Global Warming

Florida Crystals Joins Faces of Climate Change Campaign

  2009 JUN 29 - (VerticalNews.com) -- Florida Crystals Corporation today became the latest company to join the award-winning Faces of Climate Change campaign and call for federal legislation to cap carbon pollution and support clean energy.

  Florida Crystals' Chairman/CEO Alfonso Fanjul and the company's Vice Chairman/President J. Pepe Fanjul are featured in the campaign's newest ad, which was unveiled today. Florida Crystals, based in Palm Beach County, is America's only producer of certified organic sugar. The company also owns and operates the largest biomass power plant in North America, which produces renewable energy. The ad details Florida Crystals' use of sugarcane waste and other biomass to produce clean energy that powers its sugar operations and nearly 60,000 homes. Florida Crystals' eco-friendly practices and renewable energy supply have allowed the company to offer consumers the first carbon neutral sugar products, which carry Carbonfund.org's CarbonFree(R) certification.

  "We're proud to be a leader in the clean energy industry," said Alfonso Fanjul. "Our work is already helping to reduce America's carbon footprint and bring us closer to energy independence."

  "Next, we're planning to use sugar cane waste and other Florida biomass to make clean-burning, alternative fuels that can power our cars," said J. Pepe Fanjul.

  Faces of Climate Change was launched a year ago by Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Florida Wildlife Federation (FWF) and Florida business leaders to highlight the companies and entrepreneurs in the Sunshine State that are working to fight global warming and develop new, clean energy technologies. The campaign has now created a series of ten television ads and has won a regional Emmy award for public service advertising. Previous participants in the ads range from the Green Circle Bio Energy in Jackson County and Mosaic (the world's largest phosphate company) to St. Joe (the state's largest land owner) to PetroAlgae (a company which makes oil from algae).

  "These ads are designed to fix the misperception that green jobs and renewable energy only exist in science fiction movies," said Jerry Karnas, Florida Climate Project Director at Environmental Defense Fund. "Inventers and entrepreneurs are creating a whole new sector of our economy in clean energy technologies. Green jobs exist right now, and thanks to companies like Florida Crystals, a lot of them exist right here in our state. Now, we need Congress to support these companies by passing a cap on carbon pollution."

  The Energy and Commerce Committee of the House of Representatives recently approved the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, a comprehensive energy bill that includes a carbon cap. The full House is expected to vote on the measure in the next few weeks."

  The new Faces of Climate Change ad will air on television stations around Florida starting today. To see the ads, or get more information about the campaign, see http://edf.org/facesofclimatechange.

  Mention of products and companies does not constitute an endorsement by Environmental Defense Fund or Florida Wildlife Federation.

  About Environmental Defense Fund

  A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense Fund represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense Fund has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector partnerships to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental problems. For more information, visit www.edf.org.

  About Florida Crystals Corporation

  Florida Crystals is a leading domestic sugar producer and North America's first fully integrated cane sugar company, guiding sugar from the field to the table. Florida Crystals is America's first and only producer of certified organic sugar 100% made in the USA. Florida Crystals(R) Organic and Natural sugars are the first sugar products certified CarbonFree(R) (carbon neutral) by Carbonfund.org. For more information, visit www.floridacrystals.com.

  Keywords: Environmental Defense Fund, Advertising, Agricultural, Agriculture, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Conservation, Ecology, Energy, Energy Bill, Energy Industry, Entertainment, Environment, Environmental Defense, Environmental Problems, Global Warming, Government, House of Representatives, Movies, Oil & Gas, Politics, Power Plant, Renewable Energy, Sugar Cane, Television.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Global Warming editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, VerticalNews Global Warming via VerticalNews.com.