ASHLAND CONSERVATION COMMISSION ENSURES ATTENDEES A
CLIMATE-NEUTRAL WORLD WELLNESS WEEKEND
Purchase of Green Tags Offsets Pollution from Air and Vehicle Travel for Keynote Speakers, Attendees, Event Venue and Conference Office’s Operations
June 13, 2005 (Ashland, OR) — Speakers, lecturers, instructors, exhibitors and attendees are descending upon Ashland, Oregon, for the World Wellness Weekend conference on June 18 & 19. Thanks to the City’s Conservation Commission, each guest will participate knowing that his or her personal impact on the environment (e.g., exhaust from jet and vehicle travel, as well as emissions associated with the electricity used by the conference operations and the venue itself) was already offset by Green Tags purchased from The Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF).
“This Green Tag purchase is very special for us and the City of Ashland. It enables us to support the World Wellness Weekend in a manner above and beyond what would be considered traditional support, and in addition to helping the environment, it helps support Ashland’s own renewable energy program, Ashland Renewable Pioneers,” said City Councilor Alex Amarotico, council liaison to the Conservation Commission. “For every BEF Green Tag purchased by us, or by any utility customer with an Ashland address, for that matter, BEF contributes a portion of the sale to pay for new clean energy projects within the City.”
About the Green Tag Purchase
The Conservation Commission and BEF determined that the round trip air travel for keynote speakers, Robert Kennedy Jr. and Martin Luther King III would cover approximately 12,000 miles; and that the 2,000 to 3,000 attendees arriving by car will travel an additional 10,000 miles. In addition, 20 hours of electricity for use at the 20,000 sq. ft. venue, located at Southern Oregon University, and a year’s worth of electricity used by the event office made up the remainder of the pollution estimation. Put together, these estimations equal approximately 35,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions (primarily measured as carbon dioxide), which are directly attributable to the activities around the World Wellness Weekend event. By purchasing 25 Green Tags (one Green Tag equals 1,000 kilowatt-hours), the Conservation Commission is able to ensure that that 25,000 kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable energy will enter the grid and offset 35,000 pounds of pollution that would have been produced by conventional fossil-fuel power generation.
About Ashland Renewable Pioneers
Ashland’s Renewable Pioneers program is a partnership between the City of Ashland and the nonprofit Bonneville Environmental Foundation. The program gives utility customers an opportunity to choose clean electricity by purchasing Green Tags from BEF. When homes and businesses buy Green Tags, BEF uses this revenue to support the generation of clean electricity from wind and solar facilities in the region. In addition, each time an Ashland utility customer becomes a Renewable Pioneer, BEF directs a portion of the contribution to pay for clean energy projects within the City, such as the solar installation at Ashland’s Wilderness Charter School. Ashland businesses that join the program may receive public recognition and rewards for pioneering clean energy sources. www.GreenAshland.org.
About World Wellness Weekend
World Wellness Weekend, June 18 and 19 in Ashland, OR, features speakers, lectures, classes, exhibits, booths, and entertainment dedicated to educating the public about health and wellness, including physical, mental and spiritual wellness, environmental health and social justice. Keynote speakers are Martin Luther King III and Robert Kennedy Jr.
Sharing the vision taught by his father, Martin Luther King III continues the quest for equality and social justice for all people, motivating audiences around the world with messages of hope and responsibility. Author of The Riverkeepers and Crimes Against Nature, Robert Kennedy Jr. has developed a reputation as a tenacious defender of the environment, serving as Senior Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, Chief Prosecuting Attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and President of the Waterkeeper Alliance. www.worldwellness.org
About BEF
The Bonneville Environmental Foundation, a non-profit organization, was established in 1998 to restore watershed ecosystems and further the development and use of new renewable energy resources. Through revenues generated from the sales of green power products, BEF funds projects that restore damaged watersheds and support new renewable energy projects from solar, wind and biomass. BEF pioneered the sale of Green Tags in 2000 and has helped establish national standards for certification and trading. Created by regional environmental groups and the Bonneville Power Administration, the Foundation operates collaboratively with but independent of both.
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