Jeremy Jones' Protect Our Winters Announces "Sixty Days" Campaign

Protect Our Winters is proud to announce the launch of the "Sixty Days" campaign and website, www.60daysto.org.

Last fall, the American Clean Energy and Security Act was passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. This landmark legislation is now in danger of being held up in the Senate, and POW is calling on the winter sports community to share their voices with their respective Senators.

"While some see climate change as a scientific phenomenon, when we look at the cost of inaction, it's serious business," said POW founder Jeremy Jones. "To us, climate change is a threat to our local economies, our jobs and the vitality of our unique mountain communities that draw millions of tourists each year who shop in our stores, ride our lifts, eat in our restaurants and support thousands of other small businesses."

For example, snow-based recreation in the United States was recently estimated to contribute an estimated $66 billion to the US economy and support approximately 566,000 jobs. (OIF, 2006).

A vote needs to take place within the next sixty days, or the process runs a serious risk of stalling, with the result of loosing the ground gained, and producing a very different future for winter around the world.

The "Sixty Days" website offers an overview of the issues at stake, shows the current voting position of each Senator, and gives users an easy way to send an e-letter telling Senators why passing strong climate legislation is crucial to the economic and cultural well being of mountain communities. The campaign is also being supported by an op-ed piece written by Jones and delivered to mountain community newspapers across the US.

The campaign was inspired by a January visit to Capitol Hill by Jones and a snow sports coalition to screen "Generations", a short film about climate change and its effect on those who depend on winter for their livelihoods. After meeting with an overwhelmingly positive response to the film, and finding out that many Senators are still undecided, Jones recognized the unique and powerful voice the snow sports community could have in tipping this important legislation toward passing in the Senate.

"Winter fuels our passions, but also fuels the lives of thousands of individuals who depend on annual tourism and recreation for their livelihoods," said Jones. "It's important that we come together as skiers, snowboarders, and winter enthusiasts to let the Senators know in these mountain regions that we support strong climate legislation and the move towards a new, clean energy economy."

Go to www.60daysto.org ASAP and send an email to your Senator now!