Santa Claus Asks for Global Warming Relief; Teams with Clif Bar & Co. and the Green House Network for Urgent Summertime Visit to United States

BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 16, 2005--Santa Claus is coming to towns early this year, fleeing the North Pole in his kayak to raise awareness about global warming. Due to changes in global climate conditions, Santa's Arctic homeland is rapidly melting and threatening the elves' workshop. This summer, Santa and an elite group of his elfin assistants will dash into major cities to educate citizens, politicians and business on ways to prevent global warming.

"I don't want to be ho-ho-homeless!" said Santa, in an emotional pre-event interview. "The Arctic ice cap has thinned by more than 40 percent during the past 50 years. Polar bears, seals and other arctic animals are in danger as well. Without help from all of the good people of the world, my workshop will be destroyed."

Santa and his elves will make three-hour stops at central outdoor locations in Denver, Portland, Sacramento and Boston in August and September. They will distribute information on ways citizens can take personal action against global climate change and gather signatures asking businesses and politicians to act decisively on global warming. People will also be able to purchase Cool Tags to offset their own impact on global warming and receive special gifts from Santa's toy bag.

"I applaud Santa's efforts to educate people in such a grassroots way about global warming -- arguably the most pressing issue facing our planet today," said Sheryl O'Loughlin, CEO of Clif Bar & Co., a leading maker of all-natural and organic energy foods and drinks that has taken many steps to reduce its impact on global warming. Clif Bar & Co., whose business goals include sustaining the planet, and the Green House Network, a non-profit dedicated to public education about global climate change, are co-sponsoring Santa's summer tour.

Santa and his elves, along with climate experts from Clif Bar & Co. and the Green House Network, will take their global warming messages to the streets at the following locations:

       City                 Date / Time                Location
------------------  ---------------------------  ---------------------
Denver, Colo.       Aug. 15   11 a.m. - 2 p.m.   The Pavilion on the
                                                  16th Street Mall
------------------  ---------------------------  ---------------------
Portland, Ore.      Aug. 23   11 a.m. - 2 p.m.   Pioneer Courthouse
                                                  Square
------------------  ---------------------------  ---------------------
Sacramento, Calif.  Sept. 7   11 a.m. - 2 p.m.   North steps of State
                                                  Capitol building
------------------  ---------------------------  ---------------------
Boston, Mass.       Sept. 29   11 a.m. - 2 p.m.  Location to be
                                                  determined

Melting of the polar ice-cap is just one of many troubling consequences linked to global warming, which most scientists blame on greenhouse gas emissions from human activities such as driving cars and operating power plants. Average wintertime Arctic temperatures have risen 11 degrees over the past 30 years. In the summer of 2000, the North Pole ice cap melted completely for the first time on record.

Based in Berkeley, Calif., Clif Bar & Co. (formerly known as Clif Bar Inc.) is a leading maker of all-natural energy and nutrition foods and drinks, including CLIF(R) BAR, the certified organic energy bar and LUNA(R), The Whole Nutrition Bar for Women(R). Clif Bar & Co. works constantly to reduce its footprint on the planet from the field to the final product.

To expand the efforts of Clif Bar & Co. and the Green House Network, learn how to bring Santa to your town by visiting www.savesanta.com. To learn more about global warming, visit www.clifbar.com or www.greenhousenet.org.