EPCOR, Pattison Outdoor Advertising give green light to billboards

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - EPCOR will provide renewable energy certificates, known as Green Tags, to offset 20% of emissions from electricity used to light Pattison Outdoor Advertising billboards across Canada.

"Our clients are companies that lead their industries through environmental stewardship," said Joe Gysel, Vice President of Marketing with EPCOR. "The Green Tags program offers our customers a way to invest in cleaner energy sources, to reduce emissions and create demand for renewable electricity generation."

Pattison Outdoor Advertising manages more billboards than any other company in Canada. Its purchase of Green Tags under EPCOR's Environmental Stewardship program covers December 2007 plus all of 2008.

"We want to be an industry leader in demonstrating environmental responsibility," said Randy Otto, President, Pattison Outdoor Advertising.

"Our involvement in the Green Tag program illustrates our commitment to fostering clean power initiatives."

EnVest Green Tags represent energy from EcoLogo-certified renewable sources, such as wind, biomass or small hydro. EcoLogo energy is certified under Environment Canada's Environmental Choice Program, which was developed in 1988 to help identify products and services that are less harmful to the environment.

One Green Tag is equal to 1,000 kWh of energy generated from a renewable energy source. Based on estimates from Tree Canada and Natural Resources Canada, Pattison Outdoor Advertising has purchased enough Green Tags to represent the same annual emissions reduction as planting 335,790 trees or taking 672 cars off the roads.