What makes the Group Health Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic™ "green"?
Cascade Bicycle Club will again be working with Clif Bar, one of our proud sponsors, to reduce the environmental impact of the Group Health STP.
Clif Bar makes natural and organic foods and has been working to reduce its own environmental impact with its products and in its operations. They're now working with Cascade Bicycle Club to help us do the same - attempting to decrease the environmental footprint left by the Group Health STP and to educate riders about the importance of leading a healthier lifestyle.
So what are we doing with Clif Bar?
In collaboration with Clif Bar, we're working to reduce the climate footprint of the Group Health STP. Producing STP generates an estimated 23 tons of carbon dioxide from ride support vehicles, event electricity use, and generators. (That's the same amount of global warming pollution generated by driving the average car for four years!) Clif Bar will purchase enough renewable wind energy credits from NativeEnergy to "offset" the carbon dioxide emissions (the biggest contributor to global warming) created by the ride. Those funds will help build new wind turbines - producing clean, green energy in the future.
But that's not all! In addition, Cascade Bicycle Club will:
- Provide recycling and composting onsite, where possible.
- Work with local bicycling groups to offer mass transportation for riders from the end of the ride back to Seattle.
- Encourage riders to avoid using personal support vehicles along the route.
- Provide natural and organic food for event participants and encourage other event partners to buy organic.
- Provide educational materials and Eco Tips to cyclists on Cascade's Web site and at the Finish Line Festival.
- Inform all of the mini-stops and event partners about what we're doing, encouraging them to incorporate these measures into their own related activities.
How YOU can help!
We're taking steps up front to reduce the environmental impact of the Group Health STP, but it's up to you to truly make a difference. Did you know that the biggest environmental impact of STP is caused by travel of participants and their supporters to, from and during the event? Riders and personal support vehicles will generate more than 1,890 tons of carbon dioxide - about 98% of the event's carbon footprint. Working together, we can reduce this impact. Here's how:
When you register for the event, consider purchasing a Cool Tag™ for $2 to reduce your own impact on global warming during the event. One Cool Tag™ will purchase enough wind energy credits to offset 300 pounds of CO2 emissions - approximately the same amount emitted by one car driving from Seattle to Portland and back.
Also, check out the Eco Tips for suggestions on how you can help reduce your impact year-round.
If you want to learn more about Clif Bar and what they're doing, stop by their booth at the Finish Line Festival where they'll be sampling their organic products, showing off their biodiesel powered vehicle, and selling Cool Tags™. Run your home with clean, green renewable energy. Visit www.green-e.org to find green power in your state. Buy renewable energy credits that help build new sources of clean energy. And save 6-12 tons of CO2 pollution each year by switching to clean electricity.
Learn more about global warming climate solutions in the Northwest by visiting http://www.climatesolutions.org/
Cool Tags
