Fort Fun Families

Did you know that trash and recycling trucks are the single largest source of toxic air pollution in Fort Collins?

Some neighborhoods have 8 trucks on their streets per week (I believe we have more than that in my neighborhood )!

Did you know that it is estimated that in Larimer County, the cancer risk from diesel soot exceeds all other air toxics combined?

And did you know that one simple change - that won’t cost the trash companies any more money (with everything considered - more below) - can

• give Fort Collins cleaner air
• support American farmers & business
• reduce our dependence on foreign oil

What is that one simple change, you wonder?

Switching to biodiesel!

From Biodiesel.org, biodiesel is

the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, nontoxic, and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics.

Some other interesting facts about biodiesel:

• Biodiesel is better for the environment because it is made from renewable resources and has lower emissions compared to petroleum diesel.
• It is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as fast as sugar.
• It is made in the USA from renewable resources such as soybeans (which is how its use decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy).
• It prouduces 80% fewer cancer causing emissions and 50% fewer asthma causing emissions than petrol-diesel.
• There are reports of increased fuel mileage and reduced maintenance costs.

You’d imagine that it would be a no-brainer for our local trash companies to switch to biodiesel. But it’s not. According to a flyer I received from the Community for Sustainable Energy, there are two reasons why trash companies won’t switch.

1. They are afraid to try something new
2. Their current fuel providers don’t carry biodiesel

But our local bus company, Transfort (whose buses run on either biodiesel or compressed natural gas) and the Denver trash trucks have already taken these steps and use fuel providers who do carry biodiesel.

As customers we can influence the decisions of our trash companies! By sharing our opinions on the matter with our trash companies, and organizing consumer demand, we show them that they can increase their market by being socially responsible.

If you are a customer of Gallegos, you can thank them for taking the lead and bio-fueling their fleet! From their site:

We are concerned with current environmental issues and believe in doing our part. We are constantly seeking ways to reduce emissions through improved routing and the use of bio-desiel fuel (coming soon). We offer experimental services such as curbside yard-waste collection , construction and demolition recycling, and electronic waste disposal alternatives.If you’re a customer of either Ram’s or Waste Management, let them know that you would like them to switch to biodiesel. Let them know that you are concerned for the health of your family and friends and would like to see them making a huge difference in the quality of the air that you and your family breathes.

We’re already customers of Gallegos and have sent them a letter of thanks for being on the leading edge of trash companies in Fort Collins.

If you use Ram Waste Systems, Inc. (no website) or Waste Management, you might consider contacting them to let them know how important this switch is to you and your family. If you feel drawn to do so, you might even let them know that you’re willing to switch to Gallegos because it is that important to you.