First Solar-Powered Convention Bureau Website Debuts In Portland
Last month, the Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA) has become the nation’s first convention and visitors bureau (CVB) to launch a website 100 percent powered by solar energy . The local CVB’s website — http://www.travelportland.com — has transitioned to a completely solar-powered energy source The changeover was made possible by Solar Data Centers, Inc., the only company in the world using solar energy to run every aspect of its clients’ Internet operations. POVA is the first — and currently only — CVB to sign on with SDC.
Supplying a full range of web services to more than 300 clients, SDC deals primarily with companies and associations interested in environmental issues. For POVA, whose tourism slogan is “It’s not easy being green,” the switch to a clean, renewable energy source made perfect sense.
The switch to 100 percent solar power — the cost of which is nearly identical to what POVA had paid for its previous, more conventionally powered website — is the monthly equivalent of:
— 1.72 acres of forest acres NOT being cut down
— 16,286 auto miles NOT being driven
— 4.32 tons of coal NOT being burned
— 14,482 pounds of CO2 NOT being produced
POVA began shopping for a green Internet provider a few months ago. After reviewing Internet service providers using wind, sun and other alternative energy sources, POVA settled on SDC for a variety of reasons. In addition to its commitment to renewable power, SDC offered a high level of Internet security, customer support, affordability and technical expertise.
“We found that a few other CVBs were using solar power to cover a portion of the energy needed to run their websites,” said Karla Nutt, the POVA marketing manager who oversees website operations. “However, after doing a lot of research, neither we nor SDC could find any CVB websites that relied 100 percent on solar power. It’s exciting to be on the leading edge of this green movement.”
POVA is a non-profit independent association whose mission is to strengthen the region’s economy by marketing the metropolitan Portland area as a preferred destination for meetings, conventions and leisure travel.