CAC is Thankful!

At Clean Air Cab, part of our goal as a company is to be a part of the solution. We give back to our community through green business practices and charitable donations. But we know that's not enough. That's why out general manager, Brandy Lovato, is so passionate about volunteering and personal service. She serves on the board for the Boys and Girls Club and is always encouraging everyone to do their part and volunteer. It seems like she's always sending out an e-mail or putting up a flyer about an event that needs volunteers! We're really lucky to have her in the office because that kind of attitude embodies the vision for the company and helps to create a positive environment where you know the people in charge aren't just about profit. We really care about our customers and the people in our community and what better way to show that than by serving them?

Last week, the Boys and Girls Club held their annual Thanksgiving dinner. It's a huge event for people that may not otherwise have the opportunity to have a Thanksgiving dinner. Because it's so large, they need a lot of volunteers to help with all of the food prep and serving. True to form, Brandy made sure we all knew about it and asked everyone that could to come. We had a great turn out. 4 of our dispatchers, Liz, Linda, Sunshine, and Kayla (not pictured), Sunshine's son, Liz's daughter, our operations manager, Dennis Armstrong, and Brandy along with her sister and daughter came to help out. Everyone had a great time doing their part!

 

This picture does a good job of showing how big the event was.

 

Everyone had a great time and took a lot away from the experience. I asked Brandy and Dennis to tell me what they had to say about the event and volunteering.
 

Brandy said,"I started volunteering serving Thanksgiving dinner last year with the Boys & Girls club with my 15 year old sister and 6 month old daughter to show them both that we have to give back to those that need it. I started it as a family tradition with my family that turned into something I also did with my work family. It brings me great joy to help those in need and bring a smile someone’s face.”

Dennis said,"It was very rewarding and fun to work alongside CAC employee’s and community to put a full Thanksgiving dinner out for the ones less fortunate. I especially enjoyed working the roll distribution table with the Liz's daughter and Sunshine's son."

 

Sunshine gave an especially touching account of the event.

"I have always thought about volunteering for Thanksgiving as I have friends that have done it in the past, but have not had the opportunity arise until this year. Most of the holidays in the past few years, my son and I have been on the receiving end of the charity spectrum, so it was extra special to me to be able to give a little back! I was excited to be a part of the Thanksgiving dinner service at the Mesa Boys & Girls Club, and I thought it would be a wonderful experience for my 12 yo son Gavin as well. When we arrived, the smell of turkey was permeating the entire parking lot and inside of the building! It was quite a treat to see so many people there to volunteer, and it took a few minutes to figure out who the "go to" folks were. When I finally figured out who to go to for jobs, I was able to help out at a few different things...dishes, making sure each station had all the required foodstuffs, handing out rolls...and finally my favorite part- putting whipped cream on the pie slices and being bombarded by the pie-hungry children! I couldn't say how many slices of pie I topped, or how many smiling little faces I saw, but I can tell you it was well worth the time, the backache and the wihpped cream covered t-shirt I had to work my over-night shift in! I truly felt blessed to be a part of putting so many smiles on so many little faces! I think that this will become a family tradition in the years to come!"

 

So this holiday season, Clean Air Cab is greatful to have so many amazing people working here! We have great drivers and dispatchers and cashiers and lot attendants that regularly go beyond customer and driver expectations and office admins and managers that put service and people before everything else. We are lucky to have such a caring work family here!

Algae in your Gas Tank?

Everyone has their different reasons, but I think we can all agree that it would be nice to have a reliable, renewable fuel source. This makes it a very exciting time for alternative energy research! Clean Air Cab's owner, Steve Lopez, is a huge proponent for alternative energy and hopes to eventually make this company a part of the development of cleaner, renewable fuel. Clean Air Cab currently proudly partners with Arizona State University and donates to their scholarship fund. We believe education is extremely important and that the research ASU conducts can lead us to a "greener" future. So, in that vein I thought it would appropriate to write about an exciting development in the field of renewable fuels that ASU has become a part of! Algae! Many of you may be confused by this, it seems like such an unlikely source of anything you'd put in your gas tank, right? Well, think again!

Algae is a very diverse speicies, but the main type of algae being looked at for use as a fuel is microalgae, a cingle celled organism that can grow almost anywhere. Algae produces a lot of oil and fat, almost 60% of it's mass can be made up of oils! That makes it a much more efficient source of oils, like ethanol, than corn, which is currently the most common source of ethanol. The table below shows how drastic the difference between algae and other sources of biofuels is.

