Tucson Regional Clean Cities Coalition | A program of Pima Association of Governments | Clean Times Newsletter | 1st Quarter 2011
Clean Cities
New Member Highlight
Isabella’s Ice Cream
Rooftop
Solar
Panels
The delicious
ice cream
served up by
Isabella’s Ice
Cream owner’s
Dominic and
Kristel Johnson would draw people
on its own merit. However, the true
magic behind Isabella’s lies in the
unique truck used to deliver those
frozen treats, a carefully restored
Ford Model T modified to be a fully
electric vehicle and equipped with a
solar-powered freezer. It is certainly
amusing to see the wooden body
and spoke-wheeled truck pull up,
blaring 1920’s era swing music while
realizing that part of the future of
automotive transportation is under
its hood.
Dominic and Kristel Johnson,
the husband and wife team who
named the company for their oldest
daughter, started their business as a
“tool for positive social change.” The
friendly and inviting truck not only
strengthens community by bringing
people together, but also provides
the Johnsons with an opportunity
to demonstrate the benefits of
alternative energies. The positive
qualities of the company extend to
every aspect of the business, from
the recycled wood (old McKale
Center basketball flooring!) used
to make the truck carriage to the
100 percent natural ice cream,
biodegradable spoons and recycled
napkins. The Johnson’s commitment
to green doesn’t miss a beat. For
more information, visit www.
isabellasicecream.com.
Residential EV Fueling Charges into Tucson
March marked a milestone for electric
vehicles (EV) in Tucson with the installation
of the first residential charging station for
Tucson resident Doug Mance. To celebrate
the occasion, Clean Cities and ECOtality
hosted an event at Tucson’s El Presidio Park,
showcasing a Nissan Leaf and a replica
Blink Residential Charging Station.
Special guest speakers at the event included Tucson City Council Vice Mayor Richard
Fimbres and Elaine Ulrich, a staff member
from the Office of Congresswoman Gabrielle
Giffords. Marc Sobelman, Regional Manager for ECOtality, presented an overview of
the progress of the EV Project, the $114.8
million, public-private partnership between Blink charging stations
ECOtality and the U.S. Department of
Energy to install EV infrastructure throughout the country. The Blink Level 2 charging
stations will be installed by ECOtality free
of charge to EV Project participants who
purchased a Leaf during the initial rollout.
One of the advantages
of driving an EV is the
convenience of home
refueling. Plug in your
car overnight and, by
morning, you’re ready
for the daily commute.
But not all charging is
the same. Plugging
an EV into a typical
120-volt home electrical socket could
mean waiting nearly
22 hours for a vehicle
to reach full charge. The solution for most
Doug Mance, Joe Salkowski, Colleen Crowninshield, Marc
Sobelman, Elaine Ulrich and Beth Gorman
Doug Mance receives the region’s first
residential charging station.
homeowners will be the installation of a Level 2 charging station, running on 240 volts and wired directly into
the home electrical panel. A Level 2 charging station will
completely recharge a vehicle in approximately eight
hours. For information about EV charging, contact the
Clean Cities program at (520) 792-1093.
Coalition Members
Displace 12 Million
Gallons of Petroleum
in 2010
Tucson Regional Clean Cities Coalition members
displaced over 12 million gallons of petroleum
in 2010, helping to significantly reduce
southern Arizona’s dependence on foreign oil
consumption. By using fuels like ethanol (E85),
biodiesel, propane and natural gas, and hybrid
electric and neighborhood electric vehicles,
Coalition members kept 33,477 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into
the atmosphere. These numbers were helped
in part by idle reduction efforts by local school
districts’ bus fleets and by electrified tractor
trailer truck stops. Thank you to all of our
Coalition members for this incredible success.
Shocked by High Gas Prices?
The Chevy Volt may be the Answer!
Electric vehicles are making headlines
everywhere this year. President Obama
has called for 1 million electric vehicles
to be on the road by 2015, and many
are heralding a new dawn for electric
transportation. While electric vehicles are
catching the attention of American drivers,
many people are still unaware of the
differences in technology. Every car with a
battery is not created equal. Knowing the
difference allows drivers to pick the best
technology for them.
