Synopsis: Be nice; no climate shaming; the environmental movement has been stymied by the pressure of the ‘perfect environmentalist’. Embrace our imperfection! Use your energy to include more people! If everyone brought one person to Climate Ride, we’d double our grants and our community. And, finally, the environment & active transportation are the least funded causes in American philanthropy, so thank you for making it the priority it should be.
Dear Climate Ride Participants,
We hope you’re getting excited for our upcoming event! Each Climate Ride is more than just an adventure; it’s a chance to forge meaningful connections and engage in productive conversations about the future of our planet. To ensure everyone has an inspiring and empowering experience, we want to share some thoughts on how we can all contribute to a positive and inclusive atmosphere.
Our Diverse Community: A Tapestry of Passion & Purpose
At Climate Ride, we celebrate the incredible diversity of our participants. People join us from all walks of life, bringing unique perspectives and varying levels of engagement with environmental issues. You might be a seasoned climate advocate, a dedicated bike commuter, a person who craves to see the world by bike, a fitness fanatic with a Garmin for everything, or someone new to environmental action who loves adventure and wants to join a community that lifts each other up. Perhaps you’re new to cycling itself!
We recognize that personal circumstances—income, access, location—shape what each of us can do. A sustainable practice that works in California might not be feasible in South Dakota, and vice versa. Our community fundraises for a wide array of crucial causes, from bike/pedestrian advocacy and clean energy to conservation, social justice, and broad climate solutions. Given that these environmental efforts often receive less funding compared to other charitable sectors, our focus is on welcoming more people into this movement and making them feel comfortable and engaged.
Cultivating Support & Understanding: Our Stance on “Climate Shaming”
To foster this welcoming environment, we stand firmly against “climate shaming”—singling out or judging individuals based on their personal environmental practices. Such actions can create a negative, divisive atmosphere, contrary to our goal of uniting people for positive change, collaboration, and collective action. We want everyone to feel comfortable participating, learning, and growing without fear of judgment. Our events are a space for shared commitment, respecting that everyone’s journey to protect our planet takes a different path.
Understanding the Bigger Picture: Individual Actions & Systemic Change
It’s not lost on us that some people feel more compelled to criticize when the environment is involved. If one were participating in a cancer ride that had fossil fuel sponsors, would anyone notice? It’s a common experience: when you stand up for the environment, suddenly every personal choice—from food to travel to pet food—can come under scrutiny. “Are you vegan? I’m net zero! I don’t fly (well, I do, but it’s only for important things). All my cars are EVs, you?” It’s helpful to understand where some of this intense focus on individual footprints originated. (Spoiler: the concept of the “carbon footprint” was popularized by a PR firm for British Petroleum, aiming to shift focus away from large-scale industrial pollution. Read about it here.).
While reducing our personal impact is valuable, the climate crisis fundamentally demands systemic solutions. Consider that fewer than 100 energy companies have been responsible for 71% of all industrial emissions since human-driven climate change was officially recognized. Addressing this requires governments, corporations, and institutions to implement policies promoting renewable energy, investing in sustainable infrastructure, and regulating major polluters.
How do we drive this systemic change? Interestingly, research suggests that focusing only on individual efforts can lead to guilt and overwhelm, making people feel their actions are insignificant. However, when we join together, we can support larger movements, engage in activism, and powerfully advocate for policies that build a low-carbon future.
Celebrating Our Collective Power & Impact
This is where you—and Climate Ride—come in. If you encounter criticism on your advocacy journey, remember the incredible leverage we create together:
- The environment is the least funded sector in American philanthropy.
- Climate Ride grants are often the largest grants many of our nonprofit beneficiaries receive.
- Funds from specific events, like Glacier Ride, can rank as the largest individual gifts to conservancies.
- Our community underwrites events like Green Fondo, allowing 100% of participant fundraising to go directly to nonprofits.
- We continually strive for a net-positive impact, including through initiatives like our Tailwinds Fund.
You are part of a community of thousands of adventurers, backed by hundreds of thousands of donors. Together, we build momentum and create extraordinary opportunities for the environmental movement.
Your Voice, Our Journey Forward
We encourage open dialogue and the sharing of ideas for viable sustainable practices. If you have constructive suggestions for how we can collectively reduce our environmental footprint or enhance our events in this regard, please share them with us directly.
We are incredibly proud of you. It’s okay to be imperfect; it’s vital that we show up, join together, and inspire action.
Thank you for your understanding, your commitment, and for being part of this journey. We can’t wait to see you and ride together!
Wishing you tailwinds,
The CR Team
