagonia. Sometimes this might me a bit expensive, but when you buy good quality clothing, it also lasts longer, instead of having to buy it new every year.

Quality over quantity 🙂 Always be careful with your things! Handle it with care so that it lasts as long as possible! Write your name and / or telephone number in all your ski clothing and also on your skis or snowboard. Prevent losing it and having to buy it again. I speak from experience … 😅

Rent

Renting equipment is also a good option. Especially for children who are still growing. If you do not often go on winter sports, I definitely recommend that you rent. Or, maybe you can borrow it from friends and family.

Compensate your trip

You can use the test from “milieu centraal” to calculate how much CO2 emissions your wintersport holiday will be. Super interesting to do this test! After you have calculated this you can “compensate” it. I do not yet fully support the idea of “compensating”, because it is often used as an excuse and your CO2 emissions can better be prevented. But, if you cannot or do not want to avoid it, compensation is of course advisable.

Compensation can, for example, be done by planting trees. Read more about this in my article “flight shame“. I also advise you to centrally read the article from “milieu centraal” about compensation.

As crazy as I am about winter sports, I think twice now before I leave to Austria. What do you think about winter sports after this info? No more wintersport or making sustainable choices? Maybe you have tips on how to go on a winter sport as sustainable as possible. Share them below in the comments! Questions are also always welcome!

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Good Vibes,
Emma

Bronnen: Volkskrant, Wintersport.nl, Milieu Centraal