Just as soon as they first rolled off the assembly line, American vehicles were a symbol of freedom, a point of pride and they’ve become interminably linked with the rise of the middle class over the years. As higher fuel efficiency standards phase in — and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) moves forward with rules to cut tailpipe emissions and clean up the fuel that we put in our light- and heavy-duty vehicles — the transformation of cars from a pollution problem to a pollution solution and a trophy of clean energy innovation is nearly complete.

This week BlueGreen Alliance’s Tom Conway — our Regional Program Manager for Indiana and Illinois — testified in support of proposed Tier 3 Standards in Chicago, IL. “This investment in pollution reduction represents a significant down payment toward curbing our greenhouse gas emissions, improving efficiency and job creation,” said Conway.

The implementation costs of the Tier 3 program will be offset by savings in health costs alone, in addition to improving quality of life for all Americans. The standards enjoy broad support across industry and consumer groups. The hearings represent a culmination of progress curbing vehicle carbon pollution. Cars release approximately 333 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere annually, which is 20 percent of the world's total, according to the Environmental Defense Fund.

The second of two EPA hearings concluded the first day of Air Quality Awareness Week. America’s working families deal firsthand with the impacts of dirty air in terms of missed work and school days, increased medical costs, and long-term health effects. Despite dramatic improvements in recent decades, ozone quality grades remain in the range of ‘C’ to ‘F’ for some areas, making it clear that there is room for improvement. EPA estimates the standards could prevent between 820 and 2,400 premature deaths annually and prevent 1.8 million lost school or work days.

Beyond improving air quality, the cost of implementing the standards will be offset by savings in health costs. Also, since pollution reduction is strongly tied to fuel efficiency, in addition to direct benefits to public health, these efforts will assist in curbing greenhouse gases that are causing climate change.

American innovation — and smart policies like Tier 3 — will contribute significantly to healthier families, cleaner skies, a strong auto industry and more opportunity for workers throughout the economy. Cleaner cars and cleaner fuels are a clear win-win for America, public health and the economy.

This blog was originally posted on the Good Jobs, Green Jobs website.

The Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference has attracted big name speakers over the years, and this year was no different. Tuesday afternoon, the attendees got to hear from Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. 

“High speed rail is coming to America!” Ray LaHood declared to the audience. He also spoke of the importance of Buy America requirements and preparing our country’s infrastructure for climate change. “Construction materials for our new rail projects are coming from rail from facilities in 49 states. That’s good for our workers, good for our travelers and good for the economy. For everything we do, we have an eye on the future… America was built on big ideas and bold actions because generations before us had the courage and the foresight to invest in our future… We owe no less to our children and grandchildren.” 

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who previously received the BlueGreen Alliance’s Green Jobs Champion Award in 2009, stated the Good Jobs, Green Jobs agenda is a “great message.” She added, “There is no doubt this is our responsibility and we see it as an opportunity… Science has shown us human activities have had an effect on climate change. Your formula of good jobs, green jobs not only protects the environment, it grows the economy.”

We recently stopped by Sheet Metal Workers Local 292 in Michigan talk about how their new paint shops are making auto industry cleaner and more environmentally responsible while also cutting costs and creating jobs. Watch the video below or on YouTube and see photos from our trip on Facebook.

This blog is cross-posted from the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference blog. Save your spot at the conference today!

New numbers released by the Energy Department Monday showed more and more of the family budget is being directed to filling our gas tanks. To be exact, the Department found “gasoline expenditures in 2012 for the average U.S. household reached $2,912, or just under 4 percent of income before taxes” — the highest this particular percentage has reached in 30 years, except for 2008. The Union of Concerned Scientists also put out their own numbers, and they found vehicle owners spend almost as much on gas over the lifetime of a vehicle as they spent when the purchased the vehicle itself!

This news brings additional attention to the importance of fuel efficiency and ensuring we get those most miles per gallon. This fact is even more important, because the Energy Department determined these growing gas bills are happening despite total fuel consumption in the U.S. dropping to its lowest level since 2001— 134.2 billion gallons. 

We’ve talked about the possibilities fuel-efficient vehicles create over and over again. They create jobs — the production of light-duty vehicles that can reach 54.5 miles per gallon will create, an estimated, 570,000 jobs throughout the U.S. including 50,000 in vehicle manufacturing alone. They make us more energy independent — the gas savings that can be achieved from these cars could cut U.S. oil imports by one-third by 2030. They save consumers money — consumers will save $8,000 in fuel costs over the life of a 2025 model vehicle.

The production of fuel-efficient cars is something we have repeatedly focused on at the Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conferences. Last year, United Autoworkers President Bob King explained how these vehicles have brought back America’s auto industry when he took the stage with Junior Robinson, President of UAW Local 900 at the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, and Joe Ryan, Joint Program Coordinator at UAW Local 22 at the Hamtramck Assembly Plant.  “One of the top customer demands, thankfully, is for more fuel efficient vehicles," said King. "Company after company, factory after factory, jobs are being created today making new technology." 

