Your use of the web sites on which these terms reside (collectively, the “Site”), and the features at this Site are subject to these Terms of Use, which we may update from time to time.  Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using this Site.  The Site is owned or controlled by Alliance for the Great Lakes (“Alliance”).  This Site is intended for and applicable only for residents of the United States.  If you are from another jurisdiction, you may not use this Site.  By accessing this Site in any way, including, without limitation, browsing this Site, using any information, and/or submitting information to Alliance, you agree to and are bound by the terms, conditions, policies and notices contained on this page (the “Terms”), including, but not limited to, conducting this transaction electronically, disclaimers of warranties, damage and remedy exclusions and limitations, and a choice of Illinois law.

From time to time we may update this Site and these Terms.  Your use of this Site after we post any changes to these Terms constitutes your agreement to those changes.  You agree to review these Terms periodically to ensure that you are familiar with the most recent version.  Alliance may, in its sole discretion, and at any time, discontinue this Site or any part thereof, with or without notice, or may prevent your use of this Site with or without notice to you.  You agree that you do not have any rights in this Site and that Alliance will have no liability to you if this Site is discontinued or your ability to access the Site or any content you may have posted on the Site is terminated.

Binding Arbitration

You and Alliance agree that any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to the Site, use of the Site, this Agreement and/or the Privacy Policy shall be settled by binding arbitration in a location determined by the arbitrator as set forth herein (provided that such location is reasonably convenient for you in your hometown area), or at such other location as may be mutually agreed upon by the parties, in accordance with the applicable procedural rules set forth in the then prevailing Comprehensive Arbitration Rules and Procedures of JAMS (“JAMS Rules and Procedures”), and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator(s) may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.  The JAMS Rules and Procedures are available at www.jamsadr.com or by calling (800) 352-5267. The arbitrator shall be selected pursuant to the JAMS Rules and Procedures. Alternatively, you may assert your claims in small claims court in accordance with the terms of this Agreement if your claims qualify and so long as the matter remains in such court and advances only on an individual (non-class, non-representative) basis.  The arbitrator shall apply Illinois law consistent with the Federal Arbitration Act and applicable statutes of limitations, and shall honor claims of privilege recognized at law. If you initiate arbitration against Alliance, you will not be responsible for professional fees for the arbitrator’s services or any other JAMS fees. If Alliance initiates arbitration against you, Alliance will pay for the arbitrator’s services and any other JAMS fees associated with the arbitration. If any part of this arbitration provision is deemed to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal (other than that claims will not be arbitrated on a class or representative basis), or otherwise conflicts with the rules and procedures established by JAMS, then the balance of this arbitration provision shall remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with its terms as if the invalid, unenforceable, illegal or conflicting provision were not contained herein. If, however, the portion that is deemed invalid, unenforceable or illegal is that claims will not be arbitrated on a class or representative basis, then the entirety of this arbitration provision shall be null and void, and neither claimant nor Alliance shall be entitled to arbitrate their dispute.  THE ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE IN YOUR INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT AS A PLAINTIFF OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY PURPORTED CLASS OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING. THE ARBITRATOR MAY NOT CONSOLIDATE OR JOIN THE CLAIMS OF OTHER PERSONS OR PARTIES WHO MAY BE SIMILARLY SITUATED.

BY AGREEING TO THE ARBITRATION OF DISPUTES AS SET FORTH HEREIN, YOU AGREE THAT YOU ARE WAIVING YOUR RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL AND LIMITING YOUR RIGHT TO APPEAL AND YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE WAIVING YOUR RIGHTS TO OTHER AVAILABLE RESOLUTION PROCESSES, SUCH AS A COURT ACTION.  DO NOT USE THIS SITE IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE FOREGOING BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISIONS.

Alliance Content

Content on this Site that is provided by Alliance or its licensors, including certain graphics, photographs, images, screen shots, text, digitally downloadable files, trademarks, logos, product and program names, slogans, and the compilation of the foregoing (“Alliance Content”) is the property of Alliance and its licensors, and is protected in the U.S. and internationally under trademark, copyright, and other intellectual property laws.

