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Clean vehicles of tomorrow . . . here today
Narrator Says:
Its name pretty much says it all: Clean Vehicles Now!.
King County Executive Ron Sims, along with 20 cities, the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, and the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition and co-host, Weststart all joined together to take part in the first Clean Vehicles Now! conference at Qwest field.
So it was fitting that the conference served as a backdrop for the unveiling of a first of its kind initiative, and the effort is nothing if not ambitious.
King County Executive Ron Sims Says:
We must have everyone participating, it is not just whether king county buys green, it is not just whether the city of Seattle buys green, it is not just whether any individual jurisdiction buys green, we must all do that. So I would like to say today, that we're going to have a 'Green Fleet Initiative', it was an innovative new partnership between King County, and 20 cities and the Puget Sound Clean Air agency, and the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition.
We have produced a statement of principles describing this initiative. And our goal is for us, the cities, the county, the Puget Sound Clean Cities Coalition, the Puget Sound Air Quality Agency to move forward, and tell our citizens one thing, we're going to reduce our impact on global warming, and dog gone it we're going to have clean air to boot.
Narrator Says:
The conference was also a first for those interested in innovative green technology. Many so-called clean vehicles were on display , ranging in size from the minute to the massive.
There are the two-seaters, that have little more than enough space for passengers.
To the cargo hauling truck, able to carry as much as two tons of cargo for up to an hour, with a top speed of 50 miles an hour.
Many of the leaders at the conference got the chance to drive the vehicles around.
So while clean vehicles now is an effort to plan for the future, the tools to accomplish its goals are available right now.
King County Councilmember Larry Phillips Says:
Clean vehicle technologies that we need to reduce green house gas emissions are available today you can see them behind us they will be a part of our future. And a part of your life as we know it here in king county, we need to collaborate across local, regional, state, and federal levels on climate change solutions and across municipal lines, as embodied in this regional green fleet coalition being formed today and we look forward, of course, to their progress over the next many years of implementation.
Narrator Says:
The strategies used to help all partners get ‘plugged in’ to reducing green house gas could include specific goals, new policies, and information sharing.
King County will lead the way, as it already operates more than 150 hybrid vehicles in its motor fleet, on top of largest fleet of hybrid articulated buses.
Puget Sound Clean Air Agency Compliance Director Jim Nolan Says:
There can't be a bigger challenge in front of us than the goals that both the state and the regional leaders have set for reducing greenhouse gases. Ron talked about 80% reduction, transportation accounts for 50% of the emissions in this region, and if we don't do something about transportation we're not going to even have a chance of meeting that goal.
King County Executive Ron Sims Says:
We're going to show the rest of this country and the rest of this world that when people work together we can achieve that 80% reduction by 2050, we're undeterred, we're excited, crisis always brings about people getting focused and even though we don't see ourselves in a crisis mode we realize we'll be in one if we're indifferent, and we've made a decision to avoid by doing what we can do in this jurisdiction, we're going to be the best place in the world to live, we're going to show people what 'can do' looks like, what 'can do' acts like, and what 'can do' can accomplish.
Narrator Says:
The aim over the next several months for all agencies involved, is to establish a series of green fleet standards.
Eventually, a points system may be established by which cities would be recognized and rewarded for having greener fleets.
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