The ski industry is preparing for a future that will require more manufactured snow

The ski industry is preparing for a future that will require more manufactured snow

Transcript¹

East Coast resorts are preparing for a future with warmer temperatures and less snowfall. Elizabeth Burakovsky of the University of New Hampshire says some areas are losing snow faster than others.

A MARTINEZ, HOST:

The Beijing Winter Olympics gave us a glimpse of what the sport of skiing might look like in the future because they were the first Winter Games that relied almost entirely² on manufactured snow. U.S. ski resorts are prepping for a similar scenario³, as changing climate is contributing to less natural snowfall and warmer temperatures. Our own H.J. Mai has more.

H J MAI, BYLINE⁴: It's snowing, with temperatures hovering⁵ around freezing. And despite low-hanging clouds, the visibility is good. It's an almost perfect day for skiing. I'm at Massanutten Resort in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, a roughly 2 1/2-hour drive from Washington, D.C. The resort is celebrating its 50th anniversary. But whether skiing will be part of the next 50 years remains⁶ to be seen.

KENNY HESS: Being in the Southeast, you know, we've always kind of been on the fringe of whether we're viable⁷ to be a ski area or not.

MAI: Kenny Hess serves as the resort's director of sports and risk management. He says the lack of natural snowfall has always been a challenge for Massanutten.

HESS: We have never been able to have much of a ski season here without snowmaking.

MAI: Many other skiers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic grapple with similar issues. And climate change is only accelerating the problem. Snowshoe is the biggest ski resort in West Virginia. And it has seen its snowfall amounts slashed⁸ in recent years, according to Shawn Cassell, the resort's PR and marketing⁹ manager.

SHAWN CASSELL: We used to have an average of about 180 inches of snow every year. And I think over the last five, six years, it's been more like 130, so pretty big drop there.

MAI: Due to advancements¹⁰ in snowmaking technology, most East Coast ski resorts have been able to compensate¹¹ for the lack of natural snow. But this comes at a cost. U.S. ski resorts invested nearly $100 million on snowmaking infrastructure¹² during the last winter season, making it the largest capital expenditure¹³ within the industry. And without coordinated¹⁴ climate action, it still might not be enough, says New Hampshire Congresswoman Annie Kuster.

ANNIE KUSTER: We're very worried about the long-term impact of climate change, truly an existential threat to the sport of skiing and other snow sports as well.

MAI: Snow sports tourism contributes about $20 billion to the U.S. economy each year, according to researchers.

KUSTER: Ski resorts are, honestly, the economic engine of New Hampshire's rural economy.

MAI: To make sure this engine keeps running, North America's four largest ski resort operators joined forces last year to combat climate change. Killington ski resort in Vermont, which is owned by POWDR, has invested in renewable energy sources. All its lifts are now powered by solar energy. But to make sure skiing will still be possible in the Northeast by the end of this century, more mitigation efforts are needed and not just from within the ski industry, says Boulder-based scientist Cameron Wobus.

CAMERON WOBUS: If we're not doing more then, yeah, ski seasons might go away for a good chunk¹⁵ of the Northeast.

MAI: This includes reducing energy use and waste, as well as a focus on electrifying¹⁶ transportation. But, Wobus says, there's still time to make those changes.

H.J. Mai, NPR News.

MARTINEZ: All right. Now, for more, we turn to Elizabeth Burakowski, research assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire. Now, we just heard that ski resorts all over the U.S. East Coast see a decline in natural snowfall. How much of a decline are we talking about?

ELIZABETH BURAKOWSKI: Well, we're - a historical period. It depends on where you are on the most southern to northern latitudes¹⁷ and also your elevation¹⁸. Some places in the southernmost part of the Northeastern United States - so down in West Virginia, North Carolina area - they're losing snow a lot faster than places up North. But that doesn't mean there's not a warming trend. There absolutely is. And it's something to be concerned about, especially as we make choices moving forward on how we're going to address climate change.

MARTINEZ: Is there any kind of, maybe, quantifiable number or some kind of stat to be able to put this in perspective in our listeners' heads?

BURAKOWSKI: Absolutely. I mean, at the current pace, by mid-century, the ski resorts in North America, in Northeastern North America, they're going to face about 50% decline in the days when conditions will be favorable to make snow. And if we limit emissions¹⁹ of greenhouse gases that trap heat, we could reduce that to a 10% - to a 30% decline instead. So it's still going to decline, but at least our colder days for preserving the snow cover either that we make using snow machines or that comes naturally from Mother Nature, those below-freezing temperatures are going to help preserve it at higher latitudes.

MARTINEZ: Now, just to be clear, I think, probably for - a lot of people think, well, it's the amount of snow. But it's not. You're saying that it is the amount of time that we have with the snow?

BURAKOWSKI: Exactly. And it's the amount of time that we can both make snow artificially by - through snow machine technology, and it's also the amount of snow that we can keep on the ground throughout the winter. One of the big issues that we're very interested in in our research is understanding, how much ephemeral or fleeting²⁰ melt do we get? How are those freeze-thaw cycles changing in a way that leads to conditions that are snow-free in the middle of winter? And ski resorts have to hustle²¹ to make up that lost ground - or, rather, lost snow.

