Why Can't Those affected by Global Warming Act?

For people who climate change matters most are unable to act. 

The National Ski Areas Association has argued, for instance, that it needs friends on both sides of the aisle in Washington, and that some of these lawmakers have supported important initiatives like year-round activities at ski resorts and protecting water rights. My point is: They shouldn’t be giving any money to lawmakers who oppose efforts to slow or stop climate change. The time for soft-pedaling passed decades ago. At this very late stage in the game, the snow sports world needs decisive action.

 Why are ski resorts unable to operate in their own interests.

From the snow-dusted ridgelines of the Catskills to the rugged summits of the Rocky Mountains, Sierra Nevadas and Cascades, winter is slowly disappearing. And snow is receding with it.

In Europe, the cradle of ski culture, the problem is even worse. Half the glacial ice in the Alps has already melted; a study published two years ago in The Cryosphere, a journal of the European Geosciences Union, predicted 70 percent less snow in the mountains by the end of the century, threatening a $30 billion ski industry driven by more than 60 million tourists a year.

 How can they be in denial when they can see for themselves what is happening? 

If any group was able to get political traction and defend winter in the United States, it stands to reason that it would be the winter sports community — a passionate population more than 24 million people strong that includes some of the nation’s most affluent and influential citizens. Of the 14.7 million skiers in this country, 67 percent attended college and more than half earn more than $75,000 a year. In Aspen and its surrounding environs, nearly 50 billionaires have homes.

 Instead, like their compatriots on the coastlines of Florida and New Orleans, they seem to have no problem even as the sink into the sea.

This is possibly the great tragedy of our times, the inability of the people who have the most at stake, and have the most power to make things happen, are unable to bring themselves to act.  How does this happen?  My theory is that people with power and wealth are the hardest to move.  They are happy for right now.  Any future that requires significant activity, significant cost to their bottom line, doesn't exist for them.  The greater it seems right now, the harder to see the worst that is coming.

So with experts urging fast action to avoid serious consequences from climate change, where is the snow lobby? 

“Many ski resort executives at large resorts are focused on yearly earnings; small resorts are simply focused on staying in business,” said Mario Molina, the executive director of Protect Our Winters. “This focus on earnings and the resulting aversion to entering politics has led to stasis. With exceptions, most of the industry and trade groups are increasingly paying lip service, but are still unwilling to make it a top priority when engaging law- and policymakers."

If their so able to focus on their well-being, why aren't they able to see what is about to happen to them?“We take a highroad, proactive approach and not a divisive approach when we work with members of Congress, and we’re going to continue to do that,” said Geraldine Link, the association’s director of public policy. “We don’t use ‘doom and gloom’ or ‘sky is falling’ messaging.”  

But what if the sky is falling.

There are some people that can see what is happening.  They need to be speaking up or the way of life their accustomed to will be gone.