The production of these fuel efficient vehicles will, once again, be a major topic at the 2013 Good Job, Green Jobs National Conference. One workshop that will be showcasing them is “American Jobs Through Oil Savings: A True Blue-Green Solution” at 10:30 on Wednesday, April 17.  This workshop will include a panel of individuals from the labor, industry and scientific research communities talking about the jobs that can be created and the state and federal policies that will be needed to keep them coming.

Make sure to save your spot at the upcoming Good Jobs, Green Jobs Conference. Early bird registration — which will save you $30 on the cost of admission — is only open until February 11, so sign up today.

The Business Council for Sustainable Energy has put out their 2013 Factbook and it’s filled with interesting analysis of the state of the clean energy sector. If you — like me — have ever wondered who were the Top 10 wind owners in the country or how much utilities spent on energy efficiency and electric load control (and, let’s face it, who hasn’t), this is the book you want. 

Some of the more interesting topline facts include: 

• Renewable energy installations hit a record high with 17-gigawatts of new capacity added in 2012. 

• Carbon pollution emissions form the energy sector were on pace last year to sink to their lowest levels since 1994. 

• Investments in smart grid topped $4 billion in America in 2012. 

• Sales of hybrid and plug-in electric vehicles reached nearly 500,000 in 2012, representing over 3 percent of passenger vehicle sales. 

After reading a good chunk of the Factbook, one thing is clear: the clean economy was strong in 2012. That’s a foundation that we can continue to build on to create good jobs and reduce the carbon pollution that is causing our world to warm. And, it’s something that we as Americans can be truly proud about.

The following post is from Erin Bzymek, Press Secretary for the BlueGreen Alliance.

As a native metro-Detroiter, I can’t help but get excited every year as the North American International Auto Show descends on the city. When the auto show arrives, so do the bright lights of the media on shiny, sleek concept cars of the future. We also have a chance to preview cars in upcoming model years. Both generate excitement from automakers and drivers alike. This year, there’s new excitement brewing on the future of cars over more and more energy efficient vehicles.

The reviews are in on this year’s lineup of vehicles at the show, and fuel efficient vehicles are hogging the spotlight. Bill Vlasic, New York Times auto reporter writes that “Two of the biggest producers, General Motors and Nissan, served notice at the annual Detroit auto show that they are in the electric-car business for the long haul.” David Unger reports for the Christian Science Monitor, “The heart of the Detroit auto show may be automotive eye-candy, but some automakers highlighted new approaches to energy use in an industry that consumes a lot of it.” This year more than ever, the message coming out of the auto show is that green is good.

Not long ago the fuel efficient, electric cars were spotlighted as the cars of the future, not the cars of today. This year, automakers have made a concerted effort to include energy-saving, fuel efficient features on every vehicle model. The Cadillac ATS, North American Car of the Year, boasts 31 miles per gallon on the highway. The newly unveiled, sharply designed Cadillac ELR, essentially a two-door Cadillac version of the Chevy Volt, adds even more smart, fuel efficient features to the mix. Outside of Cadillac, even more makes and models have fuel-saving features such as on/off eco boost fuel-saver buttons.

Over the next few years, higher fuel efficiency standards will raise the bar even higher and we’ll see more positive changes and technologies that help Americans fill up their gas tanks less often and save money. The best news is that Americans are eager to drive this new fuel efficient fleet of vehicles.  After Ford unveiled its new fuel efficient F-150 truck due out in the 2015 model year, Ford shares rose 2.2 percent to close at $14.30, the highest level in about 18 months.

America’s road to energy independence will take a lot more than higher vehicle fuel efficiency. We have however seen significant, positive changes over the past few years in terms of consumers’ willingness to buy fuel efficient vehicles and automakers’ willingness to produce them. These are changes that will drive anticipation and interest in the vehicles we’ll see coming off the assembly lines in Detroit in 2014 and beyond.  

The question is no longer “who killed the electric car?”, but “who’s driving it?” This year the answer to that question is more and American consumers are driving electric cars every day.  More efficient vehicles are driving Americans further than ever before on less and less fuel and that’s big news for our wallets, lowering fuel consumption and reducing our dependence on foreign oil.

Last year’s historic rulemaking, setting the highest fuel economy standards in a generation to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, will play a huge role in reducing transportation oil dependence. Today, news that electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 3.8 million by 2020 shows that consumers are also embracing another way to reduce our reliance on foreign energy sources.

U.S. consumers did not always see the electric car as a viable vehicle for reducing pollution and our reliance on gas. In 2000, about 9,000 of the first mass market hybrid-electric vehicles (Toyota Prius and Honda insight) were sold in their first year on the U.S. market. However, the first year plug-in electric vehicles (Chevy Volt and Nissan Leaf) were widely available, nearly twice as many (17,000) were sold. There are now nearly 40 different new plug-in models on the market. Over the last two years, plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) has grown especially rapidly, reaching more than 120,000 unit sales worldwide in 2012. At this growth rate, market share of hybrids, plug-ins and pure electric vehicles will greatly surpass expectations over the next decade, meaning the goal of 54.5mpg by 2025 might be met even sooner.

