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Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

switzerlandtimes.ch

61–70 of 180 posts

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#61

Global warming being caused in part by internal combustion engines and aviation results in less snow for skiers... Solution? Chopper some more snow in to counter the effects of I.C.E's and aviation. Huhmmmm.... Does anyone else spot a dichotomy in thinking here?

> Global warming being caused in part by internal combustion engines and aviation results in less snow for skiers... Solution? Chopper some more snow in to counter the effects of I.C.E's and aviation. Huhmmmm.... Does anyone else spot a dichotomy in thinking here?

Well, they're doing it to keep their income and profits coming. A major part of it in fact - probably half the yearly income.

Since you're probably from a western country, how much of an income cut and inconvenience when driving/commuting were you prepared to take to combat climate change until now?

Because that's really what you're asking here - are you going to take a 50% paycut and stop using your ICE vehicle forever?

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#62

HN: proudly carrying the torch of the late, great Twitter in turning molehills into blazing novas of righteous outrage. One helicopter. *One*.

What would you consider a sufficient example to highlight the problematic mindset behind these actions then? On its own, neither the helicopter here, nor the private jet there or the cruiseship in the Mediterranean and so forth are a problem. In total, they absolutely are.

What would you suggest to submit instead?

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But each of those flights carries 100+ passengers + tons of cargo. Does taylor swift or ursula von der leyn really need a private plane for traveling 50km? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/02/revealed-a...

I live near a small airfield and many aircraft travel 0km. They takeoff, fly around, and land in the same place just for fun!

By that metric, very few of us travel more than the distance from where we were born to where we are buried. ;-)

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#65
post #59
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait until you hear about air conditioning.

Air conditioning is a lot more efficient than heating.

Not if you heat with a heat pump, as is quite common with new construction. They're both equally efficient, since they're the same device running in opposite directions.

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#66
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait until you hear about air conditioning.

Air conditioning is relatively efficient compared to driving a 2000 pound steel box 30 miles down the road (and back) to buy eggs.

Most people live a lot closer than 30 miles from the grocery store.

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#67

HN: proudly carrying the torch of the late, great Twitter in turning molehills into blazing novas of righteous outrage. One helicopter. *One*.

What would you consider a sufficient example to highlight the problematic mindset behind these actions then? On its own, neither the helicopter here, nor the private jet there or the cruiseship in the Mediterranean and so forth are a problem. In total, they absolutely are. What would you suggest to submit instead?

I don't think it's problematic at all. It looks to me a reasonable and proportionate investment that supported a large number of local, seasonal jobs.

Amortize that fossil fuel consumption per capita -- one helicopter, over thousands of vacationers -- and it's an absolutely trivial amount. In terms of pure numbers, most HN'ers did far "worse" things on their most recent vacation, even if it were a short car trip.

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#68
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You realize there are entire towns and villages whose lives depend on this tourism, right? I'm not saying it's a perfect solution to fly snow in, but you can't discount the impact this has on the population if the resorts close down.

Typical human behavior to constantly seek to push their luck, past the point of sustainability. Any resource-based community, tied to a single commodity, must know it is living on borrowed time.

What other occupation do you think they should have living far from the big cities? It’s either builders, farmers, public sector or some shop or motel or all of them.

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#69
post #51

It sounds more like a swiss town in crises. The local economy probably relies on visitors coming during the snow season to provide for the rest of the year. It is nothing to do with greed.

Like coal plants, they’ll end up needing funds to transition to a new normal going forward. The next 100 years won’t be like the last 100 years.

I’m not giving funds to rich ski towns.

Re: Switzerland: snow flown in by helicopter in attempt to keep ski slopes open

#70
post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Wait until you hear about air conditioning.

Air conditioning is relatively efficient compared to driving a 2000 pound steel box 30 miles down the road (and back) to buy eggs.

Idiot sheep humans and their... Food.
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