Artificial Snow Production May Have Negative Environmental Impact
Compiled by Outside Online
April 18, 2007 Scientists said ski resort operators in the Alps should reexamine the production of artificial snow, as it may have adverse environmental impacts. News came on the same day that Chinese scientists succeeded in making artificial snow fall in Tibet.
Snow in the Alps is made for skiing and artificial snow is dumped on almost 24,000 hectares of Alpine slopes, a figure that represents nearly 30 percent of the runs, Reuters reported. Yet, the production of that snow may have an unforeseen negative impact on the environment.
"To make artificial snow all day long and during the whole season is just completely irresponsible for our climate, especially on such a large scale," Carmen de Jong, professor and research manager of the Mountain Institute at the University of Savoie in France, told Reuters.
The water used to make snow is equivalent to the amount used by a city of 1.5 million. It is pumped out of rivers, manmade reservoirs, and ground reservoirs but DeJong told the news agency that much of the water that is used evaporates and travels to other areas.
China is working to create snow in response to climate change. Higher temperatures on the Tibetan plateau are causing glaciers to melt and may result in meteorological changes that cause drought and desertification. Scientists seeded clouds with silver iodide, which cools them, the Associated Press reported.
“This proves it's possible for humans to change the weather on the world's highest plateau," Tibet Meterological Station engineer Yu Zhongshui told Xinhua News Agency of the success. He added that artificial precipitation could help stave off drought and provide water for livestock. One centimeter of snow fell during the test.
This isn’t the first time that China has created artificial precipitation. USA Today reported that last year China employed 37,000 locals in operations to make rain for irrigating farmland and preventing forest fires. The weather soldiers fired shells full of silver iodide into passing clouds from 37-mm anti-aircraft.
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