MONTRÉAL, Jan. 22, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - In their ongoing mission to
promote Montréal abroad, Tourisme Montréal employees travelled extensively by air over the course of the last
year, consequently generating over 214 tonnes of CO2. Dedicated to sustainable development, the Tourisme Montréal office
will compensate for its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by purchasing
carbon credits, which, in turn, will contribute to a Montréal region
reforestation project thanks to a partnership with the innovative
Québec company, CO2 Environnement.
As part of their eco-responsible objectives set in 2008 and implemented
almost two years ago, Tourisme Montréal has established a variety of
concrete actions in the effort to offset its carbon footprint and to
encourage the tourism industry to follow suit and "go green".
Following an independent analysis performed by Planetair, close to $6,000 has been invested in carbon credits in order to
finance reforestation measures managed by CO2 Environnement on lands outside of Montréal. The purchase of such
credits offsets the GHG emissions of 214.05 tonnes of CO2 produced by the 1,207,173.71 km of air travel flown by Tourisme Montréal
personnel for business purposes in 2012. To compare, this compensatory
measure will have the same positive impact on the environment as
removing over 53 cars from the road1.
"This is the third time that Tourisme Montréal has participated in such
compensatory actions and we feel that this gesture clearly illustrates
the importance given to our green practices, as well as our dedication
to reducing our carbon footprint. Not only do we strive to motivate and
lead our members and partners to do the same, but on a larger scale, we
wish to forge the path towards sustainable development for others in
the tourism industry," underlines the Honourable Charles Lapointe,
President and Chief Executive Officer of Tourisme Montréal.
In an effort to mobilize the industry, the organization also established
a green committee for the Montréal tourism community, as well as a
sub-committee to handle the particular challenges associated with
planning responsible meetings and conventions. As such, an online tool
box will soon be at the disposal of event organizers. Tourisme Montréal
also works on other projects in priority industry sectors: green food
servicesand festivals.
Business or leisure travellers who prioritize responsible travel may
visit the Green Montréal page of the Tourisme Montréal web site for further details.
About CO2 Environnement inc.
CO2 Environnement is a Québec company founded in 2011. Its mission is
twofold: to restore degraded lands and ecosystems by planting trees and
to certify projects with the objective of obtaining high-quality carbon
credits. The company's carbon credits are certified under the CarbonFix
standard (a Gold Standard transition) and verified by Rainforest
Alliance, an internationally renowned third party.
CO2 Environnement planting sites are located in Terrebonne on land owned by
the Le Mirage Golf Club, in Carignan on land owned by a private
developer, in Saint-Bruno on land owned by the DJL company, in Mirabel
on land donated by Aéroports de Montréal and the Ministère des
Transports du Québec, as well as in Blainville on municipal land.
About Tourisme Montréal
Tourisme Montréal is responsible for providing leadership in the
concerted efforts of hospitality and promotion in order to position the
"Montréal" destination on leisure and business travel markets. It is
also responsible for developing Montréal's tourism product in
accordance with the ever-changing conditions of the market. For more
information, please visit www.tourisme-montreal.org.
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| 1 An average driver produces approximately 4 tonnes of CO2 annually.
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SOURCE: TOURISME MONTREAL
