Nordic Nation: Vordenberg’s Call to Action/Climate Challenge

Taking a day or two adjusting to the time warp of flying to South Korea, we decided to give former U.S. Ski Team Head Coach Pete Vordenberg a ring to get some vital details on a climate-activism project he’s devised for the cross-country ski community.

But first things first, if you don’t know Pete, go back and listen to an older episode of Nordic Nation — here’s the link to Part 1, and Part 2.

Back to the more critical task at hand: getting the details regarding Pete’s letter-writing campaign to curb climate change. Here’s the cool thing, so don’t tune out just yet, this is a bipartisan project. Pete’s cross-country climate challenge in this instance jives with building consensus.

So yes, Nordic Nation is delving into the political realm. As Vordenberg would say, we cannot be cross-country skiers without snow.

Below is Pete’s appeal to the cross-country ski community. It’s also a ripe time for this challenge. You’ll note Pete mentions the U.S. Ski Team’s success is in large part due to a nationwide “community focused effort”. That effort just might result in an Olympic medal in the next two weeks. Putting that in perspective, we should have no problem with Pete’s challenge.

Dear Cross Country Skier,

The cross country community is a highly motivated, educated, and energetic group of people connected both literally and figuratively through our sport. Sixteen years ago we seldom reached the top 30 on the international result sheet. Today we have won World Cup and World Championship medals, and even won the overall World Cup. This progress is a result of our nationwide, community-focused effort. It is time for us to apply our cross country power to make our planet and our sport sustainable.

Climate change is a global threat that is directly affecting our sport, our way of life, and life on earth. It is time for us to add our collective voice to a climate change solution that is already underway. Through the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, a swelling of voices and non-partisan action is already leading to a solution to global climate change.

Here is a two-minute video of the problem, the solution, and the overall plan.

This is a video made by our own XC Olympians: Olympian Climate video

Now you and your ski team can put muscle behind the solution.

Join the XC Climate Challenge (#xcclimatechallenge). Here’s how:

*First, you and your team members will write and sign the Constituent Comment Letter (link and attached).  Please make it positive and solution-oriented.  The goal of these letters is to lead our leaders by showing them that the people in their districts demand strong climate action. Letter comments can be general or, preferably, specific.  We are asking our representatives to join the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus, which at this time has 68 members—half Republicans, half Democrats. And also to support CCL’S carbon-fee and dividend proposal.

*Second, send your letters to me, Pete Vordenberg. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) and I will count them and the CCL will hand deliver them to your congressional representatives. These letters are the key element of this project. This strategy has been proven effective!

*Third, nominate youth skiers from your team to take the lead in this effort. Representatives will be selected from all participating teams to represent the cross country community at a Citizen Climate Lobby National Conference in June. Prizes from ski-industry businesses will also be given to teams based on the number of letters they get signed, taking team size into consideration.

That is the challenge.

When: Now. This contest begins now and will end April 30th. Please do not delay! Start now and keep going.

A good team strategy to get as many letters as possible:  

1.  Create a Climate Activism Event or add Climate Activism to an existing event for your team and community.
2.  Show the movie “Saving Snow” and have all the constituent comment letters ready to be personalized, signed, put in a large mailing envelope, and sent to me.

How to sign up for a showing of “Saving our Snow”.  Click here.

Does your team already have a climate or climate activism project?  Let us know what it is and we can share it with our community!

Contact Pete Vordenberg with questions, ideas and to register your team.

pvatuphillskier@gmail.com

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