Shell teams up with Yellow Fish Road to make an environmental splash

CALGARY, June 3 /CNW/ - Shell Canada employees will be out in full force Saturday, June 5 helping to raise awareness about storm water pollution. Shell employees and their families, alongside Trout Unlimited volunteers, will be painting yellow fish symbols next to storm drains and distributing fish-shaped brochures to nearby households to remind people that what enters the storm drain ends up in the local water system.

"It is important for Shell to have strong relationships with the communities in which we operate," said Lorraine Mitchelmore, President and Canada Country Chair, Shell Canada Limited. "Our support for Trout Unlimited and the Yellow Fish Road program is one way we can positively contribute to and engage with the community and help protect the environment."

Shell employees will be volunteering their time at three locations across Canada, including Calgary, Fort McMurray and Sarnia.

"Storm drain pollution is caused by the individual actions of Canadians across this country," said Jeff Surtees, Trout Unlimited Canada CEO. "Shell employees are reminding Canadians that the solution to preventing this type of pollution starts in their own communities. Shell Canada's support of the Yellow Fish Road program will bring this message to dozens of communities across Canada."

Yellow Fish Road is a nation-wide environmental education program designed and managed by Trout Unlimited Canada. The Yellow Fish Road program's goal is to help Canadians understand that storm drains are the doorways to our rivers, lakes and streams. Preventing pollutants from entering our storm drains is critical to protecting and improving water quality and aquatic habitat.

Trout Unlimited is a recent recipient of a $100,000 Shell Environmental Fund Major Grant. The Shell Environmental Fund (SEF) provides financial support for grass roots, action-oriented projects that improve and protect the Canadian environment. In 2009, Shell launched the SEF major grants program. Through this program, organizations are eligible to receive up to $100,000. Shell Canada works with local communities and environmental stakeholders to identify projects that meet Shell's funding guidelines.

Shell has been operating in Canada since 1911 and employs approximately 8,000 people across the country. A leading manufacturer, distributor and marketer of refined petroleum products, Shell produces natural gas, natural gas liquids and bitumen, and is Canada's largest producer of sulphur. Shell is one of Canada's oil sands developers and operates the Athabasca Oil Sands Projects on behalf of the joint venture partners.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 100 countries with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of Liquefied Natural Gas and Gas to Liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy. For further information, visit www.shell.com.

For more information on the Shell Environmental Fund, visit www.shell.ca/sef For more information on Yellow Fish Road, visit www.yellowfishroad.org/index.html

    
    NOTE TO EDITORS:

    June 5 Event Day Schedule

    Calgary

    -   Location: Bowness Park, Site 3
    -   Time: 9:45 a.m.
    -   Opening remarks from Lorraine Mitchelmore, President and Country
        Chair, Shell Canada and Jeff Surtees, CEO of Trout Unlimited
    -   10:00 a.m. employees begin routes to paint storm drains

    Fort McMurray

    -   Location: McDonald Island
    -   Time: 10:00 a.m.
    -   Opening remarks from Trout Unlimited
    -   10:20 a.m. employees begin routes to paint storm drains

    Sarnia

    -   Location: Lochiel Kiwanis Centre
    -   Time: 2:00 p.m.
    -   Opening remarks from Trout Unlimited
    -   2:15 p.m. employees begin routes to paint storm drains
    

Backgrounder

Shell Environmental Fund

At Shell Canada, we believe that finding solutions for today's environmental problems will take the commitment and ideas of all Canadians. That means having the financial resources to turn ideas into action.

We created the Shell Environmental Fund (SEF) to help groups make a positive contribution to our environment. The Shell Environmental Fund provides financial support for grass roots, action-oriented projects that improve and protect the Canadian environment.

Shell Environmental Fund (SEF) Major Grants Program

In 2009, Shell Canada launched the SEF major grants program. Shell awarded four $100,000 grants to initiatives that repair, enhance and/or protect the environment.

Recipients of major grants must be located in areas adjacent to Shell Canada's operations/projects, and/or:

    
    -   Have a national focus
    -   Direct environmental benefit
    -   Be replicable
    -   Have a large volunteer component
    -   Capitalize on strengths of partnerships with other organizations
    

For more information on the Shell Environmental Fund, visit www.shell.ca/sef

For further information: Media Contacts: Stephen Doolan, Shell Canada Limited, Phone: [phone], Mobile: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Kristina Zimmer (Sarnia), Shell Canada Limited, Phone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Samantha James (Fort McMurray), Shell Albian Sands, Phone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Roger Kelley, Director, Conservation Outreach, Trout Unlimited Canada, Phone: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]