NJ firefighters make red trucks green to fight global warming and fires
In Robbinsville, New Jersey, the Professional Fire Fighters Local 3786 has see the light. Used to fighting fires around town, the fire fighters have gone green to help fight global warming. Compact florescent light bulbs and and other energy saving measures were implemented at the firehouse, but the big red firetruck got an upgrade as well. Two of the fire fighters' front line emergency response vehicles, one ambulance and one large fire truck, now sport TerraPass stickers signifying that the carbon emissions from the vehicles will be offset by clean energy investments. The cost of the two stickers were $558, much higher than what it costs for your standard commuter vehicle (usually $60-100 a year). The Local says they are the first public safety entity to join the TerraPass program, although other fire trucks have gone green - like the San Francisco biodiesel engines. One reason for choosing the TerraPass method over, say, testing out some new hybrid firetruck, is that the team's ability to respond to an emergency call is the same as before. As the video says, "We still do everything we always did, we just do it better and more efficiently." Criticize offsets all you want, at least this is a start.
Check out the firefighters' Go Green promotional video after the jump. Thanks to Ed for the tip!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Wildgoosechase 5:49PM (3/10/2008)
I'm glad the New Jersey taxpayers have that kind of money to blow.
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texmln 12:32AM (3/11/2008)
Exactly. However, the stupidity of these government employees is offset by the cleverness of the people who started TerraPass. The guys at TerraPass managed to sell two 50 cent stickers to six complete idiots for $558. That's an impressive markup and proof positive that the best and brightest go into private business while the dregs of society end up as public employees.
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L3786 9:32PM (3/14/2008)
First, I wish your reading comprehension skills were better (especially since you apparently both are private business geniuses) because you would have read that the fire fighters union, local 3786, not the township or city purchased the offsets. This was a personal membership purchase to educate and motivate the public about the seriousness of global warming. Second, we wouldn’t want terrapass to give us anything more than a 50-cent sticker. We want our money to go towards renewable energy not souvenirs. Lastly, it’s sad that we need to spend energy combating pompous and arrogant attitudes based on ignorance, rather than helping to promote the understanding that carbon offsets play a short term benefit in conjunction with big changes in the way we use, produce and provide energy in this country. As usual, no good deed goes unpunished.
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