Camilo Villegas and Fred Couples added to field for 2010 TELUS World Skins Game

Tickets for star-studded Canadian golf tradition, priced at $165 for a two-day pass, go on sale Monday, April 12

VICTORIA, March 29, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Camilo Villegas and Fred Couples have both earned victories on their respective tours earlier this month, and this summer they will be hoping to add the title of TELUS World Skins Game champion to their list of accomplishments in 2010. The two golf superstars were added to the field for this year's event today, joining Mike Weir, when it comes to Victoria, British Columbia for the first time in June. The final two players will be announced in the coming weeks.

A two-day pass for the 2010 TELUS World Skins Game is priced at $165 (plus applicable taxes), with a 50 per cent discount for children 12 and under. Tickets will go on sale to the public on Monday, April 12 at 9 a.m. (Pacific Time) and can be purchased online by visiting www.telusskins.com or by calling 1-866-60SKIN1 (1-866-607-5461).

With an incredibly strong start, Villegas has been one of the most talked about players on the PGA TOUR so far this season, and justified the accolades with an impressive five-stroke victory at The Honda Classic three weeks ago. The Colombian native won his TELUS World Skins Game debut in a playoff in 2008 but was unable to defend his championship last year due to a scheduling conflict.

"I really enjoyed my time playing in the TELUS World Skins Game in 2008, and was disappointed to not be able to defend my title last year, so I'm hoping to make up for it this summer," said Villegas. "I really enjoyed the format, the strong field the event attracts, and playing in front of the Canadian fans, so I'm excited about being invited to return. The fact that the event also does a wonderful job raising money for a local charity means a lot to all of us."

Couples, of course, is no stranger to the TELUS World Skins Game and to Canadian fans. He will be making a record tenth appearance in the event, having earned more than $1.2 Million in prize money during that time. Couples is enjoying an historic year on Tour, but this time as a rookie on the Champions Tour. In his first three starts on Tour, he has finished second followed by back to back victories, becoming only the sixth player in Champions Tour history to win two of his first three starts.

"With my early success on Tour, it's obviously a lot of fun playing golf right now, and I look forward to that continuing this summer when I come to Canada to play in the TELUS World Skins Game," said Couples. "It has been one of my favourite events to play each year, and the fact that it will be visiting Victoria for the first time will make for an exciting two days for both the players and the fans there."

The two-day event will be held on June 21 and 22, 2010 and will feature five of the top names in international golf each representing a different country. The intimate, relaxed setting of the Skins Game format allows players to engage with the cameras and the crowds as they compete against each other for pride, prize money and the event's designated charity, Janeece Place.

The TELUS World Skins Game is always a highlight of the Canadian summer sporting schedule for the country's most passionate golf fans, as well as the community that hosts it. Fulfilling its promise to 'give where we live', TELUS partners with local charitable organizations to make a difference as the event travels from coast-to-coast. Funds are generated through the 'Charity on the Course' program which includes donations made for every birdie and eagle played by the professional golfers during the two days of competition, as well as an online charity auction through eBay.

This summer's game will improve the quality of life for Vancouver Island's sick kids and their families for years to come as the money raised during the event will benefit the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children in support of Jeneece Place, a home-away-from-home to be located near the Victoria General Hospital.

"Jeneece Place is an important project that will make life easier for families during very challenging times in their lives. The TELUS team is thrilled we can help make Jeneece Edroff's dream a reality," said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO. "We're also pleased we can bring the TELUS World Skins game to Victoria during economically challenging times, when the influx of golf tourists and TV cameras will give the local economy an important hand-up."

TELUS, the Jeneece Place Foundation, the Queen Alexandra Foundation for Children and their partners have already raised more than $400,000 for this important project, jump-starting the planning and architecture work. The Jeneece Place Foundation is close to finalizing the site for the facility.

Bear Mountain Resort's Mountain Course was co-designed by Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve and opened in August 2003. In June of 2009 the new Nicklaus Design Valley Course opened, giving Bear Mountain the distinction as the only resort in Canada with 36 holes of Nicklaus Design golf. The TELUS World Skins Game will take place on the Mountain Course - a masterpiece, offering challenging terrain and spectacular natural beauty. A par 72 playing at 7,212 yards, the course takes full advantage of its setting atop a 1,100-foot mountain, exhibiting dramatic elevation changes and awe-inspiring views.

The par 71, 6,807 yard Valley Course is more forgiving and plays at a lower elevation than the Mountain Course. It alternates between 300 and 400 feet above sea level with different vistas and scenery, but is equally spectacular. Bear Mountain also features a Westin Hotel, Spa, Athletic Club, a variety of restaurants and a Village to round out the complete resort experience.

