One of Switzerland’s most popular ski areas has been covering mountain areas with cloth material in an effort to reduce ice melt over the summer. Workers have placed large blankets of material around Mount Titlis, a ski area near the Swiss mountain town of Engelberg. The area contains a glacier that has been losing large amounts of ice over the past 20 years. The protective cloth, made of polyester material, is designed to block the sun. Putting the blankets over the glacier provides “a natural protective shield," Gian Darms explained to Reuters. He oversees snow conditions and mountain security in the area. Decreasing snow cover resulting from higher temperatures presents a serious threat to ski areas across Europe. Having a glacier can provide some protection from climate change. It can help keep large snow supplies on the mountain year-round. This snow can later be moved to fill in areas where it is needed. But the Swiss government has predicted that 90 percent of the country’s remaining 1,500 glaciers will disappear by the end of the century if nothing is done to cut man-made pollution emissions. Darms said he has had to continually increase the size of the blankets over the glacier in recent years to save what is left. A small group of employees works over five-to-six weeks to cover parts of the glacier. At the end of the summer, the workers spend weeks removing the covers. Currently, the reflective material covers about 100,000 square meters, which is about the size of 14 football fields. The blankets help radiate the sun's energy back into the atmosphere. Collected snow is used to fill openings in the glacier that could open up along the area’s ski runs. The snow also helps support lift structures that are fixed into the ice.
Title: Swiss Ski Area Uses Blankets to Prevent Ice Melt
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/A.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='Swiss Ski Area Uses Blankets to Prevent Ice Melt' data-article-id='5858'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='15813'>One of Switzerland’s most popular ski areas has been covering mountain areas with cloth material in an effort to reduce ice melt over the summer.</span> <span data-start-time='15813' data-end-time='29167'>Workers have placed large blankets of material around Mount Titlis, a ski area near the Swiss mountain town of Engelberg.</span> <span data-start-time='29167' data-end-time='39938'>The area contains a glacier that has been losing large amounts of ice over the past 20 years. </span> <span data-start-time='39938' data-end-time='48458'>The protective cloth, made of polyester material, is designed to block the sun.</span> <span data-start-time='48458' data-end-time='60083'>Putting the blankets over the glacier provides “a natural protective shield," Gian Darms explained to Reuters. </span> <span data-start-time='60083' data-end-time='68083'>He oversees snow conditions and mountain security in the area.</span> <span data-start-time='68083' data-end-time='80042'>Decreasing snow cover resulting from higher temperatures presents a serious threat to ski areas across Europe. </span> <span data-start-time='80042' data-end-time='86979'>Having a glacier can provide some protection from climate change. </span> <span data-start-time='86979' data-end-time='92896'>It can help keep large snow supplies on the mountain year-round. </span> <span data-start-time='92896' data-end-time='100563'>This snow can later be moved to fill in areas where it is needed.</span> <span data-start-time='100563' data-end-time='120521'>But the Swiss government has predicted that 90 percent of the country’s remaining 1,500 glaciers will disappear by the end of the century if nothing is done to cut man-made pollution emissions.</span> <span data-start-time='120521' data-end-time='133958'>Darms said he has had to continually increase the size of the blankets over the glacier in recent years to save what is left.</span> <span data-start-time='133958' data-end-time='143125'>A small group of employees works over five-to-six weeks to cover parts of the glacier. </span> <span data-start-time='143125' data-end-time='149417'>At the end of the summer, the workers spend weeks removing the covers.</span> <span data-start-time='149417' data-end-time='162604'>Currently, the reflective material covers about 100,000 square meters, which is about the size of 14 football fields. </span> <span data-start-time='162604' data-end-time='169563'>The blankets help radiate the sun's energy back into the atmosphere.</span> <span data-start-time='169563' data-end-time='179833'>Collected snow is used to fill openings in the glacier that could open up along the area’s ski runs. </span> <span data-start-time='179833' data-end-time='187813'>The snow also helps support lift structures that are fixed into the ice.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/A.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=18009 data-hint-location='162604' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/the_blankets_help_radiate_the__blank__energy_back_into_the_atmosphere.wav'>The blankets help radiate the <span class='blank'>sun's</span> energy back into the atmosphere.</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='sun's'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/thimbles.wav'><span>thimble's</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/suns.wav'><span>sun's</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/popes.wav'><span>pope's</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/musics.wav'><span>music's</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=18010 data-hint-location='100563' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/without_changes_to_manmade_pollution_emission_what_percentage_of_switzerlands_glaciers_are_predicted_to_disappear_by_the_end_of_the_century.wav'>Without changes to man-made pollution emission, what percentage of Switzerland's glaciers are predicted to disappear by the end of the century?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='90 percent'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/0_percent.wav'><span>0 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/9_percent.wav'><span>9 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/10_percent.wav'><span>10 percent</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/90_percent.wav'><span>90 percent</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=18011 data-hint-location='29167' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/what_is_a_glacier.wav'>What is a glacier?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/a_weapon_firing_barbs_attached_by_wires_to_batteries_causing_temporary_paralysis.wav'><span>a weapon firing barbs attached by wires to batteries, causing temporary paralysis</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/a_thin_glassy_coating_of_ice_on_the_ground_or_the_surface_of_water.wav'><span>a thin, glassy coating of ice on the ground or the surface of water</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/a_network_of_paths_and_hedges_designed_as_a_puzzle_through_which_one_has_to_find_a_way.wav'><span>a network of paths and hedges designed as a puzzle through which one has to find a way</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5304/a_slowly_moving_mass_or_river_of_ice_formed_by_the_accumulation_and_compaction_of_snow_on_mountains_or_near_the_poles.wav'><span>a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow on mountains or near the poles</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button 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