A virtual race kicked off today in Beaverton, Oregon, marking the start of a bi-coastal movement to support the passing of a U.S. climate change legislation. The Race for American Jobs and Clean Energy Leadership is sponsored by We Can Lead, a campaign launched by the Clean Economy Network and Ceres’ Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). Members of the campaign, who are participating in the race itself, include Nike, Levi Strauss & Co., Starbucks, Sun Microsystems, The Timberland Company, Aspen Skiing Company, Clif Bar & Company, eBay, Gap Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, The North Face, Seventh Generation, Ben and Jerry’s, Eileen Fisher, Stonyfield Farm Inc., and Symantec. From Greenbiz:
Along the way, the campaign will collect the signatures of business leaders from across the county who support the resurrection of climate change legislation in Congress. The Waxman-Markey climate change bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives last summer, but another version introduced in the Senate in late 2009 is now stalled. A trio of Senators is also working on a separate bill it hopes can attract support from both sides of the aisle, but the economic recession and 2010 election cycle present major barriers to passage of any legislation.
The race will end in Washington D.C., and the signatures will be handed over to members of congress. Hopefully, the finish of the race will be the start of climate change legislation.
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