Case Studies
- In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport’s strategy for reducing carbon emissions in transportation includes simplifying how commuters move between different forms of mass transit. Read more from “A Carbon Reduction Strategy for Transport.”
- Great Britain’s ASDA retailer switched its entire truck fleet from manual to automatic transmission, changed its distribution network and took other steps to reduce the company’s fuel use.
- Jersey City, in New Jersey, the United States, has experienced a comeback through urban planning measures that include a light rail transit line. Read more at Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s report.
- Tokyo continues working to promote electric vehicles, and has designated some areas as “EV Towns” and will, among other things, work with local governments to provide both residential and public charging options for motorists. Read more from Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s report.
- In the United States, Utah’s Department of Transportation is working to provide an alternative route to the state’s most-congested freeway corridor – reducing the average afternoon commute time. Read more from ITSA’s rail transportation solutions.
- In the United Kingdom, British Telecom introduced new conference calling procedures that have dramatically reduced travel. See the results in the European Environment Agency’s report.
- In Great Britain, the city of London has established a center to minimize the number of trucks entering downtown construction sites. Read more about how consolidating supply loads is reducing CO2, and how the idea is spreading to Spain, Germany and elsewhere in the European Environment Agency’s report.
- The city of Rotterdam, in The Netherlands, has introduced a speed control measure designed to reduce emissions. Read more about how enforcing speed limits is reducing CO2 in the European Environment Agency’s report.
- GreeNYC is the public outreach arm of PlaNYC, New York City’s innovative and comprehensive sustainability plan to make New York a greener, greater city. GreeNYC serves to educate, engage and mobilize New Yorkers to rise to the challenges of reducing their energy use, living a more sustainable lifestyle, and shrinking the citywide carbon footprint — actions that are critical to achieving the overall PlaNYC goal of reducing the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent by 2030. The report reviews GreeNYC’s anti-idling campaign and its results.
- In March 2008, Denver, Colorado launched a pilot test of Driving Change. 160 City vehicles participated in the Denver pilot. Through the installation of accelerometers that connect to internal vehicle systems and the use of an Internet-based GHG management system, the Driving Change initiative allowed for the real-time measurement of a number of driving behaviors, including idling, speeding, fast stops and hard braking, which have a direct impact on fuel consumption and, in turn, greenhouse gas emissions.
- With a mission to highlight the positive impact that green driving can have on reducing GHG emissions, Ford worked to educate drivers about EcoDriving techniques. In an experiment with Phoenix-based ProFormance, 48 drivers were tested on green driving behavior. Results ranged from 6 percent fuel economy improvement to more than 50 percent, depending on their driving style and ability to master eco-driving behaviors. The effort reached out to drivers around the world to promote EcoDriving.
- In 2008, Americans saw gas prices reach all time highs. Consumers reacted by driving less, purchasing more fuel efficient vehicles or carpooling. And while automakers rushed to introduce more fuel efficient models, the reality was that for many purchasing a new vehicle wasn’t an option. Research found that many consumers were unaware that simple driving and maintenance and tips could have a significant impact on virtually every vehicles’ fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions. Since its launch in August 2008 EcoDriving has been endorsed by Governors in 19 states including. Along with these states numerous organizations have played a big role in implementing EcoDriving programs as well. A selection of US programs and results is presented in this case study.