You agree not to download, display or use any Alliance Content located on the Site for use in any publications, in public performances, on websites other than this Site for any other commercial purpose, in connection with products or services that are not those of Alliance, in any other manner that is likely to cause confusion among consumers, that disparages or discredits Alliance and/or its licensors, that dilutes the strength of Alliance’s or its licensor’s property, or that otherwise infringes Alliance’s or its licensors’ intellectual property rights. You further agree to in no other way misuse any Alliance Content or Third Party Content that appears on this Site.

Use of the Site and Posting Policy

The following requirements apply to your use of the Site: (a) you will not use any electronic communication feature of the Site for any purpose that is unlawful, tortious, abusive, intrusive on another’s privacy, harassing, libelous, defamatory, embarrassing, obscene, threatening, or hateful; (b) you will not upload, post, reproduce, or distribute any information, software, or other material protected by copyright or any other intellectual property right (as well as rights of publicity and privacy) without first obtaining the permission of the owner of such rights; (c) you will not collect or store personal data about other users; (d) you will not use the Site for any commercial purpose not expressly approved by Alliance in writing; (e) you will not upload, post, email, or otherwise transmit any advertising or promotional materials or any other form of solicitation or unauthorized communication; (f) you will not upload, post, email, or otherwise transmit any material that contains viruses or any other computer code, files, or programs which might interrupt, limit, or interfere with the functionality of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment.

From time to time on certain areas of our Site you may be able to submit photos, written posts and certain other materials (“User Content”).  By using these features, you agree that you will not post any content that is unlawful, harmful, tortious, defamatory, libelous, obscene, invasive of the privacy of another person, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, racist, infringing, pornographic, violent or otherwise objectionable or inappropriate as determined by Alliance; that you will not post any content that contains personal information about any individual, violates the privacy/publicity of any other individual or entity, or anything that you are under a contractual obligation to keep private or confidential; that you will not impersonate any person or organization, including without limitation, the personnel of Alliance, or misrepresent an affiliation with another person or organization; you will not post any content that contains viruses, corrupted files, or any other similar software or programs that may adversely affect the operation of the Site, or feature of the Site.  You further understand and agree that you have no ownership rights in materials you submit to us, to any account you may have with us, or other access to the Site or features therein.  Alliance may cancel your account and delete all User Content associated with your account at any time, and without notice, if Alliance deems that you have violated these Terms, the law, or for any other reason.  Alliance assumes no liability for any information removed from our Site, and reserves the right to permanently restrict access to the Site or a user account.

By displaying, publishing, or otherwise posting any User Content on or through the Site, you hereby grant to Alliance a non-exclusive, sub-licensable, worldwide, fully-paid, royalty free license to use, modify, publicly perform, publicly display, reproduce, and distribute such User Content in any and all media now known or hereinafter developed without the requirement to make payment to you or to any third party or the need to seek any third party permission. This license includes the right to host, index, cache, distribute, and tag any User Content, as well as the right to sublicense User Content to third parties, including other users, for use on other media or platforms known or hereinafter developed, such as for use on mobile phones, in video or music software computer programs. You continue to retain all ownership rights in your User Content, and you continue to have the right to use your User Content in any way you choose, subject to these Terms and the license described herein.  You represent and warrant that you own the content submitted, displayed, published or posted by you on the Site and otherwise have the right to grant the license set forth herein, and the displaying, publishing or posting of any content you submit, and our use thereof does not and will not violate the privacy rights, publicity rights, copyrights, trademark rights, patents, contract rights or any other intellectual property rights or other rights of any person or entity.

You agree to indemnify and hold Alliance, its parents, subsidiaries, officers, employees, and website contractors and each of their officers, employees and agents harmless from any claims, damages and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, related to your violation of these Terms, including the Posting Policy, or any violations thereof by your dependents or which arises from the use of User Content you submitted, posted, or otherwise provided to Alliance or this Site.

