Rossignol introduces a more sustainable ski with the Essential

[ThomasD]

IMO 'sustainable' requires both technical feasibility and economic viability. When they are only selling us on the technical aspects that tells me it is merely a marketing ploy or perhaps a feel good pet project for someone up in the C Suite.

 

[cantunamunch]

IMO 'sustainable' requires both technical feasibility and economic viability.

One of the deluded artifacts of greenwashing is that people actually believe 19th century tech is "greener" than modern. 18th and 19th century romanticism plugs directly into most people's ideas of "environmentally sound", never mind that common practice in those centuries caused more farm soil washoff and more deforestation in developed countries than anything before or since.

This does actually connect to your point, thus: Throwback tech products bootstrap themselves into economic viability by appealing to exactly that level of romanticism. If you can make a ski with exactly the same tech and ingredients as a chuck wagon wheel, it must be "sustainable", right?

So many marketing words. So few actual targets, metrics or agreed-upon principles.

 

[Uncle-A]

One of the deluded artifacts of greenwashing is that people actually believe 19th century tech is "greener" than modern. 18th and 19th century romanticism plugs directly into most people's ideas of "environmentally sound", never mind that common practice in those centuries caused more farm soil washoff and more deforestation in developed countries than anything before or since.

This does actually connect to your point, thus: Throwback tech products bootstrap themselves into economic viability by appealing to exactly that level of romanticism. If you can make a ski with exactly the same tech and ingredients as a chuck wagon wheel, it must be "sustainable", right?

So many marketing words. So few actual targets, metrics or agreed-upon principles.

This is starting to sound like the thread about using ski clothes that are not synthetic.

 

[ThomasD]

One of the deluded artifacts of greenwashing is that people actually believe 19th century tech is "greener" than modern. 18th and 19th century romanticism plugs directly into most people's ideas of "environmentally sound", never mind that common practice in those centuries caused more farm soil washoff and more deforestation in developed countries than anything before or since.

This does actually connect to your point, thus: Throwback tech products bootstrap themselves into economic viability by appealing to exactly that level of romanticism. If you can make a ski with exactly the same tech and ingredients as a chuck wagon wheel, it must be "sustainable", right?

So many marketing words. So few actual targets, metrics or agreed-upon principles.

Romanticism is an apt term, but perhaps more precisely it is the irrationality you allude to by noting the lack of objective standards.

Reminds me of a conversation on NPR I listened to a while back. Where they were debating if it was more sustainable to fly blueberries in out of season, from South America, or to get them in season here, then store them frozen until needed. When, in this case, the actual correct answer is the 19th century answer - get them in season as cheaply as possible then make them into shelf stable canned preserves. No refrigeration or jet travel required.

 

[James]

One of the deluded artifacts of greenwashing is that people actually believe 19th century tech is "greener" than modern. 18th and 19th century romanticism plugs directly into most people's ideas of "environmentally sound", never mind that common practice in those centuries caused more farm soil washoff and more deforestation in developed countries than anything before or since.

This does actually connect to your point, thus: Throwback tech products bootstrap themselves into economic viability by appealing to exactly that level of romanticism. If you can make a ski with exactly the same tech and ingredients as a chuck wagon wheel, it must be "sustainable", right?

So many marketing words. So few actual targets, metrics or agreed-upon principles.

Don’t forget green papering - the toxic wallpaper of the Victorians. Contained copper arsenite. The arsenic could kill the young and old.

Arsenic and Old Tastes Made Victorian Wallpaper Deadly

Victorians were obsessed with vividly-colored wallpaper, which is on-trend for this year–though arsenic poisoning is never in style

www.smithsonianmag.com

 

[cantunamunch]

Don’t forget green papering - the toxic wallpaper of the Victorians.

Which skis are you putting that on?

 

[ThomasD]

Pretty sure @Jacques has a onesie similar to at least one of those patterns...

 

[James]

Which skis are you putting that on?

PM Gear Bros

 

[snwbrdr]

Rossignol did sign to be part of the SIA Climate United intiative.

 

[James]

Interview about the recyclable ski on Gear 30-

Rossignol’s Recyclable “Essential” Ski, with David Bouvier (Ep.201)

On GEAR:30, we learn about the backstory of Rossignol's recyclable Essential ski, the challenges it posed, who it's for, and much more.

blisterreview.com