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We began the biodiesel trash truck campaign in March 2007. This is a consumer demand campaign. We got over 1,000 letters to the three trash haulers operating in Fort Collins. The fact sheet and letter writing flyer is below. The beautiful thing about this campaign is that we use the free market to create positive social change. We were able to convince Gallegos Sanitation that they could use biodiesel and market it to gain more customers and competitive advantage. As of April 2008 Gallegos is using B20 in half of their fleet. We have put this campaign on the back burner for now because biodiesel has reached a saturation point. Until algea or other new technologies (that don't require new farmland) emerge to produce biodiesel there is not much point in advocating for its use. Biodiesel Trash Trucks! Support American Farmers & Business Cleaner Air Reduce Dependence on Foreign Oil Clean Air It is estimated that in Larimer County the cancer risk from diesel soot exceeds all other air toxics combined. Some neighborhoods have 6 diesel trash and recycling trucks on their streets per week. This is the single largest source of toxic air pollution in Fort Collins. According to the U.S. EPA, biodiesel produces 80% fewer cancer causing emissions and 50% fewer asthma causing emissions than petrol-diesel. Community There are two biodiesel refiners in northern Colorado, Blue Sun and Rocky Mountain Biodiesel. They use soy and canola oil from regional farmers and recycled restaurant oil to make biodiesel. They deliver in bulk. The Poudre Valley Co-op off of I-25 and Team Petroleum on Lincoln Ave. have biodiesel pumps for fleet trucks and cars. Buying fuel from local farmers and processors keeps our fuel dollars within our community and lessens our dependence on foreign oil. Each year about 500,000 gallons of petroleum is used to haul our trash to the dump. If haulers start using B20 (20% bio, 80% petrol blend) they can cut that number by 100,000 gallons. If they use B100 (straight biodiesel) in the summer months, they can cut their total petroleum use in half. Fort Collins busses and Denver trash trucks are already using biodiesel. Gallegos (GSI) is fueling about half of their fleet of trash trucks on B20. Biodiesel Economics Biodiesel can run in any diesel engine and requires no conversion costs. Fleet managers are reporting increased fuel mileage and reduced maintenance costs with biodiesel, making it cost competitive with petroleum. So, Why Not? There appears to be two reasons why the trash haulers are not currently using biodiesel: They are afraid to try something new and their current fuel providers do not carry biodiesel. By talking to other fleet managers who are using biodiesel, trash haulers can learn about it and assuage their fear of the unknown. Being the largest users of diesel in town gives the trash companies great negotiating power. They can use this power to persuade their current suppliers to carry biodiesel, or switch to the suppliers who do. You Can Make a Difference! As customers we can influence the decisions of the trash companies. By organizing consumer demand we are showing the companies that they can increase their market share by being socially responsible. Write a one or two sentence letter to your trash company. We want to send a very simple consumer message. Say whatever you like, but please keep it simple: -If you use Gallegos (GSI), thank them for working with CSE and ask that their whole fleet use biodiesel. -If you use Rams or Waste Management, tell them, I heard that GSI is using biodiesel. Will you do the same? Mark Glorioso Ray Meyers Dan Dewaard GSI Rams Waste Waste Management P.O. Box 1986 5704 Bueno Dr. 40950 Weld Co. Rd. 25 Fort Collins, CO 80522 Fort Collins, CO 80525 Ault, CO 80610 |
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