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Five leaders in green transport and logistics -- AT&T, PepsiCo, United Parcel Service, FedEx and Verizon -- have become charter members of a national effort to reduce use of diesel fuel and gasoline with cleaner, greener fleets.
The National Clean Fleets Partnership, an Obama Administration initiative announced last week, is a public-private venture designed to help big companies reduce fuel consumption through the use of more electric vehicles, alternative fuels and fuel-saving measures.
The charter members members operate five of the 10 largest corporate fleets in the United States. Together, the five companies are responsible for some 275,000 vehicles. Though none has a completely green fleet, all five firms have made headlines for their work in integrating electric or hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels and fuel efficiency strategies into their operations and for setting ambitious goals to reduce emissions.
As GreenBiz.com has reported, rivals FedEx and UPS are also arch-competitors in their pursuit of sustainability, particularly regarding their fleets; AT&T and Verizon have taken steps to reduce the environmental tread of their vehicles; and PepsiCo's Frito-Lay has added all-electric delivery trucks to its fleet, in addition to taking other measures.
Three of the five firms also are longtime members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's SmartWay program to help companies cut fuel consumption, costs and greenhouse gas emissions. PepsiCo, UPS and FedEx are SmartWay participants, with the two logistics firms being charter partners.
In the National Clean Fleets Partnership, the Department of Energy will provide participating companies specialized resources as well as technical expertise and support in efforts to further reduce fuel use and increase efficiency.
The new partnership is part of the DOE Vehicle Technology Program's "Clean Cities" initiative. It is also a part of President Obama's larger campaign to increase the country's energy security by reducing reliance on foreign oil. Ramping up energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption are key to the push that began when the president took office. The announcement of the Clean Fleets Partnership on Friday capped a week in which the president delivered a much-anticipated speech on energy security and his administration issued a challenge to American entrepreneurs to help bring next-gen energy technology to market.
Thank you for sharing this
Thank you for sharing this article.
I'm concerned about environmental issues, so that I personally try to keep the light off when it is unnecessary.
I believe that more and more people will switch to "ECO Cars" (battery-powered electric or hybrid vehicles) but some individuals maybe not be afford to buy a new car. Therefore, National Clean Fleets Partnership is very effective way to reduce petroleum use with cleaner fleets.
It was good to know that some big companies already decided to join this project and hope that it will spread more widely.
it was recently announced
it was recently announced that Fedex had slected Norfolk Southern Railway as their rail partner for long distance ground service. if this results in a shift off the road it will have the effect of lowering their energy useage and ghg emmissions.
Thank you for this article.
Thank you for this article.
I'm glad that these companies are making these changes, but they could be doing more.
If UPS, FED EX, the Postal Service, and all delivery trucks were converted to burn Hydrogen, they would be cleaning the air everywhere they go. Companies could be eliminating their fuel costs, not just reducing them, by using Solar, Wind, and Water to generate their own Hydrogen, and also put thin film Solar on the top of the trucks and be generating hydrogen by electrifying water, as they drive.
The air planes that ship stuff over seas could also be converted Hydrogen and be cleaning the air as well.
We need to get people and companies to stop wasting time and money on finding ways to continue to pollute ourselves, taking baby steps, and only reducing emissions. If we had more vision, and spent the same amount of money and brain power on going directly to zero and negative emission, abundant energy sources, we could fully save the planet, totally eliminate energy bills, and stop scrounging or worrying about efficiency.
Every day there is more Solar then all the Coal and Oil in the world. We will never run out of Wind. And there is unlimited Hydrogen in the oceans that are all around us. We just have to have the Vision to see it being there, and be given the tools to access the abundant energy that is all around us. Then have the spiritual will to pick up the tools that are laying at our feet and use them.
Thank you of listening and for adding theses ideas to future articles. Also if you're interested in interviewing me about my book, Ideas to Save the Planet, please email me.