GoLite Makes Strides to Reduce its Climate Impact

Boulder, Colorado, February 24, 2009 – GoLite is pleased to announce continuing progress towards reducing its climate impact. In addition to targeted greenhouse gas reduction efforts, GoLite has chosen to offset those climate impacts that cannot be eliminated through reputable renewable energy credits (RECs) and CO2 offsets purchased through NativeEnergy (www.nativeenergy.org). For 2007 and 2008, GoLite offset 100% of its estimated greenhouse gas emissions from corporate travel, office energy use at headquarters and satellite operations, shipping of all products both from suppliers as well as to retailers and customers, and all consumables (e.g. shipping materials, packaging, hang tags, catalogs, mailers, etc). GoLite intends to reach the same level of “carbon neutrality” for its 2009 operations. In 2006, GoLite offset 100% of the estimated emissions from its headquarters operations and all corporate travel. For 2010 forward, GoLite plans to offset all remaining climate impacts to achieve 100% “carbon neutrality” for all of its operations, including materials and product manufacturing.

The company is actively engaged in targeted mitigation strategies including reducing long-haul corporate flights and air-shipping of products from factories, more efficient corporate energy use, encouraging alternative transportation, increasing recycled and renewable inputs in its products, and many other efforts. It aims to reduce its actual climate impact by 30% by 2010 off its 2008 baseline greenhouse gas emission estimates.

“The best carbon offset companies, like NativeEnergy, are investing in new renewable energy projects,” said GoLite’s co-founder and Chief Environmental Officer Kim Coupounas. “We’re focused on doing our part to reduce our actual carbon emissions but we’re also investing in changing the energy infrastructure through offsets so that we can help add more renewable energy to the grid. As we contemplate shrinking glaciers, pine beetles and other climate-related changes that are directly impacting our industry, we want to be a part of the solution, not just part of the problem.”

NativeEnergy is consistently ranked at the top of third party research reports evaluating the quality and credibility of voluntary carbon offset companies. The company invests in the building of Native American, farmer-, and community based renewable energy projects that create social, economic, and environmental benefits for local communities. “Very few companies anywhere are going as far as GoLite is in seeking to mitigate their climate impacts,” said Native Energy’s business development manager, Anne Hambleton. “It’s encouraging to see this level of commitment: we wish more companies would take their responsibilities as seriously as GoLite is.”

For the past year, GoLite has worked with Five Winds International (www.fivewinds.com) to complete a comprehensive “bottom up” environmental footprint analysis in order to establish the baseline of information, including carbon impact, that are driving the company’s footprint mitigation plan. This analysis included major environmental impacts of all of GoLite’s operations from supply chain through distribution. “It’s been an honor for us to be able to work closely with a company as nimble as GoLite in their efforts to become a more sustainable company,” said Five Winds partner Dr. John Heckman. “They’re a company that is really walking its talk.” Five Winds International has been providing strategic environmental consulting services to corporations, governments, NGOs and associations since 1998. It has grown from a small environmental-management consultancy to a multidisciplinary firm serving clients throughout the world.

GoLite is also seeking to support renewable energy projects that more closely match their actual geographical impacts, including a wind farm project in Northern China, close to where many of GoLite’s factories are based. For details on the renewable energy projects GoLite has supported, as well as further details on their efforts to be a more sustainable company, please see www.golite.com.

About GoLite

GoLite is the world’s premier producer of lightweight clothing and equipment for active, outdoor sports. Environmental stewardship and social responsibility have been fundamental to GoLite’s mission and core values since its founding in 1998. GoLite is committed to minimizing its environmental footprint – to GoLite on the Planet™ - through innovation, resourcefulness and partnership. GoLite operates in 19 countries worldwide, including Hong Kong, Australia, Germany, UK, US and Canada. For more information, visit www.golite.com or call 888-5-GOLITE.