Environmental Defense Fund Spotlights Companies for Implementing Innovative Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies

(Boston — December 3, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today highlights three companies for their innovative greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction strategies that help to lessen fleet emissions. There are three million vehicles in corporate fleets. On average, each vehicle emits over 15 metric tons of carbon dioxide a year. EDF has identified Carrier, Novo Nordisk and Poland Spring as pioneers in executing innovative emission reduction best practices that corporations across America can emulate.

These distinctly different companies have implemented strategies that fit with their business needs, have encouraged employees to adopt better long-term driving habits and have resulted in real emissions reductions. 

“These corporations are setting positive examples by taking proactive steps to reduce their environmental impact and improve the efficiency of their fleets,” said Jason Mathers, corporate partnerships program manager, Environmental Defense Fund. “They demonstrate that all fleets have opportunities to reduce their emissions.” 

Highlights from the case studies include:

•Carrier, a global manufacturer with more than 40,000 employees, is a world leader in air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems. As part of Carrier’s parent company United Technologies Corp.’s promise to reduce its global GHG emissions by 12% by 2010 (from a 2006 baseline), Carrier embarked on a systematic analysis of its fleet of trucks and cars. Through a variety of strategies, including gathering data from telematics equipment and reducing vehicle weights, Carrier has reduced its fleet emissions by 30% and is saving $1 million each year in fuel costs.

•Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare company, is a world leader in the treatment of diabetes. In 2007, the company instituted a goal of reducing emissions by five percent per year, each year through 2012. By offering incentives for fuel-smart vehicle choices and training drivers to operate vehicles more efficiently, the company noticed a 24% decrease in CO₂ emissions for the first six months of 2009.

•Poland Spring water has been bottled in Maine since 1845. In part because its roots in the state are so deep, the company wants to be thought of as a good neighbor. The company uses non-food based biofuels, has reduced top speeds by two miles per hour and reduced idling time by 70% from 2007 to 2009, to further reduce its truck fleet emissions.

Case studies are available at http://edf.org/greenfleet.