We're so proud to be partnering with @SkiUtah to help protect The Greatest Snow On Earth: https://t.co/1ToZqOxk7L pic.twitter.com/MhuPMQi1JT
— Protect Our Winters (@ProtectWinters) September 23, 2015
Salt Lake City, UT- As of Wednesday, the climate advocacy non-profit Protect Our Winters (POW) and Ski Utah, a membership group comprised of 14 Utah Ski Resorts, combined to form a partnership that will raise awareness about climate change within the snow sports community.
Ski Utah includes Alta, Beaver Mountain, Brian Head Resort, Brighton Resort, Cherry Peak Resort, Deer Valley Resort, Eagle Point Resort, Nordic Valley Resort, Park City, Powder Mountain, Snowbasin Resort, Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Solitude Mountain Resort and Sundance Resort.
Protect Our Winters was founded by Jeremy Jones and seeks to lobby for positive climate action in our nation’s capital of Washington D.C. So far, POW has made several trips to the District of Columbia and spoken with the president himself about how climate change is affecting the snow sports industry in a negative way.
By forming this partnership, POW will unite with an industry leader in the state of Utah to bring climate conscious policy change to a state known for its pollution surrounding the greater Salt Lake City area. Ski Utah’s CEO/President Nathan Rafferty even mailed a letter to Utah Governor Gary Herbert, expressing his concern about the effects of climate change and requesting the governors support of the EPA Clean Power Plan.
In the letter Rafferty not only states the importance of Utah’s snow sports industry and its “$1.2 billion winter tourism industry and its 18,419 jobs” but emphasizes the importance of the Clean Power Plan and what would be a positive effect on Utah’s economy and environment.
“I’m writing with two specific requests: 1) asking for your public support of the EPA Clean Power Plan, and 2) I’d like to see Utah submit an on-time strategy to achieve the targets set forth in the Clean Power Plan. Already, neighboring and regional states like Colorado have voiced support for the plan, in part because they realize that the clean energy solutions will not only reduce carbon pollution, but are poised to enhance the economy and create jobs.”- Nathan Rafferty CEO/President of Ski Utah
The partnership will not only lobby government officials to support positive climate change policies but also encourage its members to advocate environmentally friendly actions within their communities. Whether that be championing the POW pledge, carpooling to the mountain, or creating renewable energy sources at local ski hills, the partnership hopes to foster environmental leadership within the state of Utah.