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Artificial Snow Not a Silver Bullet

A slope of fake snow in Schladming, Austria.
A slope of fake snow in Schladming, Austria. Photo: Daniel Kopatsch (Getty Images)

And while fake snow can help maintain some snowless areas for skiers, that process comes with a mountain of ecological and monetary costs. One study estimated that snowmaking could increase resorts’ water consumption by around 80% toward the end of the century.