Ski Trips for the Carbon Minded Traveler
Hundreds of snowboarders will soon be dusting down their skiing gear and scooting off in search of the deepest snow. And undoubtedly the result of our carbon footprint will be virtually as far down the list of vacation musts as a xmas tree after the Christmas holidays. Only last year, a late snowfall was in the newspaper headlines and holidaymakers were frightened about the bits of snow melting almost as soon as they put down.
Ski company Chalet 1802, based at the foot of Monte Bianco in Chamonix Mont Blanc France in the Alps, is one of the first autonomous firms to go carbon neutral and give snowboarders an environmentally friendly selection while organising their ski vacations. Chalet 1802 founder SYNN said: Last year was quite a shock with the warmest winter in 55 years in France. Mountain resorts such as La Mongie, Portes du Soleil and Courchevel suffered.It was temperate and the snowfall did not last so much of the early season snowboarding season in the mountains was patchy. We decided to go carbon negative to assist in the preservation the skiing resort.
SYNN said: We are not attempting to prescribe to holiday makers but we think its important to provide the clients the selection without increasing the cost of the stay. If they book with us and takes his annual leave in our skiing chalet they can further off-set their carbon footprint and we absorb the added prices. Naturally we still have a sauna and a hot tub – guests desire lavishness but not at the expense of the environs, so we considered ways of diminishing the impact of a client driving over here for a skiing holiday.”
Chalet 1802 have moreover linked up with charity Climate Care, which attacks global warming by providing C02 deductions on behalf of individuals and firms.