 

So how does it work? Much like most plants we are familiar with, algae uses sunlight, carbondioxide, and water to function. What makes algae unique, though, is that it needs no soil and can grow in slaty water or waste water. This opens up a lot of opportunities! Algea will not compete with food crops because it isn't used as food, it won't take up necessary farm land because it can grow places crops can't, it can provide an energy efficient way to treat waste water, and it can prevent an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere because it absorbs CO2.

The pictures below illustrate the way an algae cell produces ethanol and the algae fuel cycle.

The oils from algae can actually be refined using current oil refining processes and one company,  Sapphire, has even succeded in making a fuel from algae that is chemically identical to gasoline!

 

Many companies are just a few years out from being able to produce algae fuels at a commercial level, which puts algae in the spotlight for the future of renewable fuels.

 

However, there are some draw backs that may keep algae from being a big player in energy for some time. The major drawback is cost and efficiency. Right now, a lot of research still needs to be done to make the production of fuels from algea cost and energy efficient and it can be tough to find investors for such research, though an increasing number are supporting algae research. The logistics of harvesting oils from algea on such a large scale and effective production are still in the works.

 

But, despite these hurdles, it may not be long before you're filling your car with green juice!

One of the field demonstration photobioreactors developed for algae feedstock production at ASU.

 

 

Sources:

http://www.earthmagazine.org/article/green-it-gets-algae-biofuels

http://refuelingthefuture.yolasite.com/third-generation-biofuels.php

http://www.personal.psu.edu/nyg5099/blogs/worldcampus/2012/04/

http://biofuels.asu.edu/biomaterials.shtml



CAC Loves Mesa United Way!

     Clean Air Cab had the wonderful opportunity to attend Mesa United Way luncheon yesterday! CAC's owner, Steve Lopez, is on the board of directors and CAC has a cab specially wrapped and dedicated to Mesa United Way. A portion of each ride done in that cab goes straigh to Mesa United Way! Part of Clean Air Cab's vision as a company is to better the comminuty they serve. We don't want to be just another business, we also want to be a solution to pressing problems around us. That is why we are so happy to have organizations like Mesa United Way in our community as well as the opportunity to help them.

     One of our best drivers, James LeMagdelaine, drives our United Way cab so we asked him a few questions about his thoughts on the organization. When asked why he believes in this organization he said, "It helps so many people in so many ways. It is organizations like this that make us all better and stronger in the community." He went on to say that charitable donations are important because they help "to improve the lives of the less fortunate." He said that he, his wife and family "have always believed in giving to charitable organizations."

    At the luncheon, we had the priveledge of hearing Mayor Scott Smith speak about what a strong community of caring people Mesa is and how, through organizations like Mesa United Way, we are able to all become better and stronger people for a better Mesa. There were so many dedicated people present, you couldn't help but want to jump in and do your part to help build up the community!

If you'd like to know a little more about what Mesa United Way is all about, I reccommend watching the video posted below. They showed it at the luncheon yesterday and it was incredibly moving to see how far our donations go and how many lives are touched.

     They just kicked off their campaign year and are hoping to bring in close to 3 million dollars in donations, but they are going to need everyone's help! Their special request was that everyone sign up to give just $5 per pay period to help them meet their goal. I think that's a small request to be a part of a big job! So go to their website here, find out what they're all about, and sign up to give a little back whether it's through monetary means or time spent volunteering! We all can give a little back to our community!

August Driver of the Month: Thomas Louie!

It's that time of the month again where we highlight one of our exceptional drivers! (I know we've gotten a little behind on our DotM blog posts, but I'll be better from now on, I promise!)

Thomas has been driving with us for about a year now and we're really glad he decided to join our team! Before he was a driver, he worked in computer programming, was an attourney, and a tax manager! He's a really smart guy and known for his professionalism. His customer loves that he picks them up in a clean car and with a cheerful additude.

Not long ago, one of our customers, Mary, called in to say how impressed she was with his clean cab , positive attitude, and professionalism. She said it was the best cab ride she's ever had!

So keep a look out for Thomas on the road and congratulate him if you are lucky enough to have him as a driver! We're so happy to have drivers like him in our cabs, making sure our customers are taken care of!

Want to know who our best drivers are? You can tell which of our drivers have won Driver of the Month by their special dash badge!