MARTINEZ: Elizabeth, what's driving this trend of less natural snow?

BURAKOWSKI: A lot of it has to do with the combination of temperature and precipitation. And in the Northeastern United States, we're a relatively²² wet region. Our precipitation is relatively evenly distributed throughout the year, unlike the western U.S., which has a wet season and a dry season. And when we look at our trends, what we're seeing is an increase in winter precipitation. But that's coincident with an increase in winter temperatures, which means that more of our rain is - or more of our winter precipitation is falling as rain instead of snow. And that rain can both, one, help to contribute to melt of an existing snowpack. And it makes it that much harder for new snow to accumulate on the ground if that ground is now thawed²³ and warm. So you have a nice, cold, icy ground, that's going to be much more amenable²⁴ to making up any of the snow that was lost due to rain on snow events or warm temperatures.

MARTINEZ: One of the things we heard in the piece before us, Elizabeth, is that ski resorts have been trying to go carbon neutral. They're trying to invest in green energy. So is it possible to reverse this trend through climate action?

BURAKOWSKI: Absolutely. And I wouldn't say it's - the onus²⁵ is all on the ski industry to do that. I think that they're setting an example and walking the walk and showing that we have solutions to this, that we don't need to burn fossil fuels to be a viable industry - and that they can be part of the solution, not the problem in terms of how much fossil fuels they're burning or not burning. And I like to think that the communities that are around ski resorts are also benefiting from that through lower energy prices, through programs that help to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprints all around. I see it as a win-win situation, to move forward with those. And any resorts that aren't planning on reducing their emissions or keeping track of their carbon, I think that's a really poor business decision because skiers are going to take notice.

MARTINEZ: That's Elizabeth Burakowski, research assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire. Elizabeth, thanks a lot.

BURAKOWSKI: Thank you so much.

(SOUNDBITE OF ROOTS AND RECOGNITION'S "STILLNESS WITHIN")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 entirely   

ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The fire was entirely caused by their neglect of duty. 那场火灾完全是由于他们失职而引起的。
• His life was entirely given up to the educational work. 他的一生统统献给了教育工作。

3 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 hovering   

鸟( hover的现在分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫

参考例句：

• The helicopter was hovering about 100 metres above the pad. 直升机在离发射台一百米的上空盘旋。
• I'm hovering between the concert and the play tonight. 我犹豫不决今晚是听音乐会还是看戏。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

8 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

10 advancements   

n.（级别的）晋升( advancement的名词复数 )；前进；进展；促进

参考例句：

• Today, the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements. 当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Great advancements in drought prediction have been made in recent years. 近年来，人们对干旱灾害的预报研究取得了长足的进步。 来自互联网

11 compensate   

vt.补偿，赔偿；酬报 vi.弥补；补偿；抵消

参考例句：

• She used her good looks to compensate her lack of intelligence. 她利用她漂亮的外表来弥补智力的不足。
• Nothing can compensate for the loss of one's health. 一个人失去了键康是不可弥补的。

12 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

13 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

14 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

15 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

16 electrifying   

v.使电气化( electrify的现在分词 )；使兴奋

参考例句：

• The dancers gave an electrifying performance. 舞蹈演员们的表演激动人心。
• The national orchestra gave an electrifying performance of classic music. 国家交响乐团举行了一次古典音乐的震撼性演出。 来自辞典例句

17 latitudes   

纬度

参考例句：

• Latitudes are the lines that go from east to west. 纬线是从东到西的线。
• It was the brief Indian Summer of the high latitudes. 这是高纬度地方的那种短暂的晚秋。

18 elevation   

n.高度；海拔；高地；上升；提高

参考例句：

• The house is at an elevation of 2,000 metres.那幢房子位于海拔两千米的高处。
• His elevation to the position of General Manager was announced yesterday.昨天宣布他晋升总经理职位。

19 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

20 fleeting   

adj.短暂的，飞逝的

参考例句：

• The girls caught only a fleeting glimpse of the driver.女孩们只匆匆瞥了一眼司机。
• Knowing the life fleeting,she set herself to enjoy if as best as she could.她知道这种日子转瞬即逝，于是让自已尽情地享受。

21 hustle   

v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌)

参考例句：

• It seems that he enjoys the hustle and bustle of life in the big city.看起来他似乎很喜欢大城市的热闹繁忙的生活。
• I had to hustle through the crowded street.我不得不挤过拥挤的街道。

22 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

23 thawed   

解冻

参考例句：

• The little girl's smile thawed the angry old man. 小姑娘的微笑使发怒的老头缓和下来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He thawed after sitting at a fire for a while. 在火堆旁坐了一会儿，他觉得暖和起来了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

24 amenable   

adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的

参考例句：

• His scientific discoveries are amenable to the laws of physics.他在科学上的发现经得起物理定律的检验。
• He is amenable to counsel.他这人听劝。

25 onus   

n.负担；责任

参考例句：

• The onus is on government departments to show cause why information cannot bedisclosed.政府部门有责任说明不能把信息公开的理由。
• The onus of proof lies with you.你有责任提供证据。