Project Blue Sky Wins Coca-Cola's "Live Positively Award" at Vancouver 2010
Olympic Winter Games

Dave Calder, Olympic Silver Medalist in Rowing, Accepts Award On Behalf Of Project Blue Sky

VANCOUVER, Feb. 13 /CNW/ - The Coca-Cola Company today honored Project Blue Sky with its "Live Positively Award" at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. Coca-Cola's Live Positively Awards celebrate people who inspire others to create a more positive Canada. The Live Positively Awards grew out of Coca-Cola's commitment to make sustainability an integral part of its business operations and to develop initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance economic development. They were designed to remind us that while the Olympic Games may come and go every few years, the ideals of the Olympics - the lessons they offer and the positive inspiration they provide - never wane.

Project Blue Sky is an environmental, public engagement initiative that uses the star power of Olympic, Paralympic and other athletes to encourage everyone to reduce their carbon footprint. It is a site where you can connect with your favourite athletes, challenge your friends to greater conservation, tell your story and track your efforts to reduce your carbon emissions whether through cycling, walking, public transit or some yet-unknown ingenious way to save energy. Canadians can join the athletes and get started by visiting www.projectbluesky.ca

"We wanted to create a virtual meeting place where you can connect with your favorite athletes, challenge your friends, trade your stories and track your efforts to reduce carbon emissions in a fun and easy way," said Dave Calder of Project Blue Sky. "Climate change is a reality we must all deal with. PBS provides people with the ability to track and measure their carbon footprint so that we can all work together in preserving the environment. We're thrilled to receive this recognition from Coca-Cola for our effort to keep our planet both blue and green."

Calder, a silver medalist in rowing at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Summer Games, accepted the award on behalf of everyone involved with Project Blue Sky, including: Beckie Scott, a gold and silver medalist in cross-country skiing at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City and Torino, respectively; Stephanie Dixon, a multiple gold medalist in swimming at the Paralympic Summer Games in Sydney, Athens and Beijing; Ryan Leech, a professional trials rider; and Sam Whittingham, a multiple world-record holder on a recumbent bike.

Project Blue Sky was inspired by athletes and built by students of the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver and is supported by VANOC and Offsetters, the Official Supplier of Carbon Offsets to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. As Canada's first and leading carbon management provider, Offsetters helps individuals and companies understand, reduce, track and offset their climate impact.

"Project Blue Sky enables Canadians to do their part to build healthy, sustainable communities," said David Moran, Director of Communications, Coca-Cola Vancouver 2010 Olympic Team. "Olympians have the power to engage and inspire people around the world. Dave's effort in leveraging his participation in the Olympics to create a better, more positive world is an inspiration to us all. With the Live Positively Awards, we want to recognize leaders who are making the difference to create a more positive reality for us all. I hope everyone takes the time to learn about their efforts and signs up to do their part. If we all do a little bit, we can make a big difference."

With a focus on environmental sustainability and active living, Coca-Cola's Live Positively Awards recognize organizations and individuals who turn their passion for improving the well-being of Canadians into actions that have a positive impact in their local communities. Additional recipients will be announced throughout the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

The award is a frosted Coca-Cola bottle set in a wood shadow box, depicting the Coca-Cola emblem for Live Positively. The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games marks the third edition of the Coca-Cola Live Positively Awards. The program was inaugurated as "The Coca-Cola Award: Live Olympic" during the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games and was presented for the first time as "The Live Positively Award" during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 450 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world's most-valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other billion-dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.5 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: All accredited and unaccredited media are invited to attend the Coca-Cola Live Positively Awards ceremonies between February 13 and February 28 at 4 p.m. PST at the BCMC Media Theatre at Robson Square.

For further information: Media Contact: Mandy Dinning, Hill & Knowlton, [phone], [email protected]