Offsetters announces new Carbon Partners who will help make the 2010 Winter
Games carbon neutral

VANCOUVER , Dec. 16 /CNW/ - With the official opening of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games now less than 60 days away, Offsetters is pleased to announce their new Carbon Partners, bringing the current total to 36 corporate, government and broadcast partners, as well as press who have volunteered to offset some of their own carbon emissions related to the 2010 Winter Games.

The new Carbon Partners include Birks and Mayors, Canada Post Corporation, Nine Network/Foxtel Australia , RONA and Hain Celestial Canada .

The Carbon Partner Program is a joint effort between the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) and Offsetters, who together are working toward the goal of hosting a carbon neutral 2010 Winter Games by offsetting as much as 268,000 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent of removing 49,084 passenger vehicles off the road. This includes 118,000 tonnes of direct emissions from the Games and an additional estimated 150,000 tonnes of indirect carbon emissions created by spectators, guests, sponsors and partners of the Games.

"We would like to welcome our new partners and also thank all of our partners for working with us toward our aspirational goal for a carbon neutral Games," says James Tansey , CEO and co-founder of Offsetters. "We are continuing to work with the 2010 Winter Games family and are truly inspired by their level of commitment as we work together to take action on climate change."

The Carbon Partner Program will make a significant contribution toward offsetting the indirect carbon emissions from the Games but there is an opportunity for individuals and families to do their part as well.

"We are making it easy for everyone attending the Games to take responsibility for their own carbon emissions," says Kari Grist , Offsetters' Vice President of Marketing and Client Engagement. "We are encouraging spectators to help achieve a carbon neutral Games by tracking their own emissions and offsetting them by using our 2010 Travel and Accommodation online carbon calculator."

Offsetters launched an online calculator in November to help raise awareness among spectators attending the event who will account for nearly half of the entire greenhouse gas emissions attributed to Games-related activities. Visitors to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games can calculate their carbon footprint including their flight, hotel, transportation and attendance and can then offset their footprint by purchasing carbon credits online at www.offsetters.ca.

Visitors to the Games who choose to purchase offsets will be contributing to the 2010 Legacy Portfolio - clean technology projects created specifically for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The portfolio includes 50 per cent Gold Standard offsets from international projects and 50 per cent local, BC-based clean technology projects, to symbolize the global and local nature of the Olympic Movement.

    
    The 2010 Winter Games Carbon Partners

    Acklands-Grainger
    Afexa Life Sciences (COLD-FX)
    Aggreko
    Atos Origin
    Australian Broadcast Corporation (ABC)
    BC Hydro
    Bell
    Birks and Mayors
    Bombardier
    British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC)
    Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media   Consortium
    Canada Post Corporation
    Canadian Pacific
    Canwest Publishing Inc.
    City of Surrey
    Coca-Cola
    Hain Celestial Canada
    Hudson's Bay Company
    Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC)
    McDonald's
    Nine Network/Foxtel Australia
    Offsetters
    Panasonic
    Province of British Columbia
    RONA
    Royal Bank of Canada
    Resort Municipality of Whistler
    Ricoh Canada
    Samsung
    The Globe and Mail
    Visa

    

For further information: Media Contacts: The Tartan Group [phone]; Christine Gleed, cell: [phone], [email protected]; Deirdre Campbell, cell: [phone], [email protected]