(Austin, TX and Menlo Park, CA – January 16, 2007) /PRNewswire/ — uShip, Inc. (http://www.uShip.com), the first and largest online transportation services marketplace, and TerraPass (http://www.TerraPass.com), the leading US retailer of carbon offsets, are announcing a new service, the TerraPass Certified Provider Program (http://www.uship.com/terrapass). The program will enable uShip service providers to balance out the global warming impact of their shipments and market themselves as environmentally friendly to prospective customers on uShip.
The program will be the first time customers in an online marketplace will be able to differentiate among service providers based on their environmental attributes.
“Smart companies create value by riding the Green Wave and helping their customers improve their environmental performance,” said Andrew Winston, co- author of the bestselling eco-business book Green to Gold. “The TerraPass- uShip partnership lets carriers of all sizes offer a unique environmental benefit to customers, driving competitive advantage.”
uShip calculates the monthly greenhouse gas emissions, or “carbon-footprint”, of service providers enrolled in the program using the weight and distance of shipments booked on uShip. These emissions are then balanced by TerraPass through domestic wind farms, “cow-power” projects, and energy efficiency projects.
“uShip is already the most efficient way to ship because our marketplace helps carriers fill empty cargo space in their trucks,” said Matthew Chasen, CEO of uShip. “The TerraPass Certified Provider Program is another tool we provide for our community to help reduce shipping’s contribution to global warming.”
The partnership also aims to educate the uShip community about ways to reduce environmental impact while shipping.
“TerraPass is excited to embark on this innovative project,” said Tom Arnold, TerraPass’ Chief Environmental Officer (CEO). “Shipping exchanges like uShip help streamline the supply chain and make shipping more efficient. We’re excited to take the next step and balance the remaining emissions of participating providers with American clean energy projects.”
About uShip
Founded in 2003, uShip is the first and largest online marketplace for shipping services. Members list anything they need shipped, from household goods to vehicles to freight, and receive bids from thousands of feedback- rated service providers, including movers, carriers, transporters, van lines, freight brokers and independent service providers. On any given day, there are thousands of shipments listed on uShip representing millions of dollars of business. It’s totally free for members to list shipments and for service providers to place bids. uShip’s reverse-auction format and patent-pending search technology dramatically reduce shipping costs by allowing service providers to find shipments along their routes and fill empty cargo space. uShip’s feedback system holds service providers accountable for their service and rewards those that perform well.
About TerraPass
TerraPass offers a way for individuals who are concerned about global warming to balance out their own impact by funding projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. By sponsoring emissions-reducing projects such as wind farms, you can balance out your own emissions from activities such as driving, flying, home energy use. All of TerraPass’ transactions are third- party verified by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions.
Just two years old, TerraPass has grown to over 30,000 members, and has successful partnerships with Expedia and Ford Motor Company. TerraPass services, news and information are available at http://www.terrapass.com
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