Clean Air Cab

Clean Air Cab is an Arizona-based carbon-neutral taxi service provider, and the second taxi fleet in the U.S. to use only hybrid vehicles.[1][2][3] Based in Mesa, Arizona, it serves the Phoenix area with environmentally friendly transportation service by using clean automotive technology.

Description

Background

The main goal of the operation is to be an environmentally aware business, and to take action to mitigate the damage done by pollution while providing a reliable and competitive transportation service.[4] Launched in October 2009, it is the first subsidiary company of Beyond Green, L.L.C.

Management

Clean Air Cab is managed and run with a triple bottom line philosophy. This ensures that the actions taken by the company are positively reflected in a sociological, ecological, and economical way, in turn benefiting People, Planet, and Profit...in that order, on equal levels. We do all of this to promote what we have coined as the eco-coordinated customer to business and business to business experience.

Environmental awareness

Lowering emissions

The taxi fleet consists of 29 Toyota Prius vehicles, whose hybrid design helps cut emissions by 66% compared to typical taxi fleets of Ford Crown Victorias. Only vehicles that qualify as Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, which are hybrid vehicles that work to minimize air pollution, are used. Using hybrid vehicles helps the state of Arizona do its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in compliance with the Western Climate Initiative, which is "a collaboration of independent jurisdictions who commit to work together to identify, evaluate, and implement policies to tackle climate change at a regional level."[5]

Carbon offset

In addition to lowering emissions, the company proactively helps reduce environmental damage by "[purchasing] carbon offsets and [supporting] global reforestation by subsidizing the planting of 10 rain forest trees monthly for each cab in service." The atmospheric carbon reduction partners are Trees for Tempe at the local level, and Trees for the Future and Carbonfund.org on a global level.[6] Both Trees for Tempe and Trees for the Future focus on planting trees as a major method of carbon sequestration "because trees have a huge capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere," reducing damage done by carbon emissions related to transportation.[7] Since October 19, 2009 over 15,000 trees have been planted and counting.

Involvement with Carbonfund.org helps reduce the harmful emissions resulting from transporting consumer goods in the U.S. by being a part of the funding of the Truck Stop Electrification Project. The success of this project would allow freight trucks to use truck stop electrification technology to stop the diesel fuel wasted by idling engines from adding to air pollution.[6]

Charity involvement

Portions of fares in the Susan G. Komen cab are donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

From inception Clean Air Cab has created a Community Cares Program, designed to allow patrons to donate to causes not just on token days or months, rather 24/7/365 that go toward education, health, and revitalization of the community. Since November 1, 2009 the specially wrapped "Pink Cab" donates a portion of its fares to Susan G. Komen for the Cure,.[8] Three more causes were added in 2011, In February Phoenix Children's hospital "PCH" hit the road. In April United Way was added, and in August of that same year the relationship with ASU was incarnated - awarding 2 scholarships every year to their School of Sustainability. 20% of the entire fleet of 50 cabs is devoted to this act year in and year out. In December 2009, Clean Air Cab sponsored the Pro Players Classic charity golf tournament. Clean Air Cab actively participates in the Valley Metro's Adopt-A-Station program to maintain cleanliness at light rail stations, promoting the use of environmentally friendly transportation choices.

Affiliations

Clean Air Cab is a member of both the Phoenix Green Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. It is also a member of Valley Forward, a Phoenix-based non-profit organization focusing on environmental protection and sustainability. In February 2013 Clean air Cab joined One Community and signed the Unity Pledge decreeing equality for all individuals regardless of orientation in the work place.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "All-Hybrid Taxi Fleet Debuts in Sunny Phoenix". GreenBiz. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2010-07-10.
  2. ↑ "Clean Air Cab: Carbon Offsets". Clean Air Cab. Retrieved 2011-07-14.
  3. ↑ "Phoenix Gets Hybrid Taxi Fleet · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader". Environmentalleader.com. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  4. ↑ "Phoenix Taxi | Clean Air Cab - Arizona Taxi Cab Service". Clean Air Cab. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  5. ↑ "Organization". Westernclimateinitiative.org. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  6. 1 2 "UNEP Cllimate Neutral Network - Participants - Companies - Clean Air Cab". Unep.org. 2011-02-22. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  7. ↑ "Clean Air Cab is the Valley's Only Certified Carbon Neutral Taxi Service". Cleanaircab.com. Retrieved 2012-01-26.
  8. ↑ http://www.komenphoenix.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=nsKZL3PHLtF&b=3753617&ct=7676587&notoc=1. Retrieved May 20, 2010. Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

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