Location

The City of Cleveland invites you to attend a roundtable on the recently introduced Idle Reduction Ordinance, which was enacted by the City of Cleveland on October 1, 2009.
 
The meeting will feature brief presentations by area experts, including: Read more »

"With the deployment of the selected idle reduction technologies (APU's, battery powered/thermal storage air conditioning), main engine idling comprised from 5 to 22 percent of total engine operating time, representing a reduction in idling of 42 to 78 percent from baseline conditions...." Read more »

Following complaints from residents of its delivery areas, online grocery company FreshDirect LLC has reached an agreement with the New York state attorney general’s office to adopt a program designed to eliminate all non-essential idling by its fleet of delivery trucks. It will also pay a $50,000 fine for violating state and city environmental laws that restrict the length of time trucks are permitted to sit with their engines running. Read more »

The New York Shipping Association (NYSA) has won an EPA Environmental Quality Award. Over the last 5 years, it has instituted changes to equipment and operations in the Port of New York and New Jersey that have resulted in a 45-percent reduction of air emissions per ton of cargo. Among the green initiatives was the institution of no-idling zones. Read more »

This graph, from the Atlantic Magazine, shows that as the number of cyclists on the road increases (the example given is NYC), the number of accidents with automobiles decreases. Read more »

In the month of June, 3 cities in Cuyahoga County passed Idle Reduction Ordinances (laws) that limit unnecessary engine idling from both light- and heavy-duty vehicles.  Our collaborative campaign (EDC, NOACA, CCACC, OEC) to reduce  emissions and concurrently save citizens & cities money, is beginning to gain steam!! Read more »

Location

Attention Fleets and Vendors:

Ohio Propane Collaborative
Stimulus Grant Application Meeting

Presented by Clean Fuels Ohio

Clean Fuels Ohio will be submitting a $15 million grant application through the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities Grant program, a portion of which will include eligible transportation related propane projects. Read more »

The City of Cleveland and a broad based coalition of organizations, including the Earth Day Coalition, are working to create an Idle Reduction Ordinance for our five county region. The City of Cleveland enacted an internal Idle Reduction Policy for city vehicles in April of 2006. Since that time, several other cities in the region have enacted similar policies. Read more »

The near future for Natural Gas (methane), which at present is a clean-burning domestic fuel,  promises a solidly sustainable fuel. 

Why?
Well, in metropolitan areas, organic matter such
as food & fecal waste is  concentrated, due to population density.  Both of these waste
streams, when decomposed without oxygen (anaerobic digestion), produce methane. This idea of
waste equals food/fuel is a premise of sustainability, astutely
outlined in William McDonough's classic, 'Cradle to Cradle'.

Currently, natural gas is quite popular in the transit and refuse sectors, due to a variety of factors, including lower cost of fuel, reduced need for engine maintenance, and drastically reduced emissions.  In the light-duty sector, the Honda Civic GX (the only OEM NatGas vehicle for purchase in the US) has been named the greenest car in America for five years running!  If the GX does not meet your needs, know that  Baytech Corporation and BAF Technologies are certified by the US EPA to perform warranted retrofits on General Motors and Ford vehicles.  Whether, OEM or retrofitted, Natural Gas Vehicles (and fuel) are currently eligible for large tax credit.  The only current issue is lack of refueling options, although for personal use, that can be remedied with the purchase of a Phil home refueling appliance, which connects into your existing natural gas line.
However, with the coming realization that we in Ohio, home of 3 major metro areas, can produce our own fuel from our own waste; plentiful refueling options are destined to be on the way!

Ohio's examples of Natural Gas from Waste:
Akron Sewage Plant >
Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio >

Natural Gas Vehicle update via Green Car Congress:

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has certified NaturalDrive Partners, LLC’s dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) retrofit of 2008 Chevrolet Impala sedans powered by 3.5-liter and 3.9-liter V6 engines in models LS, LT, LTZ, as well as law enforcement packages 9C1 and 9C3.

The retrofitted CNG Impala reduces NOx and CO emissions more than 50% compared to gasoline the gasoline versions, and offers about a 15% reduction in CO2 compared to gasoline. With the 3.5L engine, fuel economy is 19 mpgge city and 30 mpgge highway. The retrofit on the LTZ model also leverages GM’s Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) for superior fuel economy.