Offsetters marks one year anniversary of first carbon neutral Olympics, looks back on successes

Media Advisory

Feb. 4, 2011

 

What: The Vancouver-based carbon management solutions provider Offsetters marks the one year anniversary of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games by looking back on its role in helping the event take responsibility for its emissions – both in 2010 and for future Games to come.

Why: In 2009 for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Offsetters was selected as the first official supplier of carbon offsets in the history of the Olympic movement, marking this as the first carbon neutral games in history. From start to finish, the company sponsored the offsetting of direct emissions resulting from operating the Games, including athlete travel to and from the Games and Olympic Torch Relay.

 

Offsetters highlights and firsts:

• Offsetters was the first Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets in the history of the Olympic movement. The partnership between Offsetters and VANOC resulted in the first-ever carbon neutral Olympic and Paralympic Games.
• During the Olympics, Offsetters was proud to work with a number of Carbon Partners who came onboard to help offset some – or all – of their Games-related emissions. These include BC Hydro, the Province of British Columbia and Bell Canada amongst many others.
• Offsetters’ work with the Olympic and Paralympic Games didn’t stop with Vancouver 2010. Today, James Tansey, CEO of Offsetters, acts as a special advisor to the United Nations Environment Programme to help develop sustainable strategies for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.
• To reach spectators, Offsetters launched a number of initiatives to ask stakeholders to take responsibility for offsetting their own emissions, drawing attention to the impacts of climate change with the message that “without winter, there’s no Winter Games.” The overall media campaign garnered some 30 million media impressions and was covered by press from all around the globe, including Korea, Japan and Belarus.
• One of Offsetters’ goals was to inspire, engage and help change behaviour during the Games and far into the future. Many partners continue to look at how they can reduce their carbon footprints and use offsets for what cannot be reduced.
• Offsetters’ involvement with the Games solidified its reputation as the leading carbon management solutions provider and helped pave the way to other major sponsorships – such as the 2010 World Climate Summit during COP 16.
• By December 2012, Offsetters will have secured real, permanent and additional reduction credits from British Columbia and around the world that is equivalent to the direct carbon emissions and the portion of indirect emissions that spectators and Carbon Partner Program participants took responsibility for.
• And if Offsetters were to do it all again? The company says it would’ve started earlier and would’ve embedded offsetting into ticket prices.To learn more about Offsetters’ past, current and future projects, visit www.offsetters.ca.

 

Available for interviews and photos:

• Kari Grist, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Sales, Offsetters
• James Tansey, CEO, Offsetters

 

About Offsetters

Offsetters is a leading carbon management solutions provider based in Vancouver, BC, helping individuals and companies understand, reduce and offset their climate impact. In 2009 Offsetters was selected as the first ever official supplier of carbon offsets in the history of the Olympic movement for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. In 2009 Offsetters was also selected by the Pacific Carbon Trust as the largest initial supplier of carbon offsets to the BC Crown Corporation. Founded in 2005, Offsetters invests in high-quality projects that achieve tangible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that have happened with its involvement. For more information, visit www.offsetters.ca.

 

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Media contacts:

Melanie Wong, Offsetters: 604-699-2652 or mela...@offsetters.ca

Deirdre Campbell, Tartan Group: 250-592-3838, 250-882-9199 (cell) or deir...@tartangroup.ca