New report to become part of justice alliance's municipal election work
Edmonton — A new report released today by the University of Alberta's Parkland Institute states that Edmonton is in excellent position, and can only benefit, from putting in place a concerted plan to 'green' the city's fleet of 3,500 vehicles.
The report, entitled "Greening the Fleet: National Trends and Opportunities for the City of Edmonton," was written by former City Councilor Allan Bolstad. In it, Bolstad lays out a series of specific recommendations for how the city can follow the lead of numerous other municipalities around the world. "It's a win-win situation," says Bolstad. "Taking these steps will not only significantly reduce the city’s CO2 emissions, it also makes sense economically."
Some of the specific recommendations in the report include working with other municipalities to bulk purchase greener vehicles, closely monitoring developments in the all-electric vehicle market, and becoming a leader in the use of alternative fuels.
The report, and its findings, will be used extensively by the Greater Edmonton Alliance (GEA) in its work to engage candidates and citizens on public interest issues during the municipal election raceit will form an integral part of the organization’s overall election campaign.
"Our members will be bringing the recommendations in this report to their meetings with municipal candidates, and encouraging them to make a commitment to implementing its findings once they are elected," says GEA Organizer Michael Walters.
"One of the most promising aspects of this work," says Parkland Institute executive director Ricardo Acuña, "is that the more large institutions like cities and universities move toward bulk ordering of greener vehicles, the more affordable and available those vehicles will become to the public at large."
The report is available on-line at www.ualberta.ca/parkland or by calling the Parkland Institute at 780-492-8558.