The Volt is a plug-in electric hybrid, which
means it is propelled by an electric motor
and batteries for approximately 35 miles,
after which a gas-powered generator kicks
with a Prius-type electric hybrid which is
propelled by a battery-assisted gas engine
or an all-electric Leaf that runs exclusively
on battery power.
Later this year, Chevrolet will introduce
the Volt to the national market, and the
company is betting that its design will
appeal to a broad segment of drivers.
The Volt’s long range will help overcome
range-anxiety, a common concern for
drivers considering a fully electric vehicle
but will still allow drivers with short
commutes to drive fully electric most of
the time.
The Volt has already garnered the
attention of the automotive industry
in to recharge the battery and carry the
vehicle for another 340 miles depending
on driving habits and environmental
conditions. This technology contrasts
winning the prestigious Motor Trend
Car of the Year for 2011. For more
information about the Volt, or to schedule
a test drive, contact O’Rielly Chevrolet at
(520) 747-8000.
Energy Independence
Days 2011
Beginning in 2006, Clean Cities’ coordinators
nationwide have made an annual journey to
Washington, D.C., for Energy Independence Days
(EID). Their mission is to educate congressional
leaders and agency officials about the benefits
of alternative fuels and how the U.S. Department
of Energy’s Clean Cities Program is bringing
those benefits to communities across the
country. Coordinators spend time talking about
infrastructure projects, potential projects
and other successes achieved with support of
government leaders and industry.
This year, Tucson Clean Cities Manager Colleen
Crowninshield traveled to Washington, D.C.,
to meet with congressional leaders and to
participate in a special Electric Vehicle Q&A
Session hosted for members of Congress and
their aides. Tucson Clean Cities also supported
the efforts of EID by providing creative assistance
with event signs and materials.
As EID grows, so does its effectiveness in
bringing the benefits of alternative fuels to the
forefront of legislative sessions. Recent bills,
such as H.R. 4853, demonstrate Washington’s
continued support for alternative fuels in the
form of incentives and tax credits. This support
benefits industry partners and individual coalition
members, all of whom are dedicated to lowering
our dependence on petroleum. EID will continue
to be an important part of the Clean Cities
program and we look forward to more successes
in the future.
New Clean Cities
Members
Clean Cities Coalition
Meeting Dates for 2011
Welcome our new members to the coalition:
All meetings are from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00
p.m. and are held in the 5th Floor Main
conference Room at 177 N. Church Ave.,
on the corner of Church and Alameda.
Saguaro
O’Rielly Chevrolet
Ryder Truck Rental
Propel Fuels
Vanguard Truck Center
Cholla
Isabella’s Ice Cream
Wednesday, July 20
Wednesday, Sept. 21
Wednesday, Nov. 16
Tucson Clean Cities Joins West Coast Collaborative to Reduce Diesel Emissions
The West Coast Collaborative is an
ambitious partnership among leaders from
federal, state and local government, the
private sector and environmental groups
committed to reducing diesel emissions
along the West Coast. Tucson Clean Cities
has partnered with the Collaborative to
bring the same diesel emission reduction
commitment to Arizona.
The potential impact of diesel reduction is
hard to overstate. Freight hauling accounts
for 20 percent of energy consumed in the
transportation sector. Trucks and trains,
together, account for 82 percent of freight
transport in the United States and consume
over 35 billion gallons of diesel fuel every
year. While freight transportation is essential
to keep our economy moving, burning diesel
releases large amounts of carbon dioxide,
nitrogen oxides and particulate matter into
the air. Diesel consumption also perpetuates
our dependence on foreign oil imports,
decreasing our national security and costing
our country close to $370 billion every year.
Two diesel emission reduction strategies the
Collaborative supports are idle reduction and
the increased use of biodiesel and liquefied
natural gas (LNG).
Of the diesel fuel consumed, it is estimated
that nearly 3 percent is lost to truck and
train idling. Simple technologies such as
direct-fired heaters, automatic engine
shutdown/start-up devices, and truck stop
electrification can significantly reduce time
spent idling, saving companies fuel costs
and maintenance while helping improve air
quality.
