Warren Tanner is the first freestyle skier to go Carbon-neutral thanks to David Suzuki’s ‘Play it Cool’ program. ‘Play It Cool’ is an innovative environmental program that teams high profile summer and winter athletes concerned about global warming with the David Suzuki Foundation. These athletes are committed to making changes in their lives to reduce their climate impact, and to inspiring others to do the same.

“I think that right now, environmentalism is on everyone’s minds, but a lot of people (like myself) who care about the environment don’t know exactly what to do,” says Tanner. “That’s where Play it Cool comes in, because they offer such an easy way for athletes to take action.”

Flying, driving, and heating buildings all produce polluting carbon emissions. These emissions create a heat trapping blanket in the atmosphere, which contributes to global warming. Carbon neutral means having no net impact on the climate. The first step is reducing your own carbon consumption. Ride your bike, instead of driving, etc. Then, your remaining carbon footprint is offset by purchasing carbon offsets. Carbon offsets are simply credits for reductions in the carbon dioxide (CO2) achieved elsewhere by projects such as wind farms or solar installations.

“I have been on the Canadian team for 10 years and I have seen first hand glaciers in Europe and Canada getting smaller and smaller each year. The problem is real,” continued Tanner. “Something needs to be done, and this program is a great way for me to make a real change in my own life. It’s something I feel really good about… I think I feel that way because I know it is the right thing to do.”
For more information, please visit www.playitcool.ca.