Melting Landscapes

Do you love snow? Do you love winter? Climate change is causing higher snowlines, shorter winters and precipitation changes. As backcountry skiers what can we do?

When I give presentations, one of the questions I get asked the most is if I have seen any changes in the glaciers. The answer is an emphatic YES. These changes are happening fast. Over the time I have been skiing, the larger glaciers in the Coast Mountains have lost 50-150m of their thickness and have receded 5-10km. Glaciologists predict that 70% of western Canada's glaciers will disappear by 2100.

What can you do right now?

Learn more and get involved. Support an organization like Protect Our Winters or Pembina Institute that lobbies for to improve climate change policy. Read about the politics.

Change your habits

Rethink your lifestyle. Walk, ride your bike, take transit. Switch to a more efficient vehicle. Carpool on your ski trips. Maximize your skiing to driving ratio. Travel slower. Spend more time at your destination. For that long drive, stay overnight and ski for 2-3 days instead of 1. Buy green power. Buy carbon offsets.

Fly Less

Is that 1 week trip to Japan, South America or Europe necessary? 'Flying currently accounts for less than 10% of the global climate impact, but it often dominates the emission profiles of the globally privileged few who can afford it.' Dr Peter Kalmus. Focus on local adventures instead. Join No Fly.

Use Less

Happiness doesn't require fossil fuels. Look at the energy price tag of everything you buy. Check out Being the Change: Live Well and Spark a Climate Revolution by Peter Kalmus.