Residents, Businesses Take Part in Environmental Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 6, 2008
BRETTON WOODS, N.H.-- The Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Green Team kicked off the Mt. Washington Valley Climate Challenge, a Valley-wide initiative to reduce environmental impacts by Valley residents and businesses, at the Chamber’s 10th annual Business-to-Business Expo at the Mount Washington Resort.
The Green Team developed the Climate Challenge in partnership with the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge.
At its roots, the Valley-wide Climate Challenge allows participants to reduce their environmental impact by learning how to measure and reduce their carbon footprint, said Green Team Chairman Rob Burbank, public affairs director for the Appalachian Mountain Club.
The initiative is built around a web-based carbon footprint calculator developed by the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge.
The team’s initial goal is to involve 5 percent of Chamber-member businesses in the challenge over the next month, and 5 percent of the Mt. Washington Valley community—or approximately 500 households--over the coming year, Burbank said.
“That level of community-wide participation can result in a reduction of 5 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions in the Mt. Washington Valley,” he said.
“We wanted to find a way to encourage the Valley’s businesses and residents to make a commitment to the environment and, through simple changes in everyday behavior, make a positive, and measurable difference,” said Burbank.
Progress toward the goal will be tracked and periodically reported to the community as the Valley’s collective carbon footprint is reduced over time.
“We wanted to reduce solid waste and encourage recycling, energy conservation, and carpooling. And we wanted to be able to do it in a way that Valley residents and businesses would be able to measure their progress. And with the help of Julia Dundorf and Denise Blaha at the New Hampshire Carbon Challenge, we found that all of those little—and big—behavioral changes translate into fewer greenhouse gases being pumped into the air,” said Burbank.
Residents and operators of small business can support this community effort by taking the challenge online at www.mtwashingtonvalley.org.
The Green Team urges other businesses to encourage all-staff participation in the Mt. Washington Valley Climate Challenge.
To take the challenge, participants simply visit the website and plug in numbers pertaining to their energy usage, recycling habits, and other day-to-day activities. At the same time, they can pledge to reduce or increase those numbers, as the case may be, and they’re able to estimate their carbon footprint both before and after they take the challenge and make their pledge.
In conjunction with the Climate Challenge, local restaurants and lodging properties are encouraged to “save green by being green” and join the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association’s Sustainable Lodging and Restaurant Program, which offers recognition for businesses’ efforts to reduce their environmental impact. The program’s website can be reached via a link on the Green Team’s web page at www.mtwashingtonvalley.org.
Residents and businesses throughout the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce coverage area, which includes 22 towns in New Hampshire and four in western Maine, are eligible to participate in the Climate Challenge
The Green Team’s web page lists the following reasons to take the Mt. Washington Valley Climate Challenge: to help preserve the beauty of the Mt. Washington Valley; to enhance public health and our quality of life; to help reduce the factors that contribute to climate change; to save natural resources and to save money; to reduce air pollution; to reduce the volume of trash going to local landfills; and to support Yankee frugality.
The Mt. Washington Valley Green Team was developed by the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce to act as a catalyst to facilitate, educate, promote and encourage sustainable green business practices that will lead to positive, measurable business, community, and environmental results.
Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Janice Crawford was the catalyst behind creation of the Chamber’s Green Team and is a strong supporter of the group’s efforts.
“With this new, Valley-wide community challenge, we seek to engage Valley residents and businesses in adopting environmentally friendly practices and reducing their environmental impact,” Crawford said. “This is in alignment with the aspects of the Chamber's mission that seek to recognize and promote the natural beauty of the Mt. Washington Valley Area and to encourage economic growth consistent with maintenance of the Mt. Washington Valley Area's natural beauty and community needs for economic opportunity.”
Local business representatives seeking to become involved in other Green Team initiatives, activities, and events are encouraged to e-mail Green Team Chairman Rob Burbank at rburbank@outdoors.org.
More information on the Green Team’s work and the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce can be found at www.mtwashingtonvalley.org.
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