Outreach:
Cross Middle School
Sharing Alternative Fuel
Knowledge with the Public
Tucson Clean Cities is committed to
finding informative and fun ways
to reach the public, insuring that
knowledge about alternative fuels, new
technology and policy is distributed to
the community.
The Clean Cities program values the
importance of public outreach and
education, and central to our outreach is
the diversity of outlets Clean Cities uses
to spread the alternative fuels message.
Outreach efforts in the past quarter
include a presentation to Pima
Community College students explaining
the work of the Clean Cities program,
in-studio appearances on Simmons Car
Care radio talk show and call-in chats on
Mrs. Green’s World answering questions
about alternative fuels, and a special
panel interview discussing the Nissan
Leaf on Arizona Illustrated.
If you have questions about alternative
fuels, please contact the Tucson Clean
Cities Manager, Colleen Crowninshield,
at (520) 792-1093.
The most promising solution to diesel
emissions is to phase diesel out of use by
using alternative fuels such as biodiesel and
LNG. Biodiesel, a non-toxic, biodegradable,
renewable and domestically produced fuel, is
already in wide usage in diesel engines from
school buses to commercial freight. The fuel’s
high output to low production input energy
balance, its versatility for blended use in many
existing engines, and its significantly reduced
emissions make it a desirable alternative to
traditional diesel. LNG shares the reduced
emissions and higher energy output of
biodiesel, and it is domestically produced and
significantly less expensive than diesel in many
markets.
Tucson Clean Cities is working hard to bring
diesel emission reduction strategies to its
Coalition partners and to the region. For
information, contact Colleen Crowninshield,
Tucson Clean Cities Manager, at (520) 7921093.
On Jan. 25, Clean Cities provided Cross Middle
School students with an opportunity to learn about
alternative fuels and to see alternative fuel vehicles up
close. Clean Cities Coalition Partners Dave Clement of
CNG Services of Arizona, Jonathan Loeb of Ferrellgas,
and Dominic and Kristal Johnson of Isabella’s Ice
Cream were gracious enough to bring their CNG truck,
propane autogas truck, and fully electric antique
Model T Ford ice cream truck to the event. Mrs.
Montaño’s seventh-grade class prepared for the event
by learning about alternative energy in class and
demonstrating what they had learned by quizzing the
coalition members on the different fuels represented.
The students left with great firsthand knowledge of
alternative fuels and with some tasty ice cream, too!
Colleen Crowninshield giving a presentation on
the benefits to using alternative fuels to students
at Cross Middle School.
Sahuarita Middle School Career Day
On March 4, Clean Cities traveled to Sahuarita Middle School for Career Day. Clean Cities’ staff
member James McGinnis presented information about alternative fuels to several classes throughout
the day. Students learned about the changing energy landscape and how high petroleum prices and
the desire for a cleaner environment are driving innovation in alternative fuel production, vehicle
technology and refueling infrastructure. The students also had the opportunity to ask questions
about how alternative fuels are manufactured, how a Toyota Prius is different from a Chevy Volt, and
what kind of alternative fuel vehicle they might be driving when they turn 16. Clean Cities thanks
Sahuarita Middle School for inviting us to share in such a meaningful event. See you next year!
Tips for Greener
Driving
1. Avoid rapid acceleration and
aggressive driving. Flooring the gas
pedal consumes large amounts of
gas, burns the gas less efficiently, and
leads to drastically higher pollution
rates. One second of high-powered
driving can produce nearly the
same volume of carbon monoxide
emissions as a half hour of normal
driving.
2. Think ahead. Try to anticipate
stops and let your vehicle coast down
as much as possible. Especially in
city driving situations, avoid the
temptation to accelerate quickly if you
know you will be stopping again soon.
3. Drive within the speed limit!
Driving 75 mph instead of 65 mph will
lower your gas mileage by about 10
percent, and can dramatically increase
tailpipe emissions in many vehicles.
4. Try to avoid rush hour. Stop-andgo driving burns gas and increases
emissions of smog-forming pollutants.
