VANCOUVER,
B.C. -- February 16, 2010 -- Today, Canada's
Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim
Prentice, announced the Government of Canada's
commitment to offset federal greenhouse
gas emissions for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic
Winter Games.
"Canada is proud
to be the first host country in history
to help offset the greenhouse gas emissions
of its Olympic Games," said Minister
Prentice. "This commitment is one of
many ways our Government is contributing
to sustainable Games and meeting our global
climate change responsibilities."
The Government of Canada's
will invest an estimated $150 000 in carbon
reduction initiatives to offset the estimated
7,600 tonnes of emissions created by the
activities of thousands of government employees
involved in the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic
Winter Games; activities including employee
air travel, accommodations and the Torch
Relay event.
The carbon offsetting
initiative is one of several initiatives
the Government of Canada is undertaking,
in close collaboration Vancouver Organizing
Committee and other partners to build sustainability
into the Games.
"The Government
of Canada's support for the climate goals
of the 2010 Winter Games is an important
milestone and legacy from our Games"
said VANOC Chief Executive Officer John
Furlong. "It demonstrates how Games
organizers and partners can work together
to reduce their own environmental footprint
while also advancing the new technologies
required to successfully make the transition
to a low carbon economy."
Other federally supported
initiatives include:
•Environmental assessments
of venue sites to reduce the ecological
footprint of the Games;
•The Canada Line representing 19 kilometers
rail transit system that links downtown
Vancouver with central Richmond and the
Vancouver International Airport funded under
the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Program;
•The BC Hydrogen Highway project showcasing
hydrogen and fuel-cell technology including
fuel-cell vehicles and fuelling stations,
and;
•The wave roof of the Richmond Oval made
from recycled wood from trees destroyed
by pine beetles.
"In addition to promoting sustainability
at the Games, these innovative approaches
will also showcase Canadian environmental
technology and ingenuity to the world,"
added the Minister.
Related documents:
Offsetting Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Federal
Participation in the 2010 Winter Games [Backgrounder
2010-02-16]
Speaking Notes for the Honourable Jim Prentice,
PC, QC, MP Minister of the Environment to
announce offsetting federal carbon emissions
[Speech 2010-02-16]
For more information, please contact:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
+ More
Visit the Biosphère
During Spring Break and Become Guardian
of the Earth!
MONTRÉAL, Que.
-- February 16, 2010 -- From February 27
to March 7, 2010, as part of its spring-break
programming, the Biosphère will focus
on raising the environmental awareness of
young people.
To become a Guardian
of the Earth, young people will be asked
to tour the Biosphere's guided activities
armed with special booklets that will be
stamped for each activity they complete.
By participating in some of the awareness-raising
activities, they will earn the coveted certification
of Guardian of the Earth, signifying their
commitment to do what they can, everyday,
to protect the environment.
Among the proposed activities
is a new exhibit, entitled Canada's Waterscapes,
that is sure to please parents and kids
alike. In Canada's Waterscapes, visitors
can dive into a study of estuaries, lakes,
rivers, oceans and wetlands and uncover
the bountiful life that depends upon these
habitats. Presented in the same room, All
the Water in the World will engage young
people to protect this precious resource.
A film on biodiversity,
entitled Man and His World, will be accompanied
by a timely discussion in this International
Year of Biodiversity. Also, the exhibit
Tic Tac Tox will teach teenagers about humans
sharing the planet with chemicals and toxic
substances. Where are they? How can we protect
ourselves from them? These questions and
more will be answered during a fun-filled
theatrical presentation inspired by the
TV game shows of the 1960s.
For the younger set,
the Creative Workshop showcasing handicrafts
made with reclaimed materials will introduce
them to the 3Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Entrance to the Biosphère
is free for those aged 17 and under. The
museum, located on Ile Sainte-Hélène
in Montréal, will be open on Monday
March 1. Visit ec.gc.ca/biosphere for complete
information on our programming and opening
hours.
As an environmental
museum, the mandate of Environment Canada's
Biosphère is to encourage citizens
to take action and get involved in environmental
issues. In addition to presenting exhibits
and special events, the Biosphère
develops educational and awareness-raising
products for a diverse clientele across
Canada and is a recognized clearinghouse
for environmental information.
For more information, please contact:
Media Relations
Environment Canada
+ More
Government of Canada
Recognizes Youth "Do Your Part"
2010 Sustainability Contest Winners
VANCOUVER, B.C. - February
13, 2010 - The Honourable Jim Prentice,
Minister of the Environment, congratulated
Canadian youth at the "Do Your Part"
video awards ceremony hosted by the Vancouver
Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic
and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC).
"I am very proud
that Canada is hosting one of the most environmentally
friendly Games the world has ever seen",
said Minister Prentice. "This has required
innovative Canadian thinking and a strong
commitment to sustainability - qualities
our young contest winners have clearly demonstrated
in their videos."
As part of the video
contest, youth aged 13-24 across Canada
were invited to submit a 30-90 second video
or animation clip profiling how they will
live more sustainably during the 2010 Winter
Games and beyond.
The Government of Canada
has been working with VANOC and other Games
partners from the beginning to build sustainability
into the Games. Environment Canada has been
a key partner in this effort providing environmental
assessments of Olympic venues and federal
leadership in this area.
Government of Canada
investments have contributed to sustainable
attributes found in many of the Olympic
venues, including:
•the Vancouver Olympic
and Paralympic Centre, which features sustainability
elements influenced by a study on how to
maximize environmental performance at minimum
cost;
•the Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Village,
which features Canada's first net-zero energy
multi-use residential building; and
•the Richmond Oval, which has an innovative
wave roof made from recycled wood from trees
killed by pine beetles.
Advice and expertise provided during the
environmental assessment process also had
a direct impact on reducing the environmental
footprint at Olympic venues.
Six Government of Canada
supported initiativeshave also earned VANOC's
Sustainability Star, an award recognizing
initiatives by Games partners, sponsors
and VANOC that demonstrate positive and
measurable social, economic and environmental
impacts.
For more information about the Government
of Canada's role in the 2010 Olympic and
Paralympic Winter Games, visit www.canada2010.gc.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
