Protect Our Winters Lobby Day 2011

If there’s one group of dedicated individuals who would definitely be negatively impacted by climate change, it would be the winter sports community- the skiers, the snowboarders and let’s throw in the snow-tubers too- why not. Every winter over 12.2 million Americans hit the slopes to partake in the traditional seasonal activity that not only provides them a fun way to exercise but also a chance to experience the pristine mountain environment that comes with crisp, fresh air and plentiful wildlife. Unfortunately, that environment has and will continue to be threatened by the onset of climate change.

According to a recent article in Scientific American, snowfall in the northern Rocky Mountains has rapidly declined over the past 30 years, as compared with the previous 800 years.

"In the last 30 years, there's been this growing synchrony where the whole West is getting warmer," says Philip Mote, director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University.

That fact is what inspired Jeremy Jones, pro-snowboarder of 15 years and proclaimed “Environmental All-Star” by Outside Magazine in 2010, to start Protect Our Winters(POW), “the environmental center point of the winter sports community, united towards a common goal of reducing climate change’s effects on our sports and local mountain communities.” After riding for years, Jones, now 34, became tired of being turned away from mountains closed due to lack of snow and decided that something needed to be done to bridge the gap between the cause of the mountain closures and the power of the winter sports community.  POW’s main initiative is to harness the winter sports community’s energy and put forth a focused effort to have a direct influence on addressing climate change and ensure that winters and snowfall continue for generations to come.

POW’s focus is on “educational initiatives, activism and supporting community-based initiatives that have tangible results.” That focus brings them to Washington, D.C. to lobby in partnership with NRDC in attempts to influence key congressmen and women to vote on legislation that would help protect clean air standards that would lessen the impacts of climate change and thus bring cooler winters. Their visit starts with a public event in the Capitol Vistors Center on Wednesday September 14th at 6:30pm with honorary co-hosts Rep. Jared Polis (CO), Sen. Mark Udall (CO), and Sen. Michael Bennet (CO). Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, founder and pro-snowboarder Jeremy Jones, skier Chris Davenport and Aspen Skiing Company's Auden Schendler will all be there to discuss issues centered around carbon emissions, present a video, explain their motivations and answer any questions.

“The primary message to Congress is do not gut the EPA on the regulation of carbon,” says Schendler. “They think regulation of any kind kills business, our position is that climate change kills it more.” The main point POW wishes to make on Capitol Hill is that it should be the role of the ski industry to be a leader in effecting change when it comes to carbon emissions and other environmental issues. According to an article from the Aspen Daily News, the winter sports industry is a $66 billion-a-year industry, making it highly influential.

The POW lobby day is an incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the best winter athletes in the business and learn more about why taking a stand against climate change is so important to preserving the winter sports industry and all 12.2 million people who participate every winter. Stop by the event, meet the team of passionate athletes and spread the word to friend and family about why we need to protect our winters!