BURLINGTON, Vt., Oct. 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Ben & Jerry's and Sierra Club are partnering to advance a shared goal of powering the US with 100% clean and renewable energy.
October's partnership will consist of a joint social media initiative and hosted events at 12 Ben & Jerry's scoop shops across the country. People will be asked to share their thoughts with Sierra Club's Ready for 100 campaign on the importance of protecting the health of communities and advancing local clean energy solutions in response to the climate crisis. Through this campaign, community members will have a chance to talk about why they care about having a healthy, sustainable planet powered by clean energy. Ben & Jerry's will offer a free kid's size scoop of ice cream to participants at these events.
The partnership kicked off earlier this summer in Burlington, Vermont, which is Ben & Jerry's hometown and one of six cities already powered by 100% renewable energy. Cities across the US are leading an equitable and just transition off fossil fuels; today, more than 130 cities and 7 states have committed to power themselves with 100% clean energy.
Ben & Jerry's partnership with the Sierra Club is part of the company's ongoing advocacy for climate justice.
"We have a long history of fighting for climate justice and looking for ways to reduce the environmental impact of our business," said Chris Miller, Ben & Jerry's Global Social Mission Manager. "As a food company that sources ingredients from all around the world, climate change is already impacting our business. We, and the Sierra Club, understand the urgency of this moment. We truly do not have time to waste."
Throughout the month of October, the Ice Cream Action events will be held in Ben & Jerry's scoop shops in:
- West Hartford, CT - October 5
- Charleston, SC - October 12
- Manchester, NH - October 14
- Sarasota, FL - October 17
- Boise, ID - October 18
- Minneapolis, MN - October 18
- Boulder, CO - October 19
- Denver, CO - October 19
- New Haven, CT - October 19
- Coral Gables, FL - October 19
- Philadelphia (U. Penn/West Philly), PA - October 19
"Hundreds of communities all over the US are taking action to build a cleaner and more equitable energy economy. We know that solar and wind power are cheaper and healthier than fossil fuels, and together we are focusing on homegrown solutions to our climate crisis. City by city, scoop by scoop, we're ready for 100% clean, renewable energy, " said Jodie Van Horn, director of the Sierra Club's Ready for 100 campaign. "Ben & Jerry's shares Sierra Club's vision of having communities where everyone benefits from clean energy. With this partnership, we hope to sustain the growing clean energy conversation and encourage community members and ice cream aficionados to use their voices in support of local climate solutions."
About Sierra Club
The Sierra Club, founded in 1892, is the United States' oldest and most effective grassroots, environmental organization. In 2016, Sierra Club launched its Ready for 100 campaign with the goal of supporting communities in their efforts to get 100% of their energy from clean, renewable sources like solar and wind. Importantly, Ready For 100 campaigns all over the US prioritize justice and equity as faith leaders, students, business owners, mayors, and every day people advocate for the transition to 100%. In December 2018, the campaign achieved a major milestone: 100 cities had committed to 100% clean, renewable energy. Now, over 130 cities and towns have committed to ambitious 100% clean energy goals and state and federal leaders have taken notice. Today, 1 in 4 people in the US live in a place committed to 100% clean energy.
About Ben & Jerry's
As an aspiring social justice company, Ben & Jerry's believes in a greater calling than simply making a profit for selling its goods. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream, yogurt and sorbet using high-quality ingredients. Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices in a number of ways including a focus on values-led sourcing. In 2015 the company completed its transition to using entirely non-GMO (genetically modified organisms) ingredients by source as well as to fully source Fairtrade-certified ingredients wherever possible, which benefits farmers in developing countries. Ben & Jerry's products are distributed in 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchise Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops, restaurants and other venues. Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, economic reward and a commitment to the community. Ben & Jerry's became a certified B Corp in 2012. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation's employee-led grant programs totaled $2.9MM in 2018 to support grassroots organizing for social and environmental justice around the country.
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SOURCE Ben & Jerry's