Skiing's Future

[Harvey]

I still think fuel cells are the long term answer. Lighter and not quite as environmentally unfriendly as EV batteries. Hydrogen can be generated by solar and wind. The exhaust is water.

Aren't fuels cells WAY better than batteries? I mean putting aside the fact that it doesn't work yet.

My sled is 4-stoke and I absolutely love it. I'd get another one in a second.

Camp any idea what percentage of sledders are going 4-stroke?

 

[Campgottagopee]

Camp any idea what percentage of sledders are going 4-stroke?

I don't know
In our main crew we have 6 riders, I'm the only one with a 4-stroke. The two things I like most about it is, #1 I don't need to add oil, and #2 is the amount of torque it produces. Hauling my big ass up a hill is not an issue. lol

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

TJ is right. People will switch when the environmental option is "better" in the consumer's mind, ie a lower or comparable cost of ownership.

My wider point (that no one here agrees with) is that we can't wait for everything to have a "better" option. When we have to actually pay the cost of our actions that we are currently externalizing to our future selfs and children, some our frivolous activities will be curtailed. If the true cost of doing things like snowmobiling, flying to 46 countries, and yes even skiing outweighs the value we place on them then it's okay if we do less of them.

I don't think future generations are going to look back on us and say "no worries about the fiery hellscape you created, it was important that you could take that cheap flight to Thailand"

 

[Campgottagopee]

no worries about the fiery hellscape you created

The sky isn't falling

 

[Harvey]

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I am not disagreeing with you. The question is how do we make it happen?

I have tried all my life to make every house I have lived in more efficient. We put in SEER 22 heat pumps in the house I live in now, knowing full well we are only going to live in it 4 years, and it will never "pay off. "

The new house we are building will be the most efficient house I have ever lived in by a huge margin. Another upside is that I will drive a lot less to ski when we live in the mountains. The downside of course, is that I am building a new house.

In both of those house examples, the cost was money. Neither of those expeditures forced me to abandon my dreams. My point is that while it is hard to relinquish money, it's much harder to give up your ideas of how life should be lived. All us old people will die, and maybe younger people with new forward looking dreams will replace us.

What are your dreams that add carbon to the world? Can you or will you give them up?

Posing this question to all, not just @TheGreatAbyss.

 

[trackbiker]

Aren't fuels cells WAY better than batteries? I mean putting aside the fact that it doesn't work yet.

Plug Power a NY Company
If you wait until next year your next CR-V can be an FCEV.
Honda FCEV

 

[Harvey]

Next year we need 1 new car, the year after that, another. If there is a hydrogen car that works for me I will buy it.

 

[Ripitz]

No one really wants to make the real changes that would be necessary to reverse the damages we’ve made to this planet. Just like the doctor who tells the alcoholic they need to quit drinking or they will die, we just go back to the bar. It’s too inconvenient and uncomfortable. We are too lazy to change.

 

[TheGreatAbyss]

No one really wants to make the real changes that would be necessary to reverse the damages we’ve made to this planet. Just like the doctor who tells the alcoholic they need to quit drinking or they will die, we just go back to the bar. It’s too inconvenient and uncomfortable. We are to lazy change.

But what if that beer cost $300, you might drink a little less

What are your dreams that add carbon to the world? Can you or will you give them up?

We also put in SEER 22 heat pumps, and i've barely used the old steam system in the house. I've also largely given up flying. I've taken one plane trip in the past 5 years and it was for, and paid for by my employer. Now it also happened to be to Boulder in early March and I definitely took advantage of that.

I'd like to get at least a PHEV at some point but the thing is we hardly drive so it's not a high priority. We walk mostly and when I do go into the office I take NJTransit. 80% of my driving is skiing, it would be nice to get my mpg up on it but maybe I do 6K in a year, if that.

 

[Campgottagopee]

My point is that while it is hard to relinquish money, it's much harder to give up your ideas of how life should be lived.

Exactly
I live where I do because I can walk to my shop, get on the sled and go for a rip. I can get on my ranger to go cut wood, go skiing, go to the cabin, go to our little store. During deer season I can walk down the road with my rifle over my shoulder and nobody cares. The list is countless. As soon as there's any infringement on those I'll push back.