Chicago Clean Cities Fleets Reduce Petroleum Use by 25 Million Gallons in 2015
 |
NAPERVILLE, Ill., May 19, 2016 – The Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition today announced that in 2015 its member fleets saved more than 25 million gasoline-gallon equivalents (GGEs) of petroleum and 225,000 tons of greenhouse-gas emissions.
“That is the equivalent of removing 3,000 tanker trucks of gasoline from roads,” said Samantha Bingham, coordinator, Chicago Area Clean Cities (CACC). “This is an example of the success that our coalition’s member fleets are having by using alternative fuels, hybrids, and advanced technologies, which not only helps to save fuel, but also helps to reduce tailpipe emissions.”
Members of CACC include commercials fleets and municipalities throughout the six-county Chicago area. The coalition made its announcement of its 2015 fleet-fuel survey results today at its annual Green Drives Conference and Expo, at which nearly 250 attendees learned about steps they can take to make their fleets less reliant on petroleum, and be cleaner and more fuel efficient.
Companies such as Coca-Cola and Peapod were featured at the conference as examples of companies that are “going green” with their delivery vehicles in the Chicago area. More than 40 environmentally friendly vehicles were showcased at the event, and two-dozen exhibitors featured their technologies for green transportation.
The United States is 92 percent dependent on petroleum to transport our goods, services and people, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. In 2015, the U.S. imported 2.7 billion barrels of oil at a cost of $131 billion.
“All of these local actions add up,” said John Walton, vice chairman of Chicago Area Clean Cities. “The trend towards using more efficient vehicles and alternative fuels continues, despite gas prices being lower than their peak.”
Chicago Area Clean Cities is a voluntary coalition whose mission over the last 22 years has been to support local actions to improve the environmental performance and efficiency of public and private fleets in the six-county Chicago metro area. CACC’s membership is comprised of 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.
“Our coalition’s stakeholders provide a community service by improving air quality and reducing our country’s dependence on imported petroleum,” Bingham added. “We are very grateful for their participation in the coalition and for their sustainability efforts.”
About Chicago Area Clean Cities
Chicago Area Clean Cities is a nonprofit coalition focused on promoting cleaner energy for transportation and automotive fleets in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. CACC is one of more than 90 coalitions across the country that are affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, which brings together stakeholders to increase the use of alternative fuel and advanced-vehicle technologies, reduce idling, and improve fuel economy and air quality. CACC concentrates its efforts on educating businesses and municipalities in the six-county Chicago area, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. To become involved or learn more about the coalition visit www.ChicagoCleanCities.org.