5. Plan ahead and combine trips.
Engines need to be warm to work
efficiently. Warm engines and catalysts
generate much less air pollution, so
combining several short trips into one
can make a big difference.
6. Take a load off. Carrying around
an extra 100 pounds reduces gas
mileage by about 1 percent. Take a few
moments to unload your cargo area.
7. Decrease your RPM! If your
vehicle has it, use overdrive gear
at cruising speeds. When driving a
manual transmission, shift up as soon
as possible. Running in a higher gear
decreases the RPM and will decrease
fuel use and engine wear.
8. Try using the vents and opening
windows to cool off before you turn on
the air conditioner. Using a sunshade
can keep your car’s interior cooler as
well, helping your AC work faster.
Air conditioner use increases fuel
consumption, increases NOx emissions
in some vehicles, and involves
environmentally damaging fluids.
Source: greenercars.org
Clean Cities
National Spotlight
Clean Times proudly presents our national spotlight. Articles in this feature highlight the
accomplishments of our sister coalitions. Our coalitions this month both hail from Georgia. Clean
Cities Atlanta is expanding its outreach and online presence while the Middle Georgia Clean Cities
Coalition continues to improve its award-winning programs.
Clean Cities-Atlanta – Moving Forward in 2011
With the assistance of Atlanta-based
consulting firm, Centergy Group, Clean CitiesAtlanta is making its presence known in 2011.
The coalition is offering eight events this year,
including fuel specific workshops, an auto
show, and a clean alternative fuel expo at the
Georgia Environmental Conference. These
events follow the successful Advancing the
Choice Workshop and AFV Day Odyssey the
group presented in 2010.
Also included in the coalition’s new outreach
efforts is a launch of a brand new Web site to
align with CC-A’s focus on Member benefits.
The CC-A Web site now includes a vast array
of resources and links for visitors as well as
an interactive Members-Only area. The Web
site highlights DOE’s Question of the Month,
and Clean Cities News and features a social
media section where individuals can follow
CC-A on Facebook and Twitter and can find
resources for Alternative Fuel iPhone and
Droid Applications. Visit the new Web site at
CleanCitiesAtlanta.net.
Don Francis, who became executive director in
April 2009, coordinates Clean Cities-Atlanta. Francis
was employed by Georgia Power for 31 years
where he oversaw many projects, including the
Intellectual Property initiative where he focused
on the company’s electric transportation program.
After early retirement from Georgia Power, Francis
took on the challenge of Coordinator for CC-A. He is
not new to Clean Cities-Atlanta as he attended the
CC-A designation ceremony at the Georgia Dome
in 1993.
Prior to being elected as the Executive Director,
Don served on the Board of Directors and as the
Treasurer of Clean Cities-Atlanta from 2000 to
2005. He has served on many local community
and industry committees working on electric
vehicle infrastructure and market development.
He continues to be active in the electric vehicle
community and is a member of the Board of
Directors of the Electric Auto Association. He is a
member of the Society of Automotive Engineers
and has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical
engineering from General Motors Institute.
Alternative Fuel Options for the Peach State
A committed advocate on many community issues from economic development to environmental
stewardship, Charise Stephens became executive director of the award-winning Middle Georgia
Clean Cities Coalition in 2003. In 2007, she became director of a statewide initiative to bring Clean
Cities to North and South Georgia. With this growth, she is working with producers, distributors,
automakers, farmers, municipalities and other fleets to promote the use of biodiesel, compressed
natural gas, ethanol, electric, hybrids, propane and hydrogen vehicles.
In this capacity, she created the Extra Mile Awards, Drive Clean and Green Across Georgia, Middle
Georgia CAN! TV Show and Clean Cities Kids. She helped bring the first statewide Biodiesel 101
conference, Propane Road Show, Honda CNG Demonstration Project, and the first public E85 station
to Georgia.
She currently represents the Southeast on the Clean Cities Council, a Macon Magazine 5 under
40, AFP Chamberlain Scholar and is a founding board member of the new Transportation Energy
Partnership.