Offsetters helps Vancity become carbon neutral

Vancouver, B.C. – Offsetters Climate Neutral Society has been selected to provide high quality carbon offsets to the 2008 Vancouver Sun Run.

Offsetters is Canada’s premier provider of high quality carbon offsets, and was selected to provide offsets to Vancity after a rigorous screening process. Vancity engaged The Pembina Institute to source carbon offsets that best fit Vancity’s social, environmental, and climate objectives. The Pembina Institute in turn selected Offsetters as the provider that best fit these objectives.

Being carbon neutral means that Vancity has invested significant effort in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and purchased high quality carbon offsets for what it could not reduce. Offset initiatives supported by Vancity to date include five British Columbian projects and one international project generating high-quality, verified emission reductions.

“Vancity’s is an example of the climate leadership and stewardship that a growing number of firms are showing today,” said Offsetters CEO Dr. James Tansey. “Through a comprehensive approach of understanding and reducing its climate impact then purchasing high quality carbon offsets for the remainder, Vancity has shown that meaningful action on climate change is not an insurmountable challenge but rather a key way to reduce energy costs and improve brand equity. True carbon neutrality is very achievable.”

Offsetters has particular praise for Vancity in achieiving carbon neutrality two years early. This goal, which the Vancity Group voluntarily set in 2006 for 2010, was achieved early through a rigorous emissions reduction program focusing on energy use, staff travel, paper consumption and waste. As a result of these measures, Vancity cut its energy use per employee by 50 per cent and saved well over $2 million in energy costs alone.

Contact: Dr. James Tansey, CEO and Co-founder Offsetters Climate Neutral Society (604) 562.4546 james.tansey@offsetters.ca