I’m still on the ski kick – probably because Utah’s mountains kicked my butt and my hobble shows it. The lack of snow out there was a bit depressing, and ski resorts around the country are becoming more and more concerned about how global warming will affect business.

Over 50 ski resorts across the nation are using renewable energy, and one of the most recent resorts to join the green ranks is Crystal Mountain in Michigan.

Crystal Mountain – ranked the #1 Midwest ski resort by Ski Magazine in 2005 – buys wind power from a third party to power its high-speed chair lift. The carbon dioxide pollution saved from using clean power instead of coal is about the same as taking 55 cars off the road. Crystal Mountain's Joan O'Neill told the Detroit News:

Global warming does affect our business…we want to make sure we combat it as best we can and lead by example.

Unfortunately, the electric grid doesn’t allow power from closer states like Minnesota to be directed to Michigan. Instead, Crystal is buying the equivalent amount of power it takes to run the high-speed lift from Colorado-based Renewable Choice Energy, which then pushes that amount of power onto the grid, displacing more dirty forms of energy with clean ones.

Crystal Mountain is encouraging its customers to be part of the solution as well. It offers free or discounted lift tickets to those who sign their homes up for green energy.