Bishop Seabury Academy Offsets Carbon Impact with
Zephyr Energy Green Tags

Academy offsets science classrooms with renewable energy, using renewable sources located in Lawrence, Kansas

Lawrence, Kan. (March 9, 2007) – Bishop Seabury Academy, an independent college preparatory school has committed to offset the electricity usage of its science classrooms with Zephyr Energy™, a Green Tag mix of 50 percent wind energy from across North America and 50 percent low-impact certified hydropower from the Bowersock Mill and Power Company in Lawrence. Seabury’s purchase will support twenty-three Green Tags equal to 32,200 pounds of carbon not being emitted into the air and 23,000 kilowatt-hours of clean and renewable energy entering the power grids annually.

“Seabury prepares students to lead purpose-driven lives based on universal values such as faith, respect, service to community, and self-discipline, and we believe that ‘greening’ the classrooms sends the right message to our students and the community at large,” commented Ellen Casagrande, Head of Development and Admissions at Bishop Seabury Academy.  

The Bishop Seabury Academy school culture encourages students to think deeply about their relationship to their community and, in doing so, the natural environment in which they live. Seabury’s commitment to offset the carbon emissions from its science classrooms will allow students to reflect on their personal and their community’s carbon footprint. The Academy’s Green Tag purchase also provides students with an example of a solution to the issue of climate change.

The Zephyr Energy program is designed to allow for investment in new renewable energy projects in Kansas. A portion of all Zephyr Energy revenues will support solar power demonstration projects for schools and public buildings in the region.  The solar array projects include an informational and real-time data monitoring kiosk and teacher curriculum guides.  The first school demonstration project is planned for installation in 2007.

Green Tags offset the global warming pollution impacts of conventional electricity generation, air and ground travel. Green Tags are created when renewable energy sources – such as low-impact hydro and wind power – are substituted for energy traditionally generated by burning fossil fuels, such as coal, oil or natural gas. All of Zephyr Energy Green Tag products are independently certified by Green-e®.

About Bishop Seabury Academy
Bishop Seabury Academy provides a supportive environment in which students are encouraged to explore their potential.  Seabury provides an excellent education that requires rigorous academics while posing moral and spiritual questions.  The school’s philosophy is that character development occurs in a community that promotes self-respect, respect for others, the valuing of differences, and that students should be challenged to be intellectually curious, to explore their creativity, and to engage in athletic competition and fine arts, in order to truly fulfill their potential. Visit www.seaburyacademy.org for more information.

About Zephyr Energy™
Zephyr Energy is a Green-e certified Green Tag product offered by the nation’s leading non-profit marketer of green power products, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.  To promote new renewable power in the Midwest, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation and The Bowersock Mills and Power Co. collaborated to create a green power product derived from hydroelectric power produced at the Bowersock Dam in Lawrence, and wind power sourced from large-scale wind energy projects from across North America.  The ultimate goal is to source Zephyr Energy entirely through renewable power projects in the central states region that meet strict environmental criteria.  For more information, visit www.ZephyrEnergy.org.

About The Bowersock Mills and Power Company
The Bowersock Mills and Power Company was established in 1874, and is the oldest power producer in Northeast Kansas.  The company first provided mechanical hydropower to the City of Lawrence in 1874, and has provided a continuous supply of clean renewable energy for the growth of the city for over 100 years.  The Bowersock Dam is certified as a “low-impact” facility by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute (http://www.lowimpacthydro.org) and qualifies as a “re-powered” facility in accordance with national Green-e certification standards.  More information is available on the web at www.BowersockPower.com.

Contacts
For Bishop Seabury Academy:
Ellen Casagrande
785-832-1717
ellencasagrande@seaburyacademy.org

For Zephyr Energy:
Sarah Hill-Nelson
785-766-0884
shn@bowersockpower.com