OK -- so my first thought when reading this was "Aren't bike races pretty carbon neutral on their own?" Of course, people drive to them, and there must certainly be other carbon-emitting activities...
Driven by its passions for cycling and the environment, Clif Bar & Co. will offset all of the carbon dioxide emissions created by the Amgen Tour of California by purchasing comparable amounts of renewable wind energy, making the event the first-ever climate neutral professional cycling race. Clif Bar and AEG, the race’s owner and operator, also announced today that Clif Bar is a Founding Partner and official energy bar sponsor of the inaugural race.Clearly a good PR move by Clif Bar. Now, maybe another company will raise the stakes by offsetting the emissions of a NASCAR race...
Featuring 16 of the world’s top cycling teams, the Amgen Tour of California will span 600 miles from San Francisco to Redondo Beach, Calif., Feb 19-26. Modeled after the Tour de France, the race joins the cycling calendar as one of North America’s most anticipated events of the year and is expected to draw large crowds across the state. With its environmental-friendly focus, Clif Bar fittingly will sponsor the “Green Jersey,” awarded daily to the sprint leader.
“As a company founded by a competitive cyclist who wanted to create the first great-tasting, nutritious energy bar, we’re ecstatic about helping bring professional cycling to California,” said Jeff Johnson, Clif Bar’s Director of Grassroots Marketing. “We also value the opportunity to reduce the environmental footprint of this event while raising awareness about global warming.”
Categories: bicycle, race, tour, carbon, offsets, Clif Bar, California
