Offsetters named Official Carbon Offsetter of the 2010 Winter Games

Vancouver, BC – To help deliver a carbon neutral Games, Vancouver 2010 is partnering with Offsetters, a leading BC-based carbon asset management company and supplier of high-quality carbon offsets. The announcement was made today during Canadian Environment Week 2009 and to coincide with the Organizing Committee’s participation in the 2009 Commuter Challenge.

Under the agreement, Offsetters will provide the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) with a portfolio of offset projects created through local expertise in new, clean energy technologies. The projects will reduce a minimum of 110,000 tonnes of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, thereby offsetting direct emissions from the Games by the same amount. VANOC and Offsetters will also work together with interested Games partners, sponsors and participants to offset an additional estimated 190,000 tonnes of indirect carbon emissions from the Games caused by activities such as air travel.

In turn, Offsetters will receive sponsorship rights in the carbon offsets Official Supplier category for the 2010 Winter Games and for the Canadian Olympic Team competing at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games and the London 2012 Olympic Games.

"We're proud to partner with the 2010 Winter Games to establish a portfolio of carbon offset projects that will showcase the province's leadership in the clean technology sector and will continue as a living environmental legacy of the Games long after the athletes and spectators have returned home," explained Dr. James Tansey, president of Offsetters. "Working with leading BC Clean Technology companies — including Nexterra, Sempa Power, Lignol Innovations, Ballard Power and Powertech — we will create and verify a portfolio of clean technology offset projects that will neutralize direct emissions from the Games and contribute towards offsetting indirect emissions from air travel."

This unique sponsorship makes the 2010 Winter Games the first in Games history to have an Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets and is “a crucial step forward to meeting our goal to make the 2010 Winter Games as environmentally responsible as possible,” said John Furlong, VANOC Chief Executive Officer.

“In March, we announced to the world our target to neutralize up to 300,000 tonnes of CO2 from the Games. Today, we’re delighted to say a British Columbian company with a growing national reputation as a leader in this field will be supporting our efforts to offset our carbon footprint from the Games through clean technology projects using BC know-how,” he added.

The 2010 carbon offset portfolio will invest in clean technology projects that improve energy efficiency or produce renewable energy. Some of the proposed offset projects include fuel cell technology in transit buses, energy efficiency systems, as well as biomass gasification and hydrogen fuelling stations to reduce industrial use of gasoline and electricity.

All projects in the 2010 portfolio will be high-quality offsets consistent with the standards applied by new BC provincial greenhouse gas regulations, and have been designed to meet or exceed the highest international standard for carbon accounting and offsetting.

“This unique sponsorship will allow the Games to obtain emission offsets while demonstrating innovation on climate solutions that generate jobs and other economic opportunities as a lasting legacy,” said BC Premier Gordon Campbell. “VANOC’s actions demonstrate what forward looking organizations can do to help reach B.C.’s target of a 33 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. I want to thank VANOC for their commitment to clean, green carbon neutral Games.”

In its efforts to reduce carbon emissions, VANOC and its partners have incorporated sustainability principles in their venue and operational plans since being awarded the Games in 2003, including: strategic venue site selection; innovative approaches to energy management; and an emphasis on travelling smart with expanded public transit during the Games to reduce fuel use and carbon emissions.

About Offsetters
Offsetters is Canada’s premier provider of high-quality carbon offsets and carbon asset management advice. Co-founded in 2005 by Dr. James Tansey (president of Offsetters and associate professor at the Sauder School of Business, University of British Columbia), Offsetters works with individuals, businesses and organizations to calculate, track, reduce, and finally offset their greenhouse gas emissions. Offsetters’ funds are invested in renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects that achieve tangible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and that would not have taken place without its involvement.

About VANOC
VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the X Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit vancouver2010.com.
VANOC's marketing program is focused on securing mutually rewarding partnerships with shared values to generate sufficient revenue to host successful Winter Games in 2010 and to leave a financial legacy for sport. VANOC’s Worldwide TOP Partners include Coca-Cola, ACER, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa. VANOC's National Partners are Bell Canada, Hudson's Bay Company, RBC Financial Group, GM Canada, Petro-Canada and RONA.
VANOC’s Official Supporters include Air Canada, BC Hydro, Bombardier Inc., the British Columbia Lottery Corp., Canadian Pacific, the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, Jet Set Sports, Ricoh Canada Inc., the Royal Canadian Mint and Teck Resources. VANOC’s Official Suppliers are 3M, Acklands-Grainger, Aggreko, Aquilini Investment Group, Birks, Britco, Canada Post, Canwest Publishing Inc., COLD-FX, Deloitte, Dow Canada, EPCOR, Garrett Metal Detectors, General Mills, Hain Celestial Canada, Haworth Canada, Karl’s Global Events Inc., La Presse, Millennium Development Corp., Molson, Nortel, Offsetters, Port Metro Vancouver, Purolator, Saputo, Sleep Country Canada, Sun Microsystems of Canada, The Globe and Mail, Tickets.com, TransCanada, Vancouver Airport Authority, Vincor Canada, Weston Bakeries, Workopolis, and Wrigley Canada.

Media Contacts
Paula Webber

VANOC Communications

Tel: 604.403.2685

E-mail: paula_web...@vancouver2010.com

Kari Grist

Offsetters
Tel: 604.699.2650

E-mail: kari_gr...@offsetters.ca