Photo: Contiki
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Everyone loves travel and everyone loves snow (it’s an undisputed fact), and what combines these things better than skiing? Gliding down powdery slopes on a sunny February day is one of life’s most treasured experiences – and one we believe everyone should be able to have at least once.
So, to preserve the mountains and the culture of ski season, it’s time we thought about the impact of our ski holidays, no? We spoke to Max a videographer and avid skier, to get his thoughts on sustainable ski holidays after his stay at Contiki’s Haus Schonëck. These are our top tips to get started and ensure we can all keep shredding the slopes!
Why is a sustainable ski holiday important?
“As a really passionate skier, I spend a lot of my time checking weather and snow conditions, and I’ve definitely noticed how every winter seems to get less and less snow. It’s made me really aware of how our actions can affect the world around us and how important it is as skiers and as people to be as sustainable as possible,” says Max.
“There are some parts of skiing that are inevitably harmful but if I can offset those by reducing waste and staying at a sustainable place like the Chalet, that’s really important to me.” We hope it becomes important to you, too!
Make good gear choices
One of the most important elements of skiing is of course your gear. Most people will be renting skis and poles and even helmets, so if you’re one of those people you don’t have to worry about that. Where you may want to pay attention is your outfit.
When purchasing a coat, trousers, and thermals, pay attention to where you shop! If you can purchase from a sustainable brand, then that’s great. Sure, these brands can sometimes be more expensive, but the quality accompanies the cost, ensuring that you’ll keep your gear for much longer!
Avoid buying more gear than you actually need. Sure it’s cute to have a different outfit each day on the slopes, but is that necessary? How often will you actually wear each item? Buying excess clothing can contribute to fashion waste, which makes up about 10% of global carbon emissions.
If anything rips, see if you can fix it! Certain brands, like Patagonia or The North Face, even offer repair services which will ensure the longevity of your gear!
Image source:Contiki
Take a train!
Instead of driving to your ski resort, consider taking a train, or using other shared transport options. As ski resorts are big tourist destinations, getting public transport in some way or another isn’t a very tricky task, and travelling by train or coach is much more sustainable as it cuts down on your carbon footprint.
In Austria, for example, the railway runs on 100% renewable energy! So if you’re skiing in the gorgeous Austrian Alps, make sure to take the train to and from your resort. Or, if you’re skiing with Contiki onour 2-week Ski Austria trip, we’ll take you on one of our coaches which are powered by biofuel!
Choose sustainable ski resorts
When choosing where to stay for your ski holiday, consider picking both a sustainable resort and sustainable accommodation. Ski resorts that are dedicated to fully sustainable operations will use renewable energies like solar power in order to power ski lifts, for example. More and more resorts are turning to this as standard practice, especially in Italy and Switzerland.
Resorts that are committed to waste management and proper recycling practices are key as well. Austria is in fact a leader in this in Europe! SkiWelt, where Contiki travellers head to the slopes, has made important and impressive strides.
In terms of accommodation, make sure you pick a hotel, hostel, or rental property that also makes use of renewable energies and actively cuts down on waste.
If you’re skiing in Austria, consider staying at Contiki’s Haus Schöneck! Our chalet in Hopfgarten is not only a social place with travellers from around the world, but it’s also powered by sustainable practices.
- It is 100% powered by renewable electricity
- All food is cooked on site and sourced locally
- We use cutting edge technology – Kitro – to reduce food waste
- We offer a free shuttle service to and from the slopes with our green (both literally and figuratively) Contiki coaches
Max recently stayed in our beautiful chalet and had some thoughts to share. “When I first arrived, I got a whole rundown on how the Chalet has been upgraded over the past couple years to be sustainable and now runs completely on renewable electricity.”
“Throughout the week I started to notice a lot of efforts being taken to reduce waste, like how all our food scraps are saved to be composted, and how our meals were made from locally sourced ingredients. Considering there were probably 50+ people staying there, all those efforts definitely add up to make a big difference in reducing our footprint.”
Image source:Contiki
Shop local
A key to sustainable holidays is sustainable eating! Food is one of the best parts of travel because you get to devour delicious meals from around the world – and this experience is made better when the meals and ingredients are all local!
Not only will you be helping to reduce carbon emissions by purchasing locally grown food instead of ingredients imported from elsewhere, this is also a great way to support the local people and small businesses.
Keep the slopes clean!
One of the worst things you can do while skiing is litter! Seriously, don’t do that. Not only is it bad for the environment (duh), but it really ruins the natural environment and it can become a real hazard for local wildlife. If you’re bringing a backpack of snacks and drinks onto the slopes with you, make sure to pick up your rubbish!
Or, better yet, bring reusable water bottles and containers with you that way there isn’t anything to throw away. This is just a basic packing essential when it comes to sustainable travel in general, but especially useful for adventure activities like skiing. If you do need to throw anything away, keep hold of it until you find an appropriate place to dispose of your trash.
Image source:Contiki
Sustainable organisations
Of course, when it comes to sustainable practices as an individual there’s only so much you can do – though every little counts. But in order for massive change to happen, larger scale projects need to be set in motion. Projects like, for example, Protect Our Winters or the Sierra Club, which are dedicated to protecting natural habitats in the face of climate change.
If you’re able to support these kinds of organisations financially, a little can go a long way!
And if you’re unable to donate, simply reading up on the topic (like you’re doing now!) is already a step in the right direction towards mindful travel and sustainable skiing.
