Contact: Robert Peoples, Carpet America Recovery Effort (706) 428-2115
Pine Mountain, GA, May 1, 2006 – Leonardo Academy announced today that the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) Conference in Callaway Gardens, Georgia has gained Cleaner and Greener certification, meaning all pollution caused by energy use at the event has been offset. For this year’s conference, donated emission credits offset carbon dioxide and other emissions generated by CARE energy use by over 100%.
Donated emission credits will be retired, offsetting the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxide (NOx), particulates (PM10 and PM2.5) and mercury (Hg) pollution that was discharged to the atmosphere from conference facilities, travel, meals, lodging, utilities, and other potential energy use connected to the conference.
Offsetting all types of emissions is important because each causes a particular set of problems for human and environmental health. The Cleaner and Greener Program focuses on all types of pollutants, taking steps beyond other offset programs that consider only greenhouse gases.
Conference energy use and emission estimates were prepared by Leonardo Academy and offsets of renewable energy, carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide credits were gathered to make the CARE Conference an event with a net positive atmospheric impact. Large emission reduction donors for this event included Milliken Carpet, 3 Phases Energy, and Leonardo Academy. A complete description of donations is available at the Leonardo Academy website.
Michael Arny, President of Leonardo Academy, said about this achievement, “The Carpet America Recovery Effort is proving its commitment to sustainability by supporting emissions offsetting at CARE. He added, “3 Phases Energy and Milliken Carpet should also be commended for their part in making CARE a Certified Cleaner and Greener Event.”
About Leonardo Academy
Leonardo Academy is a charitable 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to finding integrated solutions for a more sustainable world. Leonardo Academy’s Cleaner and Greener Program develops and delivers tools that promote, facilitate and measure environmental sustainability. The program specializes in developing action plans and resources, and evaluation systems that enable organizations, institutions and individuals to reduce their impacts on the natural environment.