Skiing is a really popular sport around the world, with 6,116 ski resorts worldwide. In the United States, ski and snowboarding resorts are a 3 billion dollar industry. But due to climate change, winters are getting shorter and many regions are feeling a reduction in snowfall, putting ski resorts in a tricky situation. Artificial snowmaking has served as the primary adaptation for the time being, but this process requires massive amounts of energy, water, and money, which lead many to suggest it may not be a viable solution long-term. Today, we explore why climate change affects the ski industry, where snowmaking has presented challenges, and what the future of the ski industry can look like. With special guest Dr. Daniel Scott: Professor of Geography and Environmental Management at the University of Waterloo.
The Sweaty Penguin is presented by Peril and Promise: a public media initiative from The WNET Group in New York, reporting on the issues and solutions around climate change. You can learn more at pbs.org/perilandpromise.
Support the show and unlock exclusive merch, bonus content, and more for as little as $5/month at patreon.com/thesweatypenguin.
CREDITS
Writers: Owen Reith, Shannon Damiano, Maxwell Pociask, Ethan Brown
Editor: Will Andronico
Producers: Ethan Brown, Shannon Damiano
Ad Voiceover: Will Andronico
Music: Brett Sawka
The opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and guests. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of Peril and Promise or The WNET Group.