Owned and operated by IMG in Canada for 18 years, the TELUS World Skins Game has included many of the biggest names in the game including Jack Nicklaus, Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Fred Couples and Greg Norman. Additional players for the 2010 tournament will be announced in the coming weeks and regular updates will be posted on www.telusskins.com.


About IMG Sports & Entertainment


Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment's diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.


About TELUS


TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 12 million customer connections including 6.5 million wireless subscribers, 4 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 170,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video. In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 3 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company ever to receive this prestigious international recognition. For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

Be Fire-Safe While Participating in Earth Hour

Ontario Fire Marshal Strongly Recommends Use of Flashlights, Battery-Operated Lanterns & Flameless Candles

TORONTO, March 25, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - To prevent property loss and fire-related injuries, the Ontario Fire Marshal is strongly recommending that people use flashlights, battery-operated lanterns or flameless candles for light, instead of candles, during Earth Hour on March 27. On that evening, millions of Ontarians are expected to turn off their lights at 8:30 p.m. to help reduce electricity consumption and create awareness about climate change.

"While I do encourage everyone to get involved in this worthy initiative, I hope everyone will take every precaution to prevent fires while doing so," said Ontario Fire Marshal Pat Burke. "If people do choose to light candles for Earth Hour, they should test all of the smoke alarms in their homes ahead of time to ensure they are working. With an increase in candle use, there is an increased risk of fire."

If candles must be used, special care should be taken to prevent a fire:

- Use sturdy candleholders that won't tip or burn. Those with glass shades or chimneys are best.
- Keep lit candles a safe distance away from anything that can burn.
- Keep candles, matches and lighters out of the reach of children.
- Always stay in the room where candles are being used. Blow all candles out before leaving a room.
- Keep candles out of all bedrooms

It's the law in Ontario to have working smoke alarms on every storey and outside all sleeping areas of the home. Smoke alarms can provide an early warning of fire and a home fire escape plan will help ensure everyone knows what to do in a fire. Visit www.ofm.gov.on.ca to learn more about smoke alarm requirements.

Woot! Bike There Feature Added to Google Maps!

from TreeHugger.com
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California

It's about time! Google Maps has finally added a Bike There feature. They've been plugging away for awhile now on ways to get directions for cyclists that avoids hills, excessive traffic, and points you in the best directions for pedaling to your destination. After a long time of lobbying by grassroots groups (it was all the way back in 2008 that we saw the petition circulating to add the feature), we finally have a thorough set of directions for alternative transportation, rounding out the walk there and public transit features.

Google's Official Blog states,

"My team has been keeping close tabs on all the public support for biking directions that's been steadily coming in, but we knew that when we added the feature, we wanted to do it right: we wanted to include as much bike trail data as possible, provide efficient routes, allow riders to customize their trip, make use of bike lanes, calculate rider-friendly routes that avoid big hills and customize the look of the map for cycling to encourage folks to hop on their bikes. So that's exactly what we've done."

All you need to do is hit the drop down box for selecting your transportation method and select "bike there." The directions generated will direct you along the flattest route, will help you avoid the busiest intersections, and will show you when there are bike-only trails or when there are bike lanes available on the roads... read more story at TreeHugger.com

No Tan is a Safe Tan

Myths about Indoor Tanning Dispelled by Canadian Cancer Society


TORONTO, March 11, 2010 /Canada NewsWire/ - Spring is in the air, along with March Break in many parts of the country. But the Canadian Cancer Society reminds Canadians that if you're thinking of getting a "base tan" by using a tanning bed or sun lamp before going on a sunny holiday, think again.

"There's no safe way to get a tan," says Heather Chappell, Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society. "Tanned skin is damaged skin. When your skin changes colour after being exposed to ultraviolet (UV) rays, it's because your skin is trying to protect itself."

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It's also one of the most preventable.

In 2009, 5,000 Canadians were expected to be diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer and about 940 died from the disease. Melanoma incidence rates are increasing each year. Non-melanoma skin cancer is the most common form of cancer among Canadians, with 75,100 expected cases in 2009 and 270 expected deaths.

"In order to reduce your risk of skin cancer, the Society advises Canadians not to use indoor tanning equipment," says Chappell.

Myths and Facts

The indoor tanning industry has promoted false claims that tanning is safe. Here are the facts:

Myth: There is no conclusive evidence that indoor tanning causes cancer.

Fact: Yes there is. World renowned cancer research experts have determined there is a direct link between using indoor tanning equipment and skin cancer. No studies have proved otherwise. In 2009, the World Health Organization upgraded the classification of UV-emitting devices, including tanning beds, from a probable carcinogen to a known carcinogen - in other words, from something that we think probably causes cancer to something that we know causes cancer.

