Hydro-Québec has been named as a gold sponsor of Lake Placid 2023 and will also act as the official partner of the International University Sport Federation (FISU) event’s sustainability initiative Save Winter.
Save Winter seeks to raise awareness of climate change’s impact on winter sport and encourage environmental responsibility.
“The sustainability theme of the Winter Games is Save Winter,” Serge Abergel, chief operating officer of Hydro-Québec Energy Services, said.
“As a long-time skier, I have seen first-hand the impacts of climate change on our favourite season.
“To ensure we can all enjoy Winter Games for generations to come, we need to work together to find the best and least costly clean energy solutions to transition away from fossil fuels.
“Our partnership with Save Winter is an expression of our commitment to the Organising Committee’s efforts to make these Games the greenest in FISU’s long-standing history.
“We look forward to working alongside the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games’ team on their sustainability efforts.”
Hydro-Québec manages the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the Canadian province.
Key messages in the Save Winter scheme include reducing carbon footprints, lowering and diverting waste and educating others of the climate crisis.
Lake Placid 2023 has vowed to source supplies responsibly, including giving vendors a supplier code of conduct.
Promoting diversity and inclusion also comes under the Save Winter mission, while the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World Conference is promised to examine winter sports’ relationship with climate change and sustainability.
Ashley Walden, executive director of the Adirondack Sports Council, which is the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games Organising Committee, backed Save Winter to ” set the FISU standard for protecting our planet”.
“We are thrilled to have Hydro-Québec join and support the Lake Placid 2023 FISU Games and our Save Winter initiatives, which will set the FISU standard for protecting our planet during an international winter sports competition,” Walden said.
Lake Placid 2023 is expected to welcome in excess of 2,500 student-athletes.
A total of 86 medal events in 12 disciplines are scheduled to take place in Lake Placid and New York State’s North Country region between January 12 and 22 next year.
Credit: insidethegames