Iceless ‘Ice Skating’ Rink in Japan Saves Water & Energy

Ice skating is one of the most beloved winter activities, and it has a certain romance to it. Bundling up in scarves and hats, holding hands with someone while you circle the rink, sipping hot cocoa to warm up in between – who can resist it? But, indoor ice skating rinks in particular use an awful lot of water when making ice, and it takes a lot of electricity to keep it frozen. One ‘ice skating’ rink in Japan solved that problem by replacing ice with resin panels.

From Green Packs, via EcoFriend:

Toyama prefecture is located in northern Japan. It gets cold there in the winter, but not really cold enough to freeze a lake or a pond. Not to worry, Japan has an answer to those who still want to go skating. There’s a skating made out of resin, plastic. It’s 300-square-meters square and billed as environmentally friendly.

The rink uses some 80 pieces of plastic glued together and skaters can frolic about as if they were on ice. Speed is slower because of greater friction and I don’t suppose your hands get cold when you fall down. Ah, and no worrying about going through the ice and into the drink either.

Interesting idea, though it does take away most of the atmosphere of ice skating. But, plastic? Is that really the best approach? If they had used recycled plastic, it would be far more eco-friendly.

Of course, the more eco-friendly option is to ice skate on naturally frozen bodies of water that have been deemed safe by local authorities. Outdoor ice skating rinks in areas where the cold weather keeps the water frozen are generally okay, too.

Link [Green Packs] + [Eco Friend]

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