The advantages of driving an electric car, just like sales, are also growing. Electric vehicles are energy efficient, environmentally friendly and gaining in performance also. Additionally, driving range is growing exponentially; battery recharge times are decreasing and bulk, weight and battery cost are also all decreasing.

With the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, a showcase of the current fleet of vehicles and future of the industry, around the corner in January it’s doubtless that even more electric vehicles will be on display. Electric vehicles aren’t going away any time soon and trends show they could be come as ubiquitous as the gas-powered vehicle.  The cars of the future won’t be flying, as we thought they might be by now, but they will continue to be a realistic solution to reducing our reliance on foreign oil and becoming more energy independent.    

As we kick off our work in 2013, it is great to read a headline reminding us of a very important fact: America’s with us. American consumers support renewable energy, and they know it will be a big part of our future as we move to a cleaner and more efficient economy.

According to the new Energy & Environment Consumer Survey — a national survey asking 1,000 adults their opinion of several energy and environmental concepts — released by Pike Research:

• 69 percent of American consumers have a favorable opinion of solar power;
• 66 percent like wind power; and
• 54 percent of Americans support hybrid vehicles.

As we stated in a recent blog,

The great debates we’ve engaged in throughout 2012, on climate change, green jobs, renewable energy, manufacturing and transportation, have set up for some big things to come for next year… Americans and the economy are sturdy and resilient and have shown that they want to build on the progress we’ve already made.

It’s time to get to work. We need to create a national dialogue that will bring climate change to the top of the nation’s agenda. We’ve seen what climate change could bring. It’s time to move forward and build a plan for how we will create jobs by adapting to climate change, limiting our carbon pollution and investing in our infrastructure. 

It’s been a year marked by both successes and challenges. The great debates we’ve engaged in throughout 2012, on climate change, green jobs, renewable energy, manufacturing and transportation, have set up for some big things to come for next year.

We can finally point to some good news on the economy. After 32 consecutive months of private sector job growth more people are getting back to work. The comeback of the American auto industry is helping facilitate that growth. This year automakers, labor groups and environmental groups helped broker a historic agreement raising fuel efficiency to 54.5 miles per gallon for cars by 2025. This important move is projected to create up to 570,000 American jobs by 2030 by saving money on fuel and building the cars of the future here in America.

Next year we hope to see even better safeguards on vehicle pollution. A stronger “Tier 3” air quality standard will reduce pollution from transportation fuels. Combined with the 54.5 mpg program, this will help promote innovation in the automotive sector and create jobs producing cleaner fuels in America’s refining industry. 

Taking another step forward for cleaner air, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed limits to greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants and California adopted its landmark cap-and-trade law. Signatures from local unions and union groups in support of the standard representing over 240,000 union workers were gathered by the BlueGreen Alliance and sent to the EPA in support of the proposed standard. Next year this rule needs to be finalized.

This year, Hurricane Sandy caused billions in damages and devastated homes and businesses in New York and New Jersey. It was a rude awakening that revealed dangerous weaknesses in our transportation and infrastructure and also led to a call for action on climate change. Senator Barbara Boxer recently signaled willingness from Capitol Hill to act on climate change. President Obama also expressed a need to act on climate change and said it will be among his top priorities during his second term. Rumored to be the next Secretary of State, Senator Kerry’s strong record on climate change would likewise make strides in elevating this issue. Americans are truly ready for big, bold action on climate change in 2013.

Working to counter the effects of climate change, the shift over to more renewable energy is helping to diversify our energy supply and create thousands of new jobs across the country. Often-touted wind energy is enduring severe cutbacks this year as a result of the expiring Production Tax Credit. If this credit does not get extended immediately, more devastating cutbacks in direct wind industry jobs and indirect jobs in manufacturing and construction will take place. On the bright side, offshore wind shows tremendous potential to be up and running next year.  However, projects along the Atlantic Coast including a project by Fisherman’s Energy in New Jersey and the Block Island Offshore Wind Farm in Rhode Island and Cape Wind in Massachusetts are leading the way and closest to seeing turbines in the water.

This year has not been without its share of hurdles to overcome, but there’s progress even in overcoming those hurdles.  Henry Kaiser, the engineer, businessman, and entrepreneur whose shipyards in Oakland built a battleship a day in World War II, who designed and built the Hoover Dam, and who left his name on one of the largest healthcare companies in the country, once said, “Problems are just opportunities in work clothes.”

This year the track for success has been laid out on so many important issues and the conversations on the more difficult are happening now or will happen over the coming year. Americans and the economy are sturdy and resilient and have shown that they want to build on the progress we’ve already made – onto 2013!

BlueGreen Alliance Executive Director appeared on the Leslie Marshall Show Tuesday evening, providing some perspective on the election as well as the recent jobs report. He urged that we have a lot of work to do and made it clear that Congress can and must still pass a comprehensive jobs plan this year. 

Check out a clip from the interview.