We have a whole fleet of exceptional drivers, so if you want to try a cab company that's a step above the rest, give Clean Air Cab a call at (480) 777-9777!

How to recycle a car (Yes, a WHOLE car!)

As a cab company, we have a lot of cars around. 45 Toyota Priuses to be exact. These cars work extra hard as they drive around almost constantly day in and day out serving our wonderful customers! All that driving puts a lot of wear on a car and, occasionally, our cars get in accidents too, meaning we have a busy garage keeping as many cars on the road as possible! Sometimes, though, a car dies... As was the case with our cab #15. But even after we can't drive them anymore, we want to make good use of our cabs and make sure they aren't wasting away in a landfill! So we recycled it! You may be wondering, how do you recycle a car? Well I'm glad you asked!

After it was totaled, we kept the car for quite a while and used as many parts as possible for repairs on other cabs. In fact, just the other day, we used the computer module from it for another cab!
After we used as much of the car as we could, we had it hauled away to be recycled.

This is what cab 15 looked like as we had it hauled away:

 

 

 

Can you believe it use to look like this?!

 

In case you are super curious about car-recycling, let me give you a few facts about it to soothe your burning questions!
About 65% of a car is made from steel (which was about all that was left of cab 15 when it was taken). Steel is valuable and can easily be used to make other things when recycled. Recycling steel takes 74% less energy than making new metal. It's then cheaper to buy because new steel doesn't have to be mined! All steel produced today has about 25% recycled steel in it and some products are made entirely of recycled steel! "So in addition to the economic and environmental benefits, recycling cars is a vital link in the world's industrial infrastructure."

Cool facts about the world's largest auto shredder:
"Once cars are crushed, they're shipped off to a recycling center where they are shredded and separated into small pieces, which are then sorted into various metals. The largest shredder in the world is used by Sturgis Iron & Metal of Elkhart, Indiana. The machine is so big, it isn't measured in tons, but acres. It uses an 8,000-horsepower electric motor to drive a massive rotor that spins hammers at 175 mph, reducing six pre-crushed cars per minute into fist-sized metal chunks [Source: Buffalo News]. The shredder is so powerful, the hammers must be turned or replaced almost daily because of the wear and tear they receive, and it sits on special dampeners to prevent seismic vibrations in the surrounding area."

My facts about steel recycling were taken from this article at Howstuffworks.com
Grabianowski, Ed. "How Car Crushers Work" 30 June 2011. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://auto.howstuffworks.com/car-crusher.htm> 31 August 2012.

Phoenix Magazine's Best of the Valley-Vote for us!!

Why Do You Love Clean Air Cab?



Alright people. The time has come for our customers to show their love. The Phoenix Magazine is putting together their annual "Best of the Valley" list, and it's up to all of you to vote us into the top spot!

So you're probably wondering why you should vote for us over Discount, Yellow Cab, VIP, AAA and the countless other taxi services in the valley. The truth is, with so much competition, it's completely understandable to be undecided. Although we may be a smaller fleet than the previously mentioned companies, we have low and competitive fares, non-negotiable core values and we are ever growing and evolving.

Clean Air Cab is locally owned and operated out of Mesa. We only employ drivers whose backgrounds have been checked, who've passed a drug test and have a clean driving record. Everything this company stands for begins with professionalism, integrity and high standards of customer service. These are the elements that set us apart from other companies.

In addition to holding strong values, Clean Air Cab is dedicated to "going green" as well as charitable causes. Our fleet of cabs is the only fleet in the valley that is all "green". We maintain forty-five low-emission 2011 Toyota Prius Hybrid sedans that get an average of 45-50 miles per gallon. How's that for decreasing our carbon footprint?

As for charity, we make sizeable contributions to the ASU Scholarship Fund, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Phoenix Children's Hospital and Mesa United way. In addition to donating to these organizations, we have also planted over 5,000 trees with Trees for the Future, and we partner with Carbon Fund to purchase carbon credits, making us the only carbon neutral taxi fleet in Arizona. As you can see, we clearly stand behind our motto:

“At Clean Air Cab, we provide safe transportation that betters the quality of the environment, making it affordable and convenient for our community to support the growth of alternative energy.”

