Clif Bar team goes green

Cycling is often presented as an environmentally-friendly activity, but the racing side still manages to make its contribution to increased carbon dioxide levels as teams roam the country by car. The new US Clif Bar Midwest team is aiming to keep its travel 'climate-neutral' in its inaugural season by working with Native Energy, a privately-held Native American company focused on renewable energy.

The athletes and affiliates of Team Clif Bar Midwest, including the squad's coach and administrators, will track every mile travelled in a vehicle for races, practices and general team business in 2006, according to the team. The monitoring will encompass both airline and road miles. Following the season, for every 300 miles travelled, Team Clif Bar Midwest will purchase a two-dollar 'Cool Tag,' benefiting Native Energy's WindBuilders program. This unique initiative assists Native American communities in constructing wind farms that deliver clean, renewable energy without releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Each Cool Tag represents a savings of 300 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, which is roughly the amount generated by travelling 300 miles in the average car.

Additionally, Clif Bar & Co. has announced that it will match the full financial contributions of Team Clif Bar Midwest, therefore doubling the benefit to the environment. "Racing and training on the bike in an urban setting such as Chicago, I think everyone associated with the team is conscious of the detrimental impact that vehicle emissions have on the environment," said Joel Feinberg, Clif Bar Midwest Field Marketing Manager and a member of Team Clif Bar Midwest. "The nature of the sport means that we occasionally need to log significant miles to reach our events. However, this initiative is a great way for the team to help offset the penalties of that travel. We are hopeful that Team Clif Bar Midwest will be just one of many programs to join in this endeavour, since we all benefit greatly from a cleaner environment."