Jeremy Jones: Saving winter - Why the snow sports community should ask senate to approve climate change legislation

Last week, The Crested Butte News published a letter submitted by famed big-mountain snowboarding legend Jeremy Jones. Other newspapers form the northeast to the northwest have also published the opinion piece. While Jeremy's amazing snowboard-mountaineering feats have electrified both skiers and snowboarders worldwide for the past decade, he has witnessed the impacts of climate change on mountain communities firsthand. Please read his informed perspective below.

Why the snow sports community should ask senate to approve climate change legislation, by Jeremy Jones

The impacts of climate change are often highlighted with far-off and dramatic examples: the loss of the polar icecap, rising sea levels and unpredictable seasonality. But for those of us living and working in mountain communities throughout the United States, the effects can be felt and seen much closer to home — in the form of shortened winter seasons resulting in lost tourism revenue, incomes and jobs.

Climate change and the boom or busts of winter are realities that mountain communities now live with each season. What might come as a surprise though, is the scale of importance winter recreation plays in the national and local economies. In a 2006 Southwick Associates study, snow-based recreation in the United States was estimated to contribute an estimated $66 billion annually to the U.S. economy and support approximately 556,000 jobs.

More than just an abbreviated ski and snowboard season, continued loss of snow will exact a significant economic toll on the mountain communities that have developed alongside U.S. ski resorts. From Maine to California, hotels, restaurants, hotels, shops and thousands of other small businesses all rely on the draw and the economic inputs of snow sports to maintain their vibrancy and welfare. The prime ski conditions of the Rockies attract about 35 percent of all U.S. skiers every season. Snow sports recreation contributes 11 billion to the regional economy, annually and support over 100,000 jobs. If conditions decline due to warmer temperatures, the region would loose a major source of revenue. A relatively “normal” winter climate is a necessary ingredient for many local commodities beyond the ski hill, including maple syrup in the North East, trout fishing in Montana, and agricultural irrigation in California.

I founded the non-profit, Protect Our Winters to unite the snow sport's community and industry in a fight to curb climate change. A few weeks ago, I joined a snow sports coalition on Capitol Hill to share our perspective on the importance of protecting winter from the effects of climate change, in order to maintain the economic vitality and culture of our mountain communities.

While we met with a great response and connected with many allies, it became clear that the American Clean Energy and Security Act, which passed through the House last year, is in danger of being held up in the Senate.

The bill aims to cut America's production of greenhouse gases by 17 percent by 2020, and 83 percent by 2050. It will create millions of new jobs and move the U.S. towards a new, clean energy economy, while protecting the winter season that fuels our passions.

It's an amazing step forward, but now this landmark legislation is currently in the Senate's hands — and for a bill that could be decided by one or two votes, holdouts will make all the difference.

The general opinion is that any new climate change legislation needs to be passed by the Senate within the next 60 days or we run the risk of losing any momentum gained, and witnessing a very different future.

So now is the time to collectively reach out to our senators, and ask that they approve climate change legislation, starting us down the road to a proper regulation of the emissions that are warming our planet, shortening our winters, and threatening our local economies. My hope and goal in writing this is that all of us who live in mountain communities around the U.S. will recognize the unique stake and voice we have in making sure this legislation is passed and take action. We have a lot at stake and a powerful voice, which needs to be heard.

For information on which senators support climate change legislation, who is still undecided, and who is in opposition, and to send an e-mail urging our respective senators to vote yes on strong climate change legislation, please visit http://www.60daysto.org/

-Jeremy Jones is founder of Protect Our Winters

Denver 7 News: Avatar Based On Colorado Town's History?

Recently, Denver based channel 7 News ran a story on a possible connection between the popular movie Avatar and Crested Butte's history of natural resource protection.

Both a transcript of the story and the Channel 7 VIDEO (includes interviews with CB locals) are available at the following link: Avatar Based On Colorado Town's History?

Here's a leading snippet from the 7 News website:

"CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. -- "Avatar" is shattering box office records, scoring nine Oscar nominations and setting a new standard for visual effects.
But could the story that's making history actually be the veiled tale of a Colorado town?
It's an isolated land where locals live in harmony with nature and on top of a mineral a mining company is determined to get.
Sound familiar?
Well, it's not the plot of James Cameron's blockbuster hit "Avatar."
It's the history of Colorado's Crested Butte."

You can read the full story and see the video HERE.

HCCA's Climate and Energy News Roundup for February 2010 available online now!

Our monthly Climate and Energy News Roundup is geared towards individuals with interest in local, regional and national electricity issues - particularly those relating to Tri-State and its member cooperatives. The goal of this monthly service is to provide links to a selection of the most relevant electricity news over the past month. Each edition includes sections on Tri-State, Cooperative and Regional Energy News, Colorado Energy News, National/International Energy News and Policy, Climate/Climate Change News and Energy Technology News.

Click HERE to view the February 2010 Climate and Energy News Roundup