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Climate change washes away partisanship for South Carolina tourism | GreenBiz.com
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That is why the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce and the American Sustainable
Business Council started the sea level rise education project in the Palmetto state called SC BARS (South
Carolina Businesses Acting on Rising Seas). It is designed to turn tourists visiting South Carolina into an
army of advocates for protecting the coastal tourism economy. It does this by allowing the tourists to
experience visually and viscerally what climate change-induced sea level rise actually means. Small
businesses along the coast are asked to post signs and, if appropriate, put up blue tape indicating the high
tide water mark projected for 2100 if no action is taken to stop carbon pollution.
The signs direct tourists to look for the blue tape in directly affected business. The signs also encourage
visits to the website for information about sea level rise and gives the option of sending a letter to Congress
and the president.
In spite of being a very politically conservative state, the response to the SC BARS effort has been positive
with approximately half of the small business owners agreeing to put up the signage and blue tape to
educate the public. Less than 10 percent of small businesses contacted flatly reject participation.
It is clear from our organizing efforts that the business message commonly heard in Washington about
climate change policy does not represent the position of many small businesses along the South Carolina
coast. Protecting our coastal tourism industry by cutting carbon pollution is favored by small businesses, not
protecting the coal and oil big business industries that are the carbon polluters.
But it's not just small businesses in South Carolina that want Washington to take action against climate
change. Many small business owners across the country do, too, according to a poll earlier this year that
also found majority support for power plant emissions regulations, a national renewable energy standard
and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies.
SC BARS is the first hands-on effort by the American Sustainable Business Council to demonstrate small
business's concern about climate change. More projects are planned around the country.
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Climate change washes away partisanship for South Carolina tourism | GreenBiz.com
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Frank Knapp Jr. is the president and CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamb er
of Commerce and the co-chair of the American Sustainab le Business Council Action Fund.
Read more from Frank Knapp Jr..
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