Ski rental: a simple gesture to reduce your environmental impact
Among the easiest ecological actions to implement, there is the fact of favoring shared use over individual possession: this is what we call the collaborative economy.
Everyone can take part, including during mountain holidays. The best-known example is undoubtedly carpooling for the journey, but one can also think of equipment rental. While rental is not 100% green, it is indeed a very interesting solution for a reduced environmental impact, through the mutualization and optimized use of equipment, the increase in their lifespan, etc.
Discover why opting for ski rental will allow you to better take care of the planet, without compromising on fun and safety on the slopes!
In summary
Reducing the environmental impact of your ski holidays can start with a simple gesture: renting your equipment rather than buying it. Sport 2000 and Ekosport-Rent promote the sharing of skis, their use over several seasons, and their regular maintenance to extend their lifespan. Equipment leaving the park can then be resold second-hand or recycled. Renting also allows you to adapt your equipment to your level, age, or practice, without multiplying purchases. For occasional skiers, it is thus a more responsible alternative to buying. Discover all its advantages.
Equipment sharing helps reduce the carbon footprint
By reducing the carbon footprint per skier and the quantity of skis produced, equipment sharing is one of the primary ecological advantages of ski rental.
Lower energy cost per skier
With the rental system, skis are shared among a multitude of skiers. The energy cost of manufacturing a pair is thus distributed among all these users, and therefore much lower per skier.
For example, if the carbon footprint of a new pair of skis is 10 kg of CO2 equivalent and they are used by 50 different skiers during their rental period, each skier has a carbon footprint of 10 kg of CO2 eq/50 = 0.2 kg of CO2 eq. In other words, 50 times less significant than if they had bought the pair of skis in question.
Reduction of energy-intensive production of new skis
Each production of a new pair of skis has an associated environmental cost: extraction of raw materials, energy needed for processing, transportation, etc. If each skier buys their own pair of skis and renews them regularly, it is therefore mathematically necessary to produce a large quantity of skis to meet demand = the environmental impact is high.
On the contrary, with the pooling of equipment, the same pair serves several skiers, often over several seasons. We can therefore produce fewer skis, and thus limit the impact of this industry on the environment.
The use of rented skis is optimized
Several studies show that 10 to 15 percent of French people go on a ski vacation each year. For most of them, the trip lasts a weekend, a week, or possibly two weeks.
In other words, a skier who owns their own equipment really only uses it for 3 to 15 days a year. The ratio between the energy (and financial) cost of skiing and its actual use is therefore rather poor.
If you choose to rent from Ekosport-Rent, it’s the exact opposite: every pair of skis is used throughout the season. In resorts with a long ski season, the number of days of use can exceed 150.
Rental equipment lasts longer
If ski rental is more environmentally friendly, it's also because it allows, through several means, to extend the lifespan of the equipment.
Well-maintained skis: longer lifespan
Due to intensive use, rental skis deserve special care to remain performing and in good condition.
In Ekosport-Rent stores, the equipment is regularly checked, waxed, sharpened, and repaired if necessary by glide professionals. This way, it lasts as long as possible, which allows to maximize its use, to reduce waste and to avoid premature replacement by new skis. It is also stored in an adapted way, to avoid the appearance of rust or any other degradation.
But why is it more ecological than buying? Because sometimes skiers who own their own equipment neglect maintenance, or they do it themselves, but without the required skills. Furthermore, the storage conditions for their equipment are not always optimal. Result: the ski gets damaged, loses gliding quality, suffers too much damage to be repaired, and therefore ends up in the trash.
Recycling and second-hand: after-rental
Ekosport-Rent rental stores renew most of their rental fleet every 2 to 3 years approximately, while still bringing some new items each season.
So what happens to the skis that leave the fleet? They enjoy a new life, either by going through the recycling (via the Ecologic organization), or by being resold as second-hand items. In both cases, the store offers an environmentally virtuous solution for after-rental.
On the contrary, individuals can opt for convenience, simply throwing away their pair of skis as soon as they no longer use them.
Renting allows you to consume just right, at the right time
The rental economic model is not only more ecological: it also allows you to ski with the equipment you want and need, without having to regularly buy new equipment.
Test the latest innovations without overconsuming
Do you own a pair of skis that are still in good condition, but you dream of the latest model released by your favorite brand? Would you like to benefit from the latest technologies for more performance? The temptation to buy a new pair of skis is very real. And perhaps it is a pertinent choice for you.
Nevertheless, why not favor rental? Ekosport-Rent stores offer you latest generation and high-end models, and you will benefit as much from their performance by renting them as by buying them. It's not only more ecological, but also beneficial for your wallet, especially if you only ski a few days a year.
Having equipment adapted to age and level without repurchasing
The other reason why one might want to change equipment is because our level evolves or because children grow up.
Rental perfectly addresses this issue. From one season to the next, you can opt for a higher ski category, switch from junior skis to teen skis, etc. And this without having to buy new equipment, which impacts your budget and is costly environmentally.
With the multiride option, it's even possible to change equipment 1 or 2 times during the same stay. It's ideal for testing various equipment in terms of level or practice (ski => snowboard, alpine ski => freeride ski, freestyle skis => mini skis, etc.).
Rental vs. purchase: what to remember to reduce your ecological footprint
Mountain lovers looking to reduce their ecological impact can therefore act by favoring rental over purchase.
Here we summarize all the essential points to remember, without forgetting to explain in which situations buying your own skis can be more relevant.
Ski rental and its ecological benefits
Renting your equipment allows you to ski more responsibly, because renting:
reduces the carbon footprint per skier;
avoids the production of many new pairs of skis each year;
allows optimal use of skis over several seasons;
ensures a second life for the equipment through recycling and second-hand resale;
allows changing equipment each season according to needs.
When might buying equipment be preferable?
The ecological arguments in favor of rental are relevant for occasional skiers or those who ski every season, but for a short period (less than 15 days).
However, in some cases, buying your own pair of skis can be more suitable and align with your environmental commitments:
you ski very often: you want a pair of skis that perfectly suits you and that you can take out anytime, without having to go through a rental shop;
you know how to properly maintain your equipment, or you entrust them to professionals whenever necessary;
you keep the same equipment for several years;
you turn to more ecologically manufactured ski models or to second-hand skis.
