No one knows better than Ben & Jerry's that 'when it's melted, it's ruined.' Recognizing the need for a new generation of global warming activists, the internationally known ice cream company has teamed up with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and leading polar explorer, Marc Cornelissen, to create the Climate Change College.

Six young graduates (ages 18 to 25) of the three-year program will be fully trained to inspire businesses and citizens to address the issue of climate change. The curriculum is based on the WWF's campaign for a cleaner power sector, PowerSwitch!, and includes internships at sustainable 'green' businesses, workshops and a trip to the polar region to see the effects of global warming in person.

According to Jerry Greenfield, he and Ben Cohen built their company 'on the idea that business has a responsibility to the community and environment.' In addition to the Climate Change College, the company addresses the footprint its ice cream business leaves on the world. Some of these efforts include composting waste, reducing paper use, improving the energy efficiency of stores and production plants and turning ice cream byproducts into chemical-free fertilizer. Furthermore, the milk that goes into each flavor comes from cows that haven't been treated with artificial growth hormones.


The owners also use the power of their decisions 'to help drive social change.' Ben & Jerry's pays a premium price for its ingredients, such as cocoa, vanilla and coffee, to suppliers in farmer-run cooperatives. This economic model ensures profits for those who produce the food.

And when Ben & Jerry's can't find alternatives to harmful business practices, it just invents them. In 1998, the company became the first frozen food manufacturer to use unbleached paperboard containers, which they named 'Eco-Pints.'

To read about Ben & Jerry's other climate change initiatives, check out their campaign Web site, Lick Global Warming, or read more about the Climate Change College.