May 30, 2008

Cleanest parade in America makes for a carbon-neutral event

Portland, Ore. – For the second year, the PGE/SOLV Starlight Parade will be a carbon-neutral event. Portland General Electric (PGE) is purchasing more than enough carbon offsets from the Climate Trust to offset the carbon emissions produced from this year’s Starlight Parade, Saturday, May 31. The parade kicks off at 8:30 p.m. in downtown Portland and is broadcast live at 9 p.m. on KGW Northwest News Channel 8.

The purchase will offset an estimated 240 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO₂ produced by 43 floats, plus cars, police motorcycles, garbage trucks and street sweepers as they travel the 2.5-mile route through downtown Portland. PGE has also purchased more than enough carbon offsets to cover the emissions produced by parade participants’ travel to and from the parade.  In addition, PGE will purchase carbon offsets for the KeyBank Grand Floral parade taking place on June 7.

2007 marked the tenth consecutive year that the Portland Rose Festival Association received a gold medal from the International Festival & Events Association for having the “Cleanest and Greenest Parade in America.”

This impressive designation is due in part to the tremendous involvement of more than 100 PGE and SOLV volunteers who hit the streets before every Starlight Parade to distribute bags to spectators to use as trash receptacles. After the parade, volunteers retrace their steps to gather filled bags, eliminating litter from Portland streets.

In addition, the bright lights at this year’s WaMu Waterfront Village will shine especially cleanly thanks to power supplied from wind farms in Oregon and Washington. PGE is helping the Portland Rose Festival Association with continuing to meet its commitment to environmental sustainability by buying renewable wind energy for the Waterfront Village – an estimated total of 100,000 kilowatt hours of power for the event’s 11-day run, Thursday, May 29 through Sunday, June 8.

Wind energy PGE acquires from its renewable power program for the Waterfront Village will offset the release of more than 90,000 pounds of CO₂, which is linked to global warming. That is the same as not driving more than 100,000 miles or planting 6,000 new trees. For event details, visit www.RoseFestival.org.

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