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Show Changes needed to prevent snowless future had the first of too many cups of coffee this morning while sitting on my back patio, basking in the warm sunshine. Closing my eyes as pleasant, Vitamin D-rich rays of sun played on my face, I found myself reminiscing on my very first winter in Utah.The memory of that wonderful winter cast a dark shadow on my sunny experience, as I began to marvel at the freakish fact that I was sitting outside in shorts and a t-shirt in the middle of December in Utah. When I moved here from North Carolina at the age of 12, I had only seen snow a few times in my life, and it was the slushy, wet, school-canceling, Southern brand of snow. Suffice it to say, my adolescent mind was completely snow-blown the first time I woke up to a fresh blanket of Utah powder. I remember getting bundled up frantically and scrambling outside as if the snow was going to disappear at any moment. Yet it didn't disappear, and my extreme enthusiasm was followed by severe disappointment upon learning that I still had to go to school that day. I quickly discovered that snow in Utah is much more than a rare reprieve from real life. For many people here, snow is life. Utah is world-renowned for its prodigious powder and spectacular slopes. One of the most commonly asked questions here is, "Do you ski or snowboard?" If you live in Utah, it is practically a given that you play in the mountains during the winter. Utah's snowcapped mountains are an integral part of the state's identity and a cornerstone of its economy. In 2013, skier/snowboarder spending contributed an estimated $1.29 billion to Utah's economy, while supporting approximately 19,000 jobs. The ski industry accounts for a colossal chunk of our total tourism, travel and recreation revenue — which would be the state's second-largest export, if it was in STEREOTYPE Continued from page 11 blacks, Asians and Jews at the time. Events like the Civil Rights Movement and the Rwandan genocide are ample evidence of the fact that discriminatory crimes have existed for quite a while, but it's only recently that we've begun to include the race and religion of participators in crimes of smaller magnitude when reporting them. Similarly, when crimes occur between two actors of differing races or ethnicities, the media is quick to sign it off as a hate crime resulting from those differences. Biases and prejudice are often catalysts for crime, but insisting on creating distinctions between citizens will only make them a greater occurrence. The psychological term "apophenia" explains the human mind's reliance upon establishing patterns. In the early days of humankind, it was this ability to find similarities within seemingly disparate objects that aided in survival — for example, noticing that the few saber-tooth tigers you've bumped into have terrifying claws and teeth serves as a warning fact an export. Despite an accelerating decline in snowfall, total ing ever more man-made snow each year, a trend that will skier days — and, consequently, ski industry profits — have been no doubt persist as the demand for good skiing continues to growing rapidly since the 1980s. In 2006, Utah posted more grow. Making snow requires a gluttony of precious water, and than 4 million skier days with the number of out-of-town skiers it doesn't replenish the water supply like natural snow does. approaching the number of resident skiers. Capital expenditure In addition to producing snow, ski resort communities require by mountain and resort owners has also spiked. heinous amounts of water to facilitate regular operations. In 2012, the Summit Group, an out of state consortium of Global warming is depleting our cache of snow and water young entrepreneurs, spent roughly $40 million on alterations in Utah. Regardless of whether you believe that or not, you to Powder Mountain. Just this month, Vail Resorts announced need only look up at the disturbingly snow-devoid mounthat it was investing $50 million in a new gondola that will taintops to realize that our climate is undergoing significant connect Park City and the Canyons resorts. These investments changes. We cannot continue to sell off our mountains and exemplify a growing trend towards increased development of our water supplies to rich recreationalists, because in doing Utah's mountains, a trend that has pumped piles of cash into so we are effectively sacrificing our long term sustainability. In the state economy. Yet, as lucrative as the ski industry is, this the short term, hyper development of our slopes might seem ongoing hyper-development fad is puzzling to me. like a good idea, but in the long run, it is a poor investment. According to a recent paper written by climatologists at Organizations like the Summit Group have the mentality toUSU, snowfall in Utah has declined by nine percent in the past wards snow that I had when I was 12. They look at it as a fun vacation from real life, and they fail to realize that — for many 50 years — and that's just the beginning. The report estimated that by 2030, deep powder might only exist as a novelty of of us — the snow is life. nostalgia, and by the end of the century Utah will likely be letters@chronicle.utah.edu devoid of snow altogether.That's a huge bummer for shredders everywhere, but it is also a serious threat to the existence of life in our beloved state. As in many other western states, Utah's perenCF THEATRE nial supply of fresh water is heavily dependent • 0 SS EY D b ERRyL YEAGER - FOUNDER/ upon snowmelt. A bounty of water is stashed in high-altitude snow packs every winter, and when the snow melts in late spring it recharges wells, springs, streams and rivers, providing us with enough water to stay hydrated during the dry months. As snow becomes exponentially scarce, our water management practices will have to become exponentially more efficient if we are to continue to survive in this beautiful oasis. Yet the ski industry is one of the most water wasteful sectors in the state. With less annual snowfall, resorts are manufactur- against every member of that species, protecting you in the process. When the brain finds a pattern that doesn't perfectly apply, it continues to make use of it, always erring on the safe side. The same occurs when we encounter a group of people with a shared characteristic, as we often attribute other factors of a group to every member, even if only a few actually exhibit it. Being aware of diversity allows us to be appreciative of it, a trait that each of us could benefit from honing. But when we become overly conscious of our differences in an effort to be sensitive, we often lose the ability to find chords of connection. Our fear of being insensitive can prevent us from being critical of cultural practices in ways that encourage groups to use introspection as a means for improvement. Culture is in itself a beautiful manifestation of the endless ways humans speak, interact and celebrate life, but it's also crucial to remember the world culture we're all a part of. This culture, what we call humanity, has no real limitations or exclusive nature, and that's a trait we could all use more of. letters@chronicle.utah.edu 4,, rl ,rie o IR A 1 -Mr sLEon eAtW TicNksco Discou nts GALORE!!! Check out our web site! Dec 17-23 @ Kingsbury Hall Go to odysseydance.com for tickets and information The Nut-Cracker, like you've never seen it before! |