Aspen Skiing, Clif, Seventh Generation Join BICEP Coalition

April 17, 2009

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Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, and Seventh Generation have joined the new coalition Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). These businesses are in good company. Inaugural members are Levi Strauss & Co., Nike, Starbucks, Sun Microsystems and The Timberland Co. Other members include eBay, Gap and Symantec.

The announcement was made at a Ceres annual conference in San Francisco. The new coalition, which supports strong U.S. climate and energy policies in 2009 to spur development of a clean energy economy in America and reduce global warming pollution, is coordinated by Ceres.

BICEP members said an emphasis on energy efficiency and renewable energy provides the least expensive way forward for addressing climate change and transitioning to a clean energy economy.

Sarah Severn, Ceres member and director of Horizons for Corporate Responsibility at Nike, told KQED Radio in a recent interview that the group is pushing for climate change legislation because there is a need for a firm price on carbon. “Without a firm price on carbon, you’re not going to unleash the type of innovation we need to move us towards a low-carbon economy in this country.”

The Ceres group issued a statement last week supporting the core principles of the Waxman/Markey climate and energy bill introduced in Congress on March 31. The group supports the bill because it emphasizes “efficiency and renewable energy for those of us operating in the U.S. and that is really core to what needs to happen in terms of a shift to a low-carbon economy,” said Severn.

Nike, along with the coalition, believes it’s important to push for renewable energy and the promotion of energy independence. The group’s core principles also include promoting clean energy jobs, requiring the auction of all carbon allowances and limiting new coal-fired power plants to those that capture and store carbon emissions.

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Reader Comments

I applaud everyone involved in reducing greenhouse gases and working to clean up our environment. I would love to see Aspen take the leadership position by doing one other very simple thing. It involves one of the easiest things we can do to improve the environment and reduce man-made global warming which is to change what we put on the dinner table. Avoiding meat and dairy is the simplest and most effective way to reduce greenhouse gases. Maybe if Aspen started offering organic, vegan (and preferably local) dishes at all of it’s eating establishments they would give each individual the opportunity to take a small step towards living a more balanced life with our planet. Take the lead on this and maybe every restaurant in town, the state and the country might make a similar small shift. When we start eating in a conscious manner the possibilities for an enlightened new world are limitless. I am just asking that you provide a choice with a couple of items on each menu so living a healthy green lifestyle is a little bit easier. It would also be nice if you promoted this small shift.

Steven Brown | April 17th, 2009