Protect Our Winters Heightens Focus on the Northeast
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Protect Our Winters is increasing their involvement in the Northeast after pleas from the public. POW photo.
Protect Our Winters has done a remarkable job partnering with and educating ski resorts all over the United States on how they can lower their emissions and make a dent in the daunting climate crisis we are facing. Local advocates and supporters of some resorts in the Northeast have recently reached out as well, imploring POW for more involvement.
Ski resorts in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, collectively known as the “Ice Coast,” are severely suffering from climate change, as with most other ski resorts in the country, and POW supporters in the region are asking what they can do to help. POW, already involved in the area, responded in full force with increased volunteer trainings, more in-depth climate advocacy education, presentations from local athletes, and partnerships with resorts. After such great success in Western states, it seems apropos that POW extend its reach and heighten its involvement in a region so heavily affected by the climate crisis.
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Eight resorts in the Northeast are owned by Vail Resorts and they opted out of partnership with POW. This does not mean they are not working towards higher sustainability; they instead reaffirmed their adherence to Vail’s
Commitment to Zero initiative which hopes to attain a zero net operating footprint for all of its 37 resorts by 2030.
Moving forward, as most resorts in the U.S. are pursuing sustainable initiatives and investing in offsetting their carbon footprints, the next step is going to be involving the tourists and visitors that keep these havens alive and educating them further about what they can directly do to help.
POW’s response to inquiries from local advocates for increased involvement in the Northeast shows that a unified public voice is a strong voice. We have a responsibility to protect and preserve the natural areas that we enjoy for recreation, and
as TGR cofounder Steve Jones says, “Our whole lives are based around having a healthy outdoor environment to play in. This is our arena. This is our responsibility.”
