Think the Earth

The CO2 emission cut project formed on November 2008 by five leading U.S. businesses, such as Nike, Starbucks, and Levi Strauss & Co. and an environmental organization, Ceres is called Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). On March 12th, a couple more major companies, such as eBay and Gap announced their participation to this coalition.

According to the priorities unveiled by the coalition last month, they aim to cut emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, and create an economy-wide cap-and-trade system that auctions 100 percent of carbon credits. Additionally, BICEP is calling for aggressive policies to the government, such as policies that will at least double the country's energy efficiency and create green-collar jobs in low-income communities.

Other than BICEP, there have been a number of cases where an environmental organization forms a partnership with business groups. U.S. Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) , a coalition formed by a major oil company ConocoPhillips, General Motors, and a green organization, Environmental Defense Fund and Natural Resources Defense Council is one example. There is a great expectation for such environmental projects founded by the major enterprises that support U.S. economy.