Imagine an affordable and robust transit system in your community. You and your neighbors can get to work and school, with fewer cars on the road. Now imagine that the buses don’t pollute our air and climate. Instead of diesel, they run on electricity, with no dirty tailpipe emissions.
Here in the Northwest, we have a major opportunity to take that next big leap from fossil fuels to clean, zero emission transportation – by switching to electric transit buses. And you can help!
Please support electric transit by giving today!
Climate Solutions and partners are currently pushing TriMet, the Portland metro region’s transit agency, to accelerate their transition to 100% clean, electric buses. TriMet is the largest purchaser of diesel fuel in Oregon. Each year, TriMet replaces up to 50 old diesel buses with more diesel buses, which they run for a decade and a half.
Our goal is to get TriMet to commit to transitioning to electric buses, stop purchasing new diesel buses by 2020, and to prioritize electric buses first in the communities most burdened by diesel and other air pollution. Using electricity rather than diesel to power TriMet buses would reduce climate pollution as much as taking 7,700 cars off the road each year, while also improving air quality.
A generous donor is matching the next $3,000 we raise until July 4th. You can double the impact of your gift by donating any amount!
With your help, last year we helped convince Washington’s King County Metro Transit to commit to the largest order of electric buses in the U.S. and to stop buying fossil fuel buses by 2019. Other agencies in the Northwest are deeply committed to the transition off dirty diesel buses – including Wenatchee’s Link Transit which led the way over ten years ago and Lane Transit District in Eugene and Josephine Community Transit, which are both bringing electric buses to their communities.
Electric buses are a road-tested solution being embraced by other transit agencies across the country. It’s time to expand electric buses throughout the Northwest, and your help is needed.
Will you help make the push needed to deliver an electric buses win for clean air and the climate?
Author Bio
Gregg brings nearly 30 years of experience working on climate, environmental, and public policy issues, including 25 as an Executive Director. At Climate Solutions, Gregg oversees a staff of more than two dozen policy experts, campaigners, innovators, and researchers across Washington and Oregon, providing strategic direction for one of the most effective regional climate and clean economy organizations in the nation. Under his leadership, Climate Solutions and our many allies have successfully passed some of the best climate policies in the United States.
Prior to coming to Climate Solutions, Gregg served as the Executive Director of the Washington Toxics Coalition for 7 years and as the Executive Director of the California-based Pesticide Watch for 5 years. During that time, he played a leadership role in creating and developing a number of leading coalitions working on environmental health issues, including the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition,Californians for Pesticide Reform, and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Bodies. At Climate Solutions, he helped to found the Washington-based Alliance for Jobs and Clean Energy and Renew Oregon.
Gregg began his professional career as an organizer for Green Corps, working in Washington, DC, Vermont, and California. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College.
When not at work, Gregg spends time with his family and raising awareness about Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that his son Jude has and that he is passionate about finding a cure for.
