Rachel Beckhardt Hinchliffe: EDF+Business

This summer, 57 EDF Climate Corps fellows will develop practical, actionable energy management plans for leading companies across the United States. EDF launched Climate Corps in 2008 with seven fellows in the Bay Area, and it has grown eight-fold in just three years. We attribute the rapid expansion of the program to the value it […]

Many of us have experienced gaps between knowledge and action. We may know something in theory, but have a hard time putting it into practice. Sometimes we need a little help to take the first step. Last summer, EDF Climate Corps proved that energy efficiency is a win-win solution for businesses to cut costs, energy […]

Today, EDF announced the first 20 companies that have signed on to our Climate Corps program for summer 2010.  It’s amazing how far this program has come since we launched it two years ago. We piloted the program in 2008 with just seven MBA students placed in Bay Area companies. Those students didn’t know what […]

I recently returned from the Net Impact Conference held in Ithaca, New York.  While Ithaca might not be the first place people think of visiting in November, nor is it the easiest place to get to, 2,400 business students and professionals made the trek.  It was a powerhouse of an event, including keynotes from GE’s […]

By Rachel Hinchliffe

So maybe I'm the last to the gate here, but as I'm sitting here in my hotel room checking in to my Newark – Boston flight home, I received an option from Continental to receive a paperless boarding pass.

Now travelers who check-in to their flights ahead of time can receive a link on their cell phones or PDAs that they scan at the TSA security checkpoint and at the gate. Apparently, there are now 30 airports and 5 airlines piloting the technology.

If there are any pilot airlines or airports reading our blog, check out EDF's online Paper Calculator so you can calculate the environmental impacts of this cool new innovation. Thanks for reducing the paper waste AND my frustration when I search for that crumpled piece of paper at the bottom of my travel bag.

By Rachel Hinchliffe

Back in 2000, EDF and FedEx joined forces to develop a hybrid diesel-electric delivery truck and selected Eaton Corporation to build it. The idea was that the drive train Eaton built – which reduces fuel consumption while cutting pollution – would eventually reach economies of scale and transform the industry.

A recent GreenBiz article about Eaton suggests this market transformation is starting to happen. In addition to FedEx, Eaton’s customers now include UPS, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Purolator-Courier, Frito Lay, Verizon, AT &T, Florida Power and Light and Wal-Mart.  Eaton’s CEO, Alexander M. "Sandy" Cutler, says hybrid trucks are “…finally taking off” and “…a lot of competitors are developing around the world.”

While there are over 1,400 hybrid trucks on the road or on order in North American fleets today, Cutler says we need to get to 10,000 to achieve economies of scale. Until we reach that level, financial incentives are critical in helping fleets offset upfront costs and realizing the full environmental benefits of hybrid technology. Our hybrid truck incentives guide plugs fleet managers in to the many state, regional and federal opportunities to reduce the cost of a cleaner truck.  For example, states like New Hampshire and New York – and soon California – offer funds toward 80% of the incremental cost of a hybrid truck. There’s also a generous pot of EPA money for hybrid trucks here in New England.

Money may not grow on trees, but it’s here for the picking.

Green leasing is becoming more popular in real estate these days as building owners and tenants find themselves codependent when it comes to reducing consumption.

EDF recently enhanced one of our most popular resources for companies: PaperCalculator.org. Now fully updated with the latest scientific information, it is a robust tool for understanding how different paper choices affect the environment – whether you want to know how many trees were spared by reducing paper use, or the energy savings from choosing […]

By Rachel Hinchliffe

We are actively recruiting fleets around the country interested in buying hybrid diesel-electric trucks to take advantage of funds made available in the recently-passed Stimulus Bill.

Last year we created the Northeast Hybrid Truck Consortium to help New England fleets buy hybrid trucks, leveraging last year’s allocation of EPA Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) funds. This year's ARRA Stimulus Bill created an additional (and expanded) pot of DERA funding, and we plan to leverage our success in EPA Region 1 into a national effort to pursue DERA funds to accelerate purchases of hybrid trucks. We are currently recruiting fleets to participate and are matching them up with other fleets and/or local NGO partners to meet DERA requirements. We can also provide generic language for DERA applications and can assist fleet managers with application questions.

We're recruiting private, municipal, and non-profit fleets across the country who would like to buy a hybrid diesel electric truck (or 10 or 100!) this year. If that describes your fleet, please contact Rachel Beckhardt at 617.173.2996 for more information. (This funding is on a very short timeline so please respond by 3/31/09.)

By Rachel Hinchliffe

If you ever wondered, holding a really big check is a nice experience. Here is a photo of Gwen Ruta, VP of Corporate Partnerships, standing with Ira Leighton, acting regional administrator of EPA's New England Office, and a replica of the $400,000 award EDF received to introduce hybrid trucks to New England fleets.  It gets even better, since the EPA's $400,000 was matched by $200,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. EDF applied for the grants under the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA), and will use them to establish the Northeast Hybrid Truck Consortium.

Working with fleet managers around the region, we plan to introduce hybrid trucks that slash both greenhouse gas emissions and fuel costs — a win/win for corporate budgets, clean air, and the climate.

EDF jumpstarted the hybrid truck market with our partnership with FedEx and Eaton Corporation, which put the first commercially viable hybrid delivery trucks on the road in 2004. Since then we've built a lot of momentum — there are 37 models now on the market and over 80 fleets using them.

Today marks the first real breakthrough of hybrids in the New England market. New hybrid trucks emit over 90% less particulate matter – or "soot" – than the trucks they replace. The hybrid technology also improves fuel efficiency by about 40% over conventional trucks, saving money and helping improve energy security in America.

While hybrid trucks pay for themselves over their lifetime, their initial cost is still high because the market is developing. By concentrating purchases and leveraging federal and state funds, we can bring down the upfront cost and help hybrid truck producers develop the maintenance and marketing infrastructure they need to make hybrids a viable option for this region in the long term.

We are grateful to EPA and to DEP for recognizing the potential in this innovative technology, and look forward to putting cleaner, more efficient trucks on the road in New England.

Here's what Gwen had to say at the event (about 5 min.)

For more information, contact Rachel Beckhardt at rbeckhardt@edf.org.