Clean Sweep, Inc. and other fleets certified as Tennessee Green Fleets for emission reductions efforts

On Wednesday October 2, 2019, Tennessee Clean Fuels certified five new fleets for their emission reductions via the “Tennessee Green Fleets” Certification Program. The fleets including the BNA bus and shuttle operations fleet managed by ABM Aviation at the Nashville airport, Oak Ridge National Lab’s (ORNL) fleet in Oak Ridge, Waste Management’s compressed natural gas fleet operating out of Jackson, TN, the Tennessee State Parks’ fleet of electric golf carts across the state at state golf courses, and last but not least Clean Sweep, Inc.‘s fleet of propane-powered street sweepers in Chattanooga.

The fleets were recognized at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville during the fifth annual Sustainable Transportation Forum & Expo, which is managed by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and TNCleanFuels. Two of the fleets utilize CNG as their primary alternative fuel (WM, ABM Aviation), two fleets have electric vehicles in their fleet (Tennessee Golf Trail, ORNL), one uses propane autogas as its primary alternative fuel (Clean Sweep), and one fleet utilizes both of the biofuels E85 ethanol and B20 biodiesel as its primary alternative fuel (ORNL). They are an excellent representation of the diversity of alternative fuels that are used across Tennessee. Read more about each fleet below.

The Tennessee Green Fleets Certification Program was developed jointly by East and Middle-West Tennessee Clean Fuels, Tennessee’s two Department of Energy Clean Cities Coalitions, with the goal of recognizing the exemplary work of fleets who are working towards alternative fuels adoption and emissions reduction. It utilizes performance-based metrics to analyze any fleet’s vehicle and fuel-use data and compare new actions they have taken to what their footprint would have looked like without those actions.

A points-based, three-star system allows for certification at the 1-, 2- or 3-star level. The Program encompasses all fuel and technology options including biodiesel, natural gas, propane, electric, ethanol, hybrid, idle-reduction and fuel economy strategies such as car share, vanpooling, truck stop electrification, as well as non-automotive forms of transportation like bicycles and shooters. The applicant fleets that receive certification can promote their fleet’s greening efforts and include the certification status in their sustainability portfolio information.

TNGreenFleets’ five newly certified fleets prevented a combined 972.7 tons of CO2 emissions from being released into the atmosphere in 2018. That tonnage does not include the emissions reductions from the 20 fleets certified from 2016-2018.

Clean Sweep, Inc. Certified Star 1

Clean Sweep, Inc., is a stand-out example of how alternative fuels can be used in many unique applications. They run a fleet of sweeper trucks out of Chattanooga, and three of the fleet’s 10 trucks run on propane autogas (LPG). They replaced aging diesel sweepers with gasoline sweepers that were then converted to run on propane. Clean Sweep is a partner for outreach, and just finished showcasing one of their sweepers at the 2019 Southeast Diesel Collaborative meeting in that was held in September 2019 in Chattanooga. ICOM North America was their conversion partner.

2018 CO₂ reduction: 6.7 tons / year

Photo of one of Clean Sweep’s three propane-powered street and parking lot sweepers that was being shown to attendees of the 2019 Southeast Diesel Collaborative’s 14th Annual Meeting held in Chattanooga in September 2019.

Clean Sweep began their process in 2017. This included a) replacing older diesel sweepers with new gasoline-powered sweepers, then b) having those gas-powered sweepers converted to run on propane autogas. ICOM North America was the selected converter and this photo shows ICOM staff helping Clean Sweep owner Pete Phillips decide on where they would place the propane tank on a new gas sweeper.

Pete Phillips, owner of Clean Sweep, Inc. in Chattanooga (second from left), posed with ETCleanFuels and ICOM North America staff outside his facility in Chattanooga in 2017 at the beginning of the conversion process.

See Original Article at the Tennessee Clean Fuels Website.

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FALL SPECIAL EVENT SWEEPING

The months of fall and winter are packed with fun holiday celebrations. Besides amazing food and time spent with loved ones, the holidays bring parades, festivals, and special events! These special events are a wonderful opportunity for local communities to come together. With the Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner, many municipalities are finalizing their Thanksgiving parade plans. Whether for a parade or another special event, it is imperative to have a strategic cleanup plan. Here is a guide to street sweeping for special events:

Make Plans

If you have not already planned for your post-event cleanup, you should act now. After investing countless weeks to prepare for parades and festivals themselves, you shouldn't leave the cleanup phase as an afterthought. Clean Sweep can help you tackle any excess confetti, litter, and miscellaneous debris that dirty the streets after a community event.

Environmental Concerns

It is important to maintain clean streets and lots in a community for aesthetic and environmental purposes. Special events produce a significant amount of debris due to high attendance rates. After a large event, significantly more cleaning is needed than a small group of volunteers  with buckets and pickers can address. Street sweeping is an efficient method of special event cleanup. With minimal time investment, the streets of your community will be back in tidy order, and free of litter and debris that can harm animals or find its way into stormwater. 

Plan For Post Event Traffic

With all the fjoy of holiday events also comes the headache of traffic. Parades are wonderful while they are occurring, but as the last group of marchers passes, attendees become anxious to get on the road home before everyone else. It is important to coordinate with local authorities and the highway department to determine alternate routes for before, during, and after the parade, especially when making plans for post-event street and lot sweeping.

Don't Be Afraid To Ask

Do you still have questions about scheduling special event street sweeping services? If you want to know how long it takes, what type of equipment is used, or the best time frame for the services to occur, it is best to call us directly to get the most accurate information.

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Each year it becomes more and more evident that street sweeping is a vital service for a myriad of industries, from property management to construction. Street sweeping is a dynamic solution to concerns for aesthetics, safety, cleanliness, and the environment. With all the benefits in mind, it’s no wonder that organizations consider street sweeping an important component of their annual budget. Here are the top three reasons to hire a street sweeper:

INCREASED DESIRE FOR CURB APPEAL FROM SHOPPERS AND RESIDENTS:
It’s no secret that people expect the best from their shopping and living experiences. With an increased use of reviews to praise and criticize businesses, apartment communities, and other properties online, it is more important now than ever to provide people with completely positive experiences – including appearances! Regularly scheduled street sweeping maintenance can help boost your property’s curb appeal. Whether you’re seeking to attract new customers or seeking to retain residents long-term, parking lot and property street sweeping are excellent methods for achieving a pristine exterior.

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