Is sustainable skiing even possible for you and the environment? As the ski season is just around the corner, today I would like to introduce you to the problems of classic ski tourism. Because the operators of the slopes and lifts have severely damaged the environment in the Alps with their behavior in recent decades. Now it is important that we think about a change in ski tourism. Here, every individual can contribute something. That's why you will now learn how to ski in the most environmentally friendly and sustainable way. So that your body remains healthy and the environment is not polluted. In this article, I will give you the best tips for the right ski gymnastics and sustainable behavior on and off the slopes.
Sustainable ski gymnastics for your body
Powder snow, mountains and sunshine - that probably makes the heart of every winter sports enthusiast beat faster. But since skiing puts a lot of strain on many muscles, warming up is an absolute must. Because it is not uncommon for cruciate ligament tears, bruises and and other painful and long-lasting injuries to occur. The reason is often a lack of ski gymnastics before the departure. So the first thing you should do is to strengthen your muscles and thus train the right posture:
- Light jumping and running in the square loosens and warms the muscles.
- Stand in downhill position, bounce up again and again with stretched arms and land in the starting position. This way you're well equipped for bumpy stretches.
- Push-ups and keeping the tension in the abdominal and back muscles strengthen the stability of the body.
- Stretching is also part of ski gymnastics. Leave yourself enough time to prepare your body extensively.
After skiing, you should stretch again so that you don't start the next day with sore muscles and at the same time prevent possible injuries. But even though we usually think of our health first - what impact does skiing have on the environment? Is it also possible to ski sustainably from an environmental point of view?
Why is sustainable skiing important?
Skiing is fun. The speed in a beautiful landscape attracts countless winter sports enthusiasts to the mountains every year. In front of the merry goings-on, however, the ecological consequences of ski tourism usually remain in the shadows.
Trees are felled, soils leveled and even rivers diverted for the construction of the slopes and ski lifts. The consequences are flooding, species extinction and an increased risk of avalanches due to sliding masses of snow and mud. Snow cannons also threaten the environment. Due to global warming, it snows less in ski resorts, which leads to an increasing use of snow cannons. These in turn consume enormous amounts of water and energy. A vicious circle that can only be ended by doing without artificial snow.
This problem ensures that every skier must concern himself with the most sustainable skiing possible. On the one hand, so that you can still ski for a long time and on the other hand, to be able to ski at all in the future.
How you can ski sustainably
Inzwischen stellen sich glücklicherweise auch Unterkünfte und Liftbetreiber immer mehr auf einen ökologischen Wandel ein. Hier kannst du aktiv mithelfen, den Wintersport möglichst umweltfreundlich zu halten:
- The right journey: Most greenhouse gas is produced by traveling by car and especially by plane. Instead, take the train or share a bus with other ski tourists. Carpooling opportunities are also a dime a dozen - after all, many other people besides yourself are drawn to the south for skiing. It also makes more sense to take a longer ski vacation than several short trips. Every extra day you spend on the slopes makes the trip to and from the resort all the more worthwhile.
- Stay on the slopes: To protect the animals and plants, you should only stay on the designated slopes and trails. If you go off-piste, you will destroy young plants and scare off wildlife. Likewise, only use the slopes that do not have snow cannons. In this way, you do your utmost to ski sustainably.
- Chairlift instead of T-bar: The ride in the air protects the soil and forest. Here you should make sure that the operator uses electricity from renewable energy sources.
- Green Sleeping: When choosing your accommodation, find out beforehand whether the landlord places particular emphasis on resource conservation, water conservation and renewable energy.
So you see that everyone can directly influence the ecological situation of the ski resorts with their decisions. Set a good example: when skiing, not only make sure you warm up properly and do the right ski gymnastics, but also do your part to preserve the breathtaking nature in the mountains. (for the ideal accommodation see also Book sustainable accommodation online and save 20€ on your first booking at bookitgreen with the coupon code CAREBIG)
Do you have more ideas and tips or your own experiences with sustainable skiing? Then I look forward to your comment under this article.
Have a good and sustainable trip,
PS.: In our Environmental protection blog you'll get many more tips - in addition to learning how to ski sustainably, for example, you'll also learn which Zero Waste Apps help you avoid waste in everyday life.