Representations, and Limitations of Liability

Alliance makes no representations about the reliability of the features of this Site, the Content, User Content, or any other Site feature, and disclaims all liability in the event of any service failure. You acknowledge that any reliance on such material or systems will be at your own risk. Alliance makes no representations regarding the amount of time that any Content or User Content will be preserved.

Alliance does not endorse, verify, evaluate or guarantee any information provided by users and nothing shall be considered as an endorsement, verification or guarantee of any User Content. You shall not create or distribute information, including but not limited to advertisements, press releases or other marketing materials, or include links to any sites which contain or suggest an endorsement by Alliance without the prior review and written approval of Alliance.

THIS SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS, AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE MADE WITH RESPECT TO THIS SITE OR ANY INFORMATION OR SOFTWARE THEREIN. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE, SHALL ALLIANCE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (COLLECTIVELY, “DAMAGES”) THAT RESULT FROM THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THIS SITE, NOR SHALL ALLIANCE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER THAT RESULT FROM MISTAKES, OMISSIONS, INTERRUPTIONS, DELETION OF FILES, ERRORS, DEFECTS, DELAYS IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, OR ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE WHETHER OR NOT CAUSED BY EVENTS BEYOND ALLIANCE’S REASONABLE CONTROL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ACTS OF GOD, COMMUNICATIONS LINE FAILURE, THEFT, DESTRUCTION, OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO THIS SITE’S RECORDS, PROGRAMS, OR SERVICES. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A NEGLIGENT ACT, WILL ALLIANCE OR ITS AFFILIATES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE OF ANY KIND THAT RESULTS FROM THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE SITE, EVEN IF ALLIANCE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.  SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR OTHER DAMAGES; AS A RESULT, THE ABOVE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU AND THE FOREGOING PARAGRAPH SHALL NOT APPLY TO A RESIDENT OF NEW JERSEY TO THE EXTENT DAMAGES TO SUCH NEW JERSEY RESIDENT ARE THE RESULT OF ALLIANCE’S NEGLIGENT, FRAUDULENT OR RECKLESS ACT(S) OR INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT.

Third Party Websites

This Site may hyperlink to sites not maintained by or related to Alliance. Hyperlinks are provided as a service to users and are not sponsored by or affiliated with this Site or Alliance, and Alliance makes no representations or warranties about the content, completeness, or accuracy of those third party sites. Information you submit at a third party site accessible from this Site is subject to the terms of that site’s privacy policy, and Alliance has no control over how your information is collected, used, or otherwise handled.

Miscellaneous

Both you and Alliance acknowledge and agree that no partnership is formed and neither of you nor Alliance has the power or the authority to obligate or bind the other.

These Terms will be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Illinois without regard to conflicts of laws principles.  By using this site, you hereby agree that any and all disputes regarding these Terms will be subject to the courts located in Cook County, Illinois.  You agree that, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Site and/or these Terms, will be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.  These Terms operate to the fullest extent permissible by law.

On certain areas of our Site, you may be given the ability to provide us with personally identifiable information. Please read our Privacy Policy for more information about our information collection and use practices.

The failure of Alliance to comply with these Terms because of an act of God, war, fire, riot, terrorism, earthquake, actions of federal, state or local governmental authorities or for any other reason beyond the reasonable control of Alliance, shall not be deemed a breach of these Terms.

If Alliance fails to act with respect to your breach or anyone else’s breach on any occasion, Alliance is not waiving its right to act with respect to future or similar breaches.

If any provision of these Terms shall be unlawful, void or for any reason unenforceable, then that provision shall be deemed severable from these terms of use and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of any remaining provisions.

These Terms constitute a binding agreement between you and Alliance, and is accepted by you upon your use of the Site or your account. These Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Alliance regarding the use of the Site and your account. By using the Site you represent that you are capable of entering into a binding agreement, and that you agree to be bound by these Terms.