A Portion of Ticket Sales Will Go Towards the Purchase of Renewable Energy Credits; BeGreen to Donate Additional Credits to Offset Electricity Used for Game
April 7, 2009, Austin, Texas – Encouraging fans to take action to reduce their environmental footprint, the Los Angeles Clippers and BeGreen (www.begreennow.com), the carbon offset division of Green Mountain Energy Company, are teaming up to host the first-ever Green Night Game at STAPLES Center.
On Saturday, April 11, as part of the team’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers, the Clippers hope to boost awareness of and support Earth Day 2009 by using a portion of the ticket sales from the game to purchase renewable energy credits (RECs) that will neutralize the environmental impact of fans’ travel to and from the game. BeGreen also will donate additional RECs to offset the electricity usage at STAPLES Center on April 11.
Green Night Game will also include a number of “green-themed” activities, including in-game announcements about ways to help the environment.
To further encourage fans to take action, BeGreen and the Clippers have created a series of short videos featuring Clippers center, DeAndre Jordan providing tips for going “green.” To help spread the word, the videos are posted on BeGreen’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/begreenoffsets) where Clippers fans and general “green” enthusiasts can download and event post the clips to their own site.
“In partnership with the Los Angeles Clippers organization, their players and their fans, we’ve put together a strong ‘green team,’” said Gillan Taddune, chief environmental officer of Green Mountain Energy Company. “We hope that other sports organizations will follow the Clippers franchise by taking steps to incorporate environmentally responsible actions into their own business plans. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, taking steps to reduce our carbon footprints is an effort that we can all get behind.”
RECs present an innovative solution for businesses looking to do their part in the fight against global climate change by offsetting carbon emissions and their impact on the environment.
Carbon emissions are created by normal daily activities like using electricity, driving a car or flying on an airplane. Each REC represents the environmental attributes resulting from the generation of 1 MWH (1,000 KWH) of electricity by renewable energy generators. And by purchasing RECs, businesses and consumers are able to reduce their carbon footprint through an investment in renewable energy sources.
By offsetting the electricity for the game, BeGreen and the Clippers will prevent more than 42,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere – the environmental equivalent of recycling 104,000 aluminum cans or 16,000 pounds of newspaper.
“Green Night Game adds to a host of activities that the L.A. Clippers organization has put into place to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Heath Bennett, director of sales for the Los Angeles Clippers. “We hope that fans will join us in this effort to go green and that ultimately they’ll consider other ways to reduce their impact on the environment.
Tickets for Green Night Game will be the same price as regular game tickets.
About BeGreen Carbon Offsets
BeGreen Carbon Offsets (www.begreennow.com) is a division of Green Mountain Energy Company, the longest serving green power provider in the U.S. BeGreen provides education about the serious effects of harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and offers businesses and consumers simple and effective ways to reduce their carbon footprint through the purchase of renewable energy, forest sequestration and other project-based offsets. BeGreen’s carbon calculators follow the EPA Climate Leaders methodology, which is based on the World Resources Institute’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol (WRI GHG), a widely accepted industry standard. All purchases and sales of BeGreen’s carbon offset projects are also verified by an independent auditing firm to ensure their quality and effectiveness.
About The Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and are members of the NBA Western Conference's Pacific Division. The club's home games are played at the STAPLES Center.