Myth: Indoor tanning is safe as long as you don't burn

Fact: There is no safe way to get a tan. Any type and amount of exposure to UV rays can be harmful as it is responsible for DNA damage which increases a person's cancer risk. Tanned skin is damaged skin. In fact, any use of indoor tanning equipment before the age of 35 has been found to increase the risk of melanoma by 75%.

Myth: A tan protects you from the sun.

Fact: A tan offers almost no protection from sunlight or burning. And some tanning beds can expose you to 5 times more radiation than the sun. Getting a tan from a tanning bed doesn't properly protect you from the sun.

Myth: Visiting the tanning salon is a good way to get my vitamin D.

Fact: Tanning beds are not a safe way to get your vitamin D. It is safer to get it from limited exposure to the sun, supplements and your diet. You don't need a tan to get the benefits of vitamin D. In the fall and winter, a supplement is a much safer and cheaper way to get your vitamin D.

Myth: Having a tan is healthy.

Fact: No, it's not. When your skin colour changes, it's damaged and that can lead to premature aging and skin cancer.

Our position

Because indoor tanning is especially harmful to young people, the Society believes that:

- People under the age of 18 should not be allowed by law to use indoor tanning equipment.

- Indoor tanning advertising aimed at people under the age of 18 should be banned.


To help protect all Canadians from the harm of indoor tanning, the Society also believes that:

- Federal, provincial and territorial governments should regulate the indoor tanning industry by requiring UV equipment to be registered, staff to be licensed and equipment and premises to be inspected regularly.

- UV-emitting devices should be labeled in a way that clearly explains the health risks.


To read more about indoor tanning go to: www.cancer.ca


The Canadian Cancer Society fights cancer by doing everything we can to prevent cancer, save lives and support people living with cancer. Join the fight! Go to fightback.ca to find out how you can help. When you want to know more about cancer, visit our website at cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888 939-3333.

Canada vs. USA Final Made Power Consumption Jump by Around 600 Megawatts in Ontario

from TreeHugger.com
by Michael Graham Richard, Ottawa, Canada

Cool Statistic of the Day

Who knew a hockey game could be so energy-intensive? According to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) that oversee's the power grid in Ontario and balances supply and demand, the final hockey game of the Vancouver Olympics (Canada vs USA) created a spike of about 300 megawatts in the province, with additional "similar increases" occurring during commercial breaks because at that time people usually open the fridge to get more beer, make some popcorn, flush the toilet (did you know your toilet uses power? water is pumped using electricity), etc.

The same phenomenon no doubt took place in the rest of the Canadian provinces, and to a lesser extend in the USA and other countries, and while not everybody's as crazy about hockey as Canadians, the Superbowl or World Cup have the same effect on power consumption.

"Electricity consumption dropped off shortly after 22-year-old Sidney Crosby scored the game-winning goal at 7:40 in overtime, approximately 5:40 p.m. in Ontario."

I guess that's not good for the talking heads who do endless debriefing at the end of such games... read more story at TreeHugger.com

'Behemoth' Golf Development on China's Hainan Island Will Be As Big As 1.5 Manhattans

from TreeHugger.com
by Jennifer Hattam, Istanbul, Turkey

It sounds like a story from The Onion or a goofy riff on an episode of The Simpsons: China, a country where golf was still banned 25 years ago and few people play the sport, is now building the world's largest golf club, a 22-course development that could more than cover all of Manhattan. What's hard to find funny, however, is that this development is among between 100 and 300 courses planned for a tropical island province known for its natural beauty and serenity.

"Green lawns and sand traps are now replacing ancient villages and tropical forests on Hainan Island, one of China's most pristine spots," according to Foreign Policy, which recently published a photo essay by writer Dan Washburn and photographer Ryan Pyle about golf development on the island, which the Chinese government aims to turn into a top tourism destination within the next decade.

Thousands of Villagers Displaced

The Mission Hills Group from Hong Kong is behind the controversial and secretive development that will cover as much land as 1.5 Manhattans, a project Washburn calls "a behemoth undertaking that displaced thousands of villagers." To be sure, much of the land they left behind is rocky and difficult to till -- "when it came to growing turf," Washburn writes, "the golf course developers simply dug out a nearby mountain to extract sufficient red earth for topsoil." The 50-square-mile area is not lacking in natural charms, however:

The project occupies land in a region long known as the "lung of Haikou" for its green landscape and fresh air. A Haikou-based environmental NGO was moving forward with plans to turn part of the land into a forest park when the local government suddenly pulled the plug on the two-year-old project in favor of golf.

... read more story at TreeHugger.com