When voting for the valley’s best cab company, please keep Clean Air Cab in mind. As a company who has customer's best interests at heart, we would love to hear your feedback. It would be an honor to be named as Phoenix Magazine's Best Taxi Company. The only way we can make this happen is if you, our customer, gets the word out! If you have any questions you would like answered or comments you would like addressed before voting, don't hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your time and happy voting!

To Vote: http://www.phoenixmag.com/best-of-the-valley/

Questions or Comments: makinzy.small@cleanaircab.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/cleanaircab

Twitter: www.twitter.com/cleanaircab

Website: www.cleanaircab.com

Happy (Late) Earth Day!

So, it is almost a week after Earth day, but Clean Air Cab did not forget! We've been busy having employee appreciation parties (where we raised money for our favorite charities AND got to dunk our favorite managers!) and going to Earth day events! (stay tuned for details about those!)

In honor of Earth day (because it's never too late to honor Earth day!), we're going to share 10 easy ways to live green!
1. Reduce!
Turn off the water, turn off the lights, print and copy on both sides of your paper, stop junk mail, take short showers, etc. The little things add up! For example, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth can save 200 gallons of water a month!

2. Unplug Unused Electronics!
Did you know your appliances still use electricity when they are turned off if they are left plugged in? In the average home, 25% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off!

3. Recycle!
Simple enough right? We see those blue containers everywhere! But do you know how much of a difference it can make? " Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity – enough energy to power the average US home for five months"

4. Look for the ENERGY STAR label on products!
If a product has this label, it means it meets certain energy efficiency standards.

5. Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL's)!
"ENERGY STAR labeled CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, saving an average of $30 over the lifetime of each bulb."

6. Fix Leaks!
Fixing leaks in your house can DRASTICALLY reduce water waste! "A faucet that leaks one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water every day."

7. Buy Recycled!
When shopping, look for the words "recycled" and "postconsumer" on products. Just about anything you can think of can be made of recyled materials. Buying recycled keeps trash out of landfills and prevents the use of more precious natural resources.

8. Computer Power-Management!
"Enable low-power sleep modes and turn off computers and monitors at night. General Electric implemented power management features on 75,000 of its computers, annually saving the company $2.5 million dollars and preventing 20,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions." For instructions on how to optimize settings on your computer and other advise, visit the ENERGY STAR website!

9. Properly Dispose of Hazerdous Waste!
Some electronics, batteries, and light bulbs contain toxic materials that, if disposed of in a landfill, can pollute the surroundings and water supply. There are often free collection events and, in some cases, you can even get paid for recycling old electronics! Check out the Collection Events page at OurEarth.org for more info on collection events!

10. Fresh, Local, Organic Food!
Now doesn't that sound delicious? Your food generally travels about 1,200 miles to reach you. Buy local food to prevent emissions and save energy! Also, try to chose fresh foods over frozen since frozen foods take 10 times more energy to produce.

Hopefully you can incorporate these little tips into your everyday life and live a little greener! Check out this website to calculate your carbon footprint and see where you need the most "green improvemetn!"

(Source: OurEarth.org)

April Driver of the Month: Ken Crocker

Here at Clean Air Cab, we pride ourselves not only on being a green company and saving you money, but on having great drivers too!

This month marks the start of a new monthly blog-feature for us: Driver of the Month!

This month's exceptional driver is Ken Crocker!

This is Ken with the Wells Fargo gift-card he won as a reward for his exceptional service!

Here are a few of many good things Ken's co-workers and customers have to say about him:

Dennis, the road supervisor, said, “Ken makes my job so much easier by exceeding my expectations!”

The dispatch crew said, “Ken is always helpful and a professional!”

A few of his frequent customers, ASU students, said, "“He takes care of us and gets us home safely! Also, he always smells good!”




So keep an eye out for Ken on the road and congratulate him if you are lucky enough to catch a ride in his cab!




We love to hear your feedback, so please go to the Clean Air Cab website and tell us how your experience with your driver and dispatcher were after your rides! You can also check us out on Facebook and leave reviews there! Be sure to "like" us while you're at it! Help your fantastic driver be recognized for his or her excellent service!

ASU wants REAL food.

Crossing the dusty deserts of the Southwest, comes an organization caravanning their way to Tempe. Stopping at the ASU campus this weekend, on February 11th to the 13th, the grassroots organization, Real Food Challenge, plans on hosting a summit for college students and faculty to advocate for a change in the university food system.

Through the voices of local food producers and student leaders, Real Food Challenge builds support for their cause