Ski Resorts Poised for Self-Immolation Against Climate Change?

by Rabb!t / Earth First! Newswire

Ski resorts and environmental advocates have been butting heads since the dawn of time. And with good reason. Deforesting mountains to create ski runs and access roads degrades ecosystems, crippling old growth forests and splitting the habitat and migration patterns of interior forest species, or annihilating them outright. As climate change speeds up, ski resorts must use more and more artificial snow each season to maintain attendance, and the use of this artificial snow counteracts natural weather patterns and interferes with local vegetation and animal life, further perpetuating the cycle of climate catastrophe.

Now, in an ironic turn of evens, over 100 ski resorts have signed a declaration calling for U.S. policy action on climate change. And why? Because “tackling climate change is one of America’s greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century,” of course!

For those who remember the old Wolves and Poodles section of the Earth First! Journal, this would be what we called a poodle.

Perhaps the most notorious clash between activists and ski resorts was the burning down of a ski lodge in Vail, Colorado, in 1998. The Earth Liberation Front took responsibility for the fire, and claimed the action was taken in response to an 885-acre ski expansion that was to be built on the natural habitat of the endangered lynx. The fire caused $12 million dollars in damage, and destroyed the lodge and several chairlifts.

After taking such a bold environmental stance, these ski resorts would be wise to watch their backs and keep their plans to themselves, as it is likely that they will be targets for FBI domestic terrorism investigation. In a recent article, “We’re Being Watched: How Corporations and Governments Are Spying on Environmentalists,” Adam Federman warns that private security firms and intelligence agencies have been documenting every action of even the most peaceful, non-violent environmental groups, and viewing them as threats to the state’s infrastructure.

In light of today’s announcement, one wonders how far these ski resorts are willing to go to tackle climate change.