Carbon Free Girl - A Race Car Driver's Journey to Be Carbon Neutral

trip to capitol hill to speak with congress

March 17, 2008

I made my first trip to Capitol Hill on March 4 to speak with members of Congress on behalf of the Lieberman Warner Climate Security Act. National Wildlife Federation invited me on the trip and I jumped at the chance to speak to the people in our government who can really make a difference in the legislative fight against global warming.

Small personal changes we each make are important - and in essence, that is what this website is about - my small personal changes. But in order to make a big impact we need the laws to change. We need big businesses to change their ways. I would like to do whatever I can to make those types of changes happen and that was the reason for my trip to Washington DC. I have a feeling it will not be my first.

You can imagine how skeptical the reporters in Washington were when they were called to cover a story about [irony] a race car driver trying to fight global warming [/irony].

I am well aware of the paradox of being a race car driver and an environmentalist and that is precisely the reason I need to do something about it. I feel that our sport needs to address these issues. The world is becoming more educated about clean renewable energy and sustainable living and how important these things are not only to our country's environment, but also it's politics and economics. As they educate themselves, they are going to become more aware of the people that are not doing their part to support these changes. NASCAR and IndyCar are not going to go away because of climate change. And vice versa. We can't just ignore it and act like it is not happening because we belong to the sport. Racing is full of innovative, creative, intelligent, and scientific minds that propel thousands of moving parts on a race car to work together to get us up to speeds of well over 200mph - and somehow make me feel safe at the same time! Now that is talent! I am confident that if we put our minds together we can come up with many ways to make our sport more environmentally friendly.

I was asked an interesting question by the Washington Post reporter, "Why don't you wait until you are in the Indy 500 or the Daytona 500 to speak out about this?" My answer is very simple -- I don't know if I will make it that far. My career is dependent on corporate America and so I never know how far I will go. If I waited to speak until I was on the highest level of my sport, I may not get to speak at all. I may not have the largest audience right now because I am one level outside of IndyCar, but I do still have an audience. I am speaking out because this is important. I am as passionate about these issues as I am about racing. Like Nelson Mandela said, "Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation." This is our time to be great. Don't let this chance pass us by.

I added a whole bunch of new stories to my eco newsfeed and check out this great video: The Story of Stuff

Related News:
Washington Post: Race Car Driver Aims to Put Brakes on Global Warming
Charlotte Observer: Driver Münter Takes on Global Warming
National Wildlife Federation President: No Stopping Leilani Münter
Münter Headed to Capitol Hill to Speak with Congress on Climate Security

See you down the road...

Leilani