All Blog Posts (208)

Long Beach Dropping the Ball: Puts future environmental gains in doubt

The purpose of the Clean Trucks Program is simple, but not as simple as Mayor Foster and President Sramek would have us believe. In their Clean Air Action Plan both the Port of Long Beach and Los Angeles state that it is critical to “deal with the well-recognized problem of heavily polluting trucks driven by underpaid drivers” and directed their staffs to bring forward a plan to result in “adequately paid drivers.” A… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on December 1, 2009 at 1:05pm — No Comments

The Question of Biodiesel in Heavy-Duty Trucks

After our recent letter writing campaign urging Governor Schwarzenegger and the California Air Resources Board to support alternative-fuels we received messages from some of our members that in some cases asked for clarification regarding which types of fuels we are advocating and in others criticized us for not promoting biodiesel. In response to the first question, at this time our advocacy efforts focus on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and electric trucks. The bulk of our efforts to this point… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on November 4, 2009 at 4:01pm — No Comments

Long Beach Settles: Appoints American Trucking Association as 5th Commissioner with Veto Power Over CTP

Ok, so not officially but pretty close. In a move widely condemned by public health and environmental groups across the country the Port of Long Beach emerged hand in hand with the American Trucking Association last week to announce it had settled a lawsuit challenging the legality of many of the core aspects of the Clean Trucks Program. The settlement threatens the long-term environmental and social sustainability of the trucking fleet and the quality of life of port impacted communities. Bot… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on October 27, 2009 at 11:05am — No Comments

Solar Stakeholder Meeting Memo

If Los Angeles is going to achieve its goals of eliminating its use of dirty coal electricity and producing 40% of our power from renewables by 2020 the city will have to make significant investments in solar power. In 2008 the Los Angeles Department of Power released its “Solar LA” plan a commitment to bring nearly 1300 MW of power onto the electric grid. Once enacted the plan will consist of three solar components: rooftop solar, large scale solar, and customer incentive programs. The… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on September 22, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Clean Truck Program Gives Boost to Local Economy

In the midst of what many are calling the Great Recession the Clean Trucks Programs at the Los Angeles and Long Beach Ports are proving that enacting effective green policies can protect the environment and benefit the economy. Since its peak in 2006, nationwide sales of commercial heavy-duty trucks have fallen by about 70 percent. In October of last year however when the ports began their trucks programs local dealerships in Southern California saw a significant upswing in sales of port drayag… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on September 8, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Congrats to 1st Beat Our Caption Winner!

photo courtesy of Carlos Mendez Congrats to Tom Sherman from Sunland, CA, for his winning caption in this month's contest for the photo above: “At last! A purse that’ll actually hold everything I need.” He won a sporty… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on August 31, 2009 at 11:00am — No Comments

Our Cheapest, Cleanest Energy

“The cheapest and cleanest source of power is the energy we never have to use.” This from a recent report that argues that the U.S. can move towards a clean, low-carbon energy economy with energy sa… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on August 27, 2009 at 1:10pm — No Comments

Regulating a Global Killer

Oceangoing vessels are silent, invisible killers that burn the dirtiest of all petroleum products—bunker fuel. Bunker fuel is the thick sludge that remains after the purest and most high quality oil has been refined into jet fuel, gasoline and plastics. It is then used to propel… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on August 26, 2009 at 11:32am — No Comments

School's Back!

Summer came and went in a flurry, and schools are soon or already open for some serious learning business. In that spirit, here are some eco-tips for back -to-school shopping and also for encouraging the clean and green in schools themselves. Shoot for Waste-free Lunches: Use lunch boxes or cloth bags instead of disposable paper bags, reusable containers for sandwiches instead of disposable plastic bags, reusable utensils instead of disposable plastic ones, reusable canteens inste… Continue

Added by Gisele on August 25, 2009 at 3:49pm — No Comments

The Little Things Add Up

We do a poor job of promoting all the little things people can do to conserve energy and instead we focus on the big, glamorous, headline making things. But doing things like installing Programmable thermostats, using energy efficient light bulbs, using a Toaster instead of an oven to heat up a meal saves a lot. Instead the press focus is on the Medical insuran… Continue

Added by Lincoln Builds on August 21, 2009 at 10:00am — 2 Comments

The Long-Term Challenge of Alt-fuel at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach

