Wanna Run for Renewable Energy for an Off-Grid Orca Research Lab?
Great Climate Race Participants Can Now Crowdfund Directly for Projects
Today the Great Climate Race is introducing the ability to raise funds directly for specific projects through their website. The first project announced that participants can crowdfund to support directly is for OrcaLab. OrcaLab is a world-renowned, research centre situated on a remote island off the BC coast, near Alert Bay, researching orcas and other whales for more than four decades. In 2013, OrcaLab installed a solar system to reduce dependence on gas generators. They are now taking the project further to meet almost all their energy needs using renewable energy only.
The OrcaLab solar project is being organized by E.L.S.E. (Emerging Leaders for Solar Energy) and will serve as an educational opportunity for students involved in solar energy.
“We are excited to be working with E.L.S.E. to be helping to fund the transition off diesel power for OrcaLab. Not only is this good for the climate but the cost savings for the facility can help do more good work monitoring and learning about the resident orca’s we all love” said West.
“ELSE is participating because we strongly believe that solar energy is one of the most compelling clean energy resources available to us today” said Julie Guérin co-Chair, National Board of Directors at ELSE. “Solar energy creates meaningful employment; contributes to a healthy environment; and it helps meet electricity demands or helps those who are off the grid, like the OrcaLab. We’re very happy to be supporting the Great Climate Race and working towards achieving our goal of raising an additional $16,000 to complete this project.”
ELSE members outside of Vancouver will join others from around the world in The Great Climate Race — International Virtual Race. “with chapters in four provinces, and a presence at 17 Canadian universities and we’ll have upwards of 1000 participants in the race either locally or virtually across the country” said Guérin.
The Great Climate Race, is going into its second year as a Vancouver running and walking event to raise funds for renewable energy projects. The second annual 10k and 2.5k event takes place on October 30th in Stanley Park. In the first year just under $35,000 was raised for the organizations Renewable Energy Fund. Funds have been allocated to several projects already including a partnership with Clean Energy Canada, The City of Vancouver and the North Growth Foundation to install solar panels on the paddling centre in False Creek.
“It’s hard to know what to do about climate change and many people still don’t know we have all the technology we need already to be well on our way to drastically reducing our dependence on fossil fuels” said Ben West, Co-Founder of the Great Climate Race. “We want the Great Climate Race to be a tool to empower community members to use walking and running to raise funds for clean power projects in their own neighbourhoods as well as other projects that benefit groups they care about.”
Further projects that participants can raise funds for will be announced in the weeks ahead leading up to the race. Participants will be able to raise funds before the race and then after the race using activity tracking apps on phones or watches.
