AIGA purchases farm-friendly carbon offsets from NativeEnergy

NEW YORK, March 10, 2008. AIGA is reducing the consequences of its annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by purchasing NativeEnergy offsets, which support two projects that are socially and environmentally beneficial. Through NativeEnergy’s innovative approach of bringing upfront payment to renewable projects, AIGA is able to support the Brubaker Dairy Farm in Mt. Joy, Pennsylvania, a family farm founded in 1929. The farm’s methane digester will displace electricity on the grid, keeping CO2 pollution out of the air. AIGA’s purchase will also help build a farmer-owned wind turbine, through a program NativeEnergy has developed with wind energy developers to support installation of wind turbines made available to small farmers in the Midwest.

“Clients like AIGA support the development of specific new renewable energy projects, making a difference in moving a project from drawing board to reality,” said Tom Boucher, president and CEO of NativeEnergy. “These projects are an investment in future emissions reductions that provide sustainability benefits.”

Matching the related global warming emissions with their share of the carbon reductions from these projects reduces AIGA’s impact of electricity, gas, and travel-related greenhouse gas emissions for its offices, publications and conferences. AIGA strives to offset the carbon consequences of its own national activities, as well as travel incurred by participants at national events and all events held by it s 59 chapters around the country. All publicized AIGA activities nationwide are carbon neutral.

By choosing to work with NativeEnergy, AIGA contributes to projects that help build and support renewable sources of energy that reduce global warming pollution and also create sustainable economies for Native Americans, family farmers, and local communities. For more information about NativeEnergy, visit www.nativeenergy.com.

AIGA also demonstrates a commitment to environmental responsibility through its Center for Sustainable Design, dedicated to providing designers with a wide range of information regarding sustainable business practice. AIGA offers carbon offsets to its members through CarbonCool, a unique program providing a simple and affordable approach to carbon offsetting for individuals, families, studio and travel. For more information, visit sustainability.aiga.org/carboncool.

About AIGA

AIGA, the professional association for design, is the oldest and largest membership association for design professionals engaged in the discipline, practice and culture of designing. AIGA’s mission is to advance designing as a professional craft, strategic tool and vital cultural force.

Founded in 1914, AIGA is the preeminent professional association for communication designers, broadly defined. In the past decade, designers have increasingly been involved in creating value for clients (whether public or business) through applying design thinking to complex problems, even when the outcomes may be more strategic, multidimensional and conceptual than what most would consider traditional communication design. AIGA now represents more than 22,000 designers of all disciplines through national activities and local programs developed by 59 chapters and 240 student groups.

AIGA supports the interests of professionals, educators and students who are engaged in the process of designing. The association is committed to stimulating thinking about design, demonstrating the value of design and empowering success for designers throughout the arc of their careers.

For further information, please contact:
Leah Rico
AIGA | the professional association for design
Tel 212 710 3146   Fax 212 807 1799
leah_rico [at] aiga [dot] org