In 2006 the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach announced their Clean Trucks Programs – an initiative with a short-term overriding purpose of reducing pollution from the 16,800 heavy-duty port drayage trucks by approximately 80% over five years. The Los Angeles program also included provisions to create long-term sustainability by creating a systemic change in the structure of the port drayage industry that has been characterized by poverty level wages and old polluting and unsafe trucks. The ot… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on August 11, 2009 at 12:50pm — No Comments

Electric Vehicles to Enter Mass Production by 2012

Battery switching in electric vehicles will help make them cheaper, more efficient and more environmentally friendly than even the most fuel efficient hybrids, says a new study. Electric cars have long been characterized as very expensive and only suitable for short trips. In the last few years, however, a number of companies have launched plans to create an expanding network of battery switching stations.… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on July 22, 2009 at 1:05pm — No Comments

Health Alert: Air Pollution Harms Pregnant Women, Babies In Utero, Lowers IQ

Pregnant women exposed to air pollution from trucks, cars and other port sources have a much greater risk of delivering premature babies and developing preeclampsia, says recent research from scientists at several University of California campuses. Up until now, air pollution from trucks, cars, and other port sources have focused on asthma has been linked to respiratory illness, cancer risk rates, premature d… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on July 22, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

Communities for Clean Ports Letter to the Port of Oakland Supporting Sustainability and Workers Rights

Next Tuesday the Port of Oakland will have decide whether it will take the less traveled path - one that leads to a clean sustainable trucking fleet that promotes the cleanest technologies and affirms the right of truck drivers to good wages, benefits, and safe and healthy working conditions. If it chooses the well traveled path of allowing the trucking companies to continue pursuing profits at the expense of our health and environment then the toxic hazy hold that diesel pollution has on ou… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on July 2, 2009 at 1:42pm — No Comments

LOOKING FOR A JOB? Try the Clean Energy Economy

"The clean energy economy is poised for explosive growth" according to a recent report by The Pew Charitable Trusts. Between 1998 and 2007, the number of American jobs in the clean energy economy grew nearly two and a half times faster than traditional jobs. This outperformance of clean energy job growth over traditional jobs held true at both the national level, and also at the state level. By 2007, nationwide,… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on June 29, 2009 at 2:48pm — 4 Comments

Government $ for Clean or Dirty Energy?

The solar sector can play a key role in the nation’s economic recovery and replace dirty fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum. But for this to happen, federal, state, and local governments must create incentives, strengthen existing ones, and invest in education and job training. And, they should significantly reduce and eventually eliminate government subsidies for fossil fuels. So far it is the individual states that have done the most to promote solar. Both New Mexico and California have… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on June 29, 2009 at 2:46pm — 1 Comment

Record Growth for Solar Industry

Despite the overall troubled state of the U.S. economy, the forecast for the domestic solar industry is bright. In the last three years, installed solar capacity - spurred by advances in technology, government incentives, and tax credits - has experienced record growth. In 2008, capacity grew by a record 17 percent and analysts suggest that 2009 will see even higher growth rates. Record growth in the midst of the worst economy since the Great Depression is a testament to the viability and stren… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on June 29, 2009 at 2:43pm — No Comments

Thank You for Smoking (Diesel)

So imagine you’re a smoker who’s trying to quit. You’ve bought your nicotine gum or a patch and have joined a smoking cessation group. You’ve even been fortunate enough to take advantage of some local government programs that are helping you to pay for this treatment. You’re excited about finally kicking this dirty habit and grateful for the outside help offered by your friendly local government. Then one day a state agency shows up and says, “You know what, we’re still going to help you out bu… Continue

Added by Ryan Wiggins on June 3, 2009 at 1:53pm — No Comments

Health Alert: Who Breathes America's Dirtiest Air?

The burden of air pollution throughout the U.S. is not spread equally— low-income residents and people of color bear the brunt of this problem. So say recent findings by researchers at the University of Southern California and University of Massachusetts, Amherst who measured whether toxic pollution released by industry unequally pollutes air in communities where minority and low-income families liv… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on May 22, 2009 at 10:38am — No Comments

Get Your Green On: How to Save Gas this Summer

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of Summer Driving Season, and unfortunately, the tradition of rising seasonal gas prices. Gas prices are slowly but surely inching back up. The national average is $2.30 a gallon, jumping up 25 cents from three weeks before. And while not nearly the painful level of last summer’s over $4 a gallon, the recession has made any kind of household spending tighter. Rising gas prices are inevitable because global oil reserves are shrinking, and because our nat… Continue

Added by Mighty Green Bee on May 22, 2009 at 10:33am — No Comments