First time in Montreal? The 2C1F conference is a great opportunity for
you to discover a bit more of this unique European style city in North
America. Montrealers love to share their deep passion for food, entertainment,
arts and multicultural celebrations. You can find such pleasures within
a few blocks of the hotel. For more information, visit the Tourism
Montreal website. If, by chance, you forget
few things for your stay, the Eaton center and shopping district on
Ste-Catherine Street is three blocks south of the hotel and on you
right. The closest subway (known as “metro”) station is
just around the corner (Place des Arts station - green line) and it
is the easiest way to travel wherever you want to go: the Montreal
Old port, the Olympic stadium where you can find the Biodôme and Insectarium museums and the Botanical
garden or the Jean-Talon
permanent market. Please visit www.stcum.qc.ca for more information
on how to get around the city (buses and metro) or ask the concierge
at the Delta Montreal.
Our local conservationists recommend that if you have only time for one visit it has to be the Mount-Royal Park, landscaped by Frederik Law Olmsted. It is only a few minutes walk north of the Delta Montréal and provides a magnificent view of the city. Even more fantastic is on a clear day you can also see the Monteregians, then the Adirondacks on you right and the northern Green Mountains. If you have a bite more time on your way in or out, walking through McGill University is always worth the detour.
If you are interested in carpooling or sharing accommodation and have already registered to the conference, please visit the discussion forum to post your request and find others offering to share.
Sensible Travels
In an effort to make our gathering as carbon neutral and green as possible we would like to encourage conference attendees to employ the most environmentally friendly travel options available to them to and from Montreal. Simple actions such as car-pooling from your area or picking people up along your way could really help ensure as small an environmental footprint as possible. Another option would be to take the train - we have been able to secure a 10% discount for our attendees. The train also will enable conference attendees to avoid Montreal’s notorious traffic jams. Other options are listed below as well as Internet links which offer carbon offsets possibilities. Thank you for doing your part in making our ecoregion healthier for multiple generations.
Train Travelers:
Receive a 10% discount on the best available fare
for any train travel with Via Rail between November
11th and 19th 2007 to and from Montreal
and the Atlantic Provinces. This applies to a maximum of two passengers
per booking and can be received by entering the conference
confirmation number 11154 or referring to it on the phone
when booking. Please note that in order to reserve on line and obtain
the discount, you need
to have a booking profile. Then on the "Passenger
Information screen", select "Convention fare" from the
drop down menu and enter the "Discount Code" 11154. Create
your profiles on this web site.
Please visit the website below to research and book your travel.
Via Rail: http://www.viarail.ca/
Via Rail Phone: 1 888-VIA-RAIL (1 888-842-7245)
Amtrak offers a 10% discount off the lowest available rail fare to
and from Montreal between November 11th and 19th, 2007. Conventions
cannot be booked via Internet. Please be sure to refer to Convention
Fare Code X27Q-922 when making your reservation. This
offer is not valid on the Auto Train. Fare is valid on Amtrak Regional and Acela
service for all departures seven days a week, except for holiday blackouts.
Offer valid with Sleepers, Business Class or First Class seats with
payment of the full applicable accommodation charges. Please visit
the website below for schedule information.
Amtrak: http://www.amtrak.com/
Amtrak Phone: 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245)
Air Travelers:
Air travel is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions which are increasing climate changes. Visit the link to the following documents for more information on this issue.
LINKS:
http://www.carbonneutral.com/cncalculators/flightsfaq.asp
http://www.climatecare.org/media/documents/pdf/Aviation_Emissions_&_Offsets.pdf
http://www.climatecare.org/living/calculator-data/
You can reduce your emissions by selecting other forms of transport or by selecting more direct flights - the largest portion of fuel is used in take off and landing of airplanes. If you must fly, there are several ways in which you can ensure that your emissions are mitigated by using carbon offsets.
Canadian-Based Airlines
Air Canada has partnered with ZeroFootprint,
a Toronto based organization that offers voluntary carbon offsetting
for flights.
West Jet has partnered with Offsetters.ca to engage in a very successful carbon offset program. If booking with West Jet, please be sure to book through the link at Offsetters.ca since booking directly on the West Jet website will not allow for carbon offsetting to occur.
US-Based Airlines
Delta has partnered with The Conservation
Fund for their offset program.
The Conservation Fund and GO ZERO are the major carbon offsetting
initiatives within the USA for those traveling with any American
carrier.
Continental Airlines is also in partnership with Sustainable Travel International for a carbon offset program, so please be aware of this if booking with this airline.
American Airlines does not appear to have a program in place, though they are going to do so in the future. Please inquire about this if booking with this airline or use another online offsetting program (see links below).
These programs require some initiative on the part of the customer and a small financial component to invest in organizations, activities or technologies that work to counteract the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. However, given the burden of climate change impacts and adaptation, it is definitely wise to invest in offsetting.
Car Travel:
If traveling by car, please visit The Carbon Neutral Company online, or another of your favourite carbon offsetting websites (we all should have one!), to calculate what your contribution should be to offset your carbon emissions for the trip. Visit our discussion forum to see about car-pooling and other details.
Links:
Air Canada's Carbon Offset Program
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Our Sponsor: The Nature Conservancy |