Transcript:
Cross-country skier Julia Kern recently wrapped up a busy race season that included the Olympics and the cross-country World Cup.
But in the offseason, she does not stop training. Nor does she stop thinking about climate change.
Kern says warming winters are hurting her sport. In many areas, the snowpack is shrinking.
Kern: “Now, most cross-country ski areas have to have some form of snowmaking capability to even be viable in the winter.”
Midwinter thaws melt the snow.
Kern: “All of my world championships that I’ve experienced have been really warm, slushy conditions where we’re skiing in T-shirts some of the time.”
And when it gets cold again, conditions can become icy.
Kern says climate change affects her in the offseason, too. Last year, Canadian wildfire smoke blew into Vermont, where she lives. For a few weeks, the air quality was so bad that she could not train outdoors.
Seeing this firsthand has motivated her to take action.
Kern: “I have the privilege to have a platform, and so I want to use it.”
She and other elite athletes are urging international sports organizations to phase out fossil fuel company sponsorships.
And in June, she and other Olympians plan to meet with elected officials in Washington, D.C., to advocate for climate solutions.
Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
