New Initiatives for the EOG Association for Conservation

Zug, Switzerland January 2007 – As the year came to a close the deadline for the first round of EOG Association for Conservation project proposals was reached. The first funding cycle is now truly underway with quite a number of diverse and interesting proposals having been submitted.

The New Year brings the next stage, and the EOG Association for Conservation will be working hard with the proposed organisations to finalise their applications and with the board to short list those that most closely fit with the funding criteria. Once completed, a summary of each project and a voting form will be sent to each member contact of the Association. Final decisions as to which projects will receive funding rests with the membership and details are planned to be released later in the year with awards being made during OutDoor in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

Membership expands
Bever Zwerfsport of The Netherlands, and Platou Sport of Bergen in Norway have taken the lead as the first retailers to become members of the EOG Association for Conservation.

Henrik Platou of Platou Sport commented on why he considered it important to become a member of the Association, “Those of us involved in the business of the outdoors need to understand that we must engage ourselves in the fight to protect our natural environment and its biodiversity. Some may say that we do this out of self interest, but hand on heart we say that this is not just an issue for the big brands and that all sectors of the industry should be involved.”

For Bever Zwerfsport joining the Association was a way to prove their commitment to preserving the environment, CEO, Didier Maclaine Pont stated ‘It is becoming increasingly important to be committed to preserve our wonderful natural environment since the products we sell at Bever Zwerfsport are intended to be used in the unspoiled outdoors’.

Messe Friedrichshafen GmbH also became members of the EOG Association for Conservation, in addition to joining the Association they have also made a substantial donation.

Initiatives during ispo
During ispo Winter there will be several initiatives aimed at increasing the profile of the EOG Association for Conservation and raising money.

Each year during ispo Winter the Scandinavian Outdoor Group (SOG) presents it’s Scandinavian Village in Hall B6, the central focus and social highlight of which is a bar area where visitors gather to chat and enjoy Scandinavian specialities. This year the SOG will ask for a small donation for each beer served, and will kindly donate the money raised to the EOG Association for Conservation – have a beer and conserve wild areas!

The North Face
Over the last couple of years, The North Face has produced a very handy lip balm which is worn around the neck on a lanyard. This year, visitors to their stand (Stand 210 Hall B6) during ispo Winter will be asked to make a donation to the EOG Association for Conservation – protect the environment and protect your lips!

Al Gore’s inconvenient truth
What may be one of the most controversial and thought provoking movies of the decade, An Inconvenient Truth, looks at the evidence of global warming. Sounds like it may be a movie of doom and gloom, but actually it’s an inspirational look at one man’s crusade to halt global warming in its tracks by exposing the myths and misconceptions that surround it. The EOG Association for Conservation is happy to have secured permission to show the Al Gore movie during ispo Winter. Taking place on Tuesday evening in the big igloo, in the Atrium area, starting at 18.00, with the movie starting at 18.30, you will have time to enjoy a beer and still head off for dinner by 20.30. The movie will be shown free of charge, although donations to the Association will be gratefully received. The evening is sponsored by ispo and free drinks will be available – come along and make your own mind up about this powerful portrayal of ‘A Climate Warning’.


The EOG Association for Conservation – Working to protect the outdoor environment for future generations.

Notes to Editors:
The EOG Association for Conservation is an initiative from the European outdoor industry with the objective of protecting the wild areas we care so passionately about.

Independent from the European Outdoor Group it is designed to harness the incredible power of the outdoor industry and to raise money to donate to grass roots conservation groups.

The EOG Association for Conservation is funded by membership and other fund raising activities within the outdoor industry. 100% of membership funds go to the support of projects.

Membership is open to anyone that can demonstrate an involvement in the outdoor industry.

To find out more about the EOG Association for Conservation please go to www.eogconservation.org
Copies of Press Releases are available on the News and Info page of the website.

Contact:
Vanessa Knowles
Pebble International
Tel: +44 1942 886402
Email: vanessa@pebbleinternational.com