The Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition (CACC) has announced that in 2016, its member fleets displaced nearly 26.5 million gasoline gallon equivalents of petroleum and reduced greenhouse-gas emissions by 230,000 tons – representing a 6% increase in fuel savings over 2015 and a 2% improvement in emissions.
“Our Clean Cities member fleets are going the extra mile when it comes to saving fuel and reducing emissions,” says Samantha Bingham, coordinator for the CACC. “We have fleets throughout the Chicago area using all types of green technologies, including electric, compressed natural gas, propane, hydraulic hybrid and biodiesel vehicles. Their efforts help the environment and also are providing a solid return on investment.”
Members of the CACC include commercial fleets and municipalities throughout the six-county Chicago area. The coalition announced its 2016 fleet-fuel survey results today at its annual Green Drives Conference and Expo. At the expo, more than 200 attendees learned about steps they can take to make their fleets cleaner, less reliant on petroleum and more fuel-efficient.
Companies such as the United Parcel Service, Ozinga and Alpha Baking Co. were featured for their cleaner vehicles. Overall, 40 environmentally friendly vehicles were showcased at the event, and more than 20 exhibitors featured their green fleet solutions.
“The actions of our local fleets make an impact,” says John Walton, chairman for the CACC. “When you calculate this nationally, with the efforts of other Clean Cities coalitions around the country, reductions in fuel usage and lowered emissions really add up. The trend towards using more efficient vehicles and alternative fuels continues, despite gas prices being lower than their peak.”
Members of the CACC include federal, state and local governments; auto manufacturers; dealerships; fuel suppliers; conversion companies; environmental organizations; corporations; small businesses; and individuals. These stakeholders come together to share information and resources, educate the public, help craft public policy, and collaborate on projects that reduce petroleum use.
“We admire the work of the businesses and government agencies in our region that are taking steps to ‘go green’ with their fleets,” Bingham says. “They are providing a community service by improving air quality and reducing our country’s dependence on imported petroleum.”
