The Rich Also Vote Against Their Economic Best Interests

Photo by Mickael Tournier on Unsplash

By Darren Katz, Founding Partner, Ampliagroup

A fascinating New York Times article explores why wealthy skiers and ski companies are not at the forefront of advocated against climate change.  The article illustrates the challenge facing the ski industry. A recent study showed that between 2001 and 2016, low-snow years cost the US ski industry more than $1 billion and 17,400 jobs compared with an average season. These numbers are just part of the existential challenge facing the ski industry as current predictions point a potential loss of up to 70% of the ski mountain snow by the end of the century.

The article asserts that many of the ski resorts are focused on short term issues and think that technology such as snow making can address the shortfall in snowfall. However, the most salient point not addressed in the article is the impact of the long-term campaign by industrialists like the Koch brothers to make climate change denial practically part of the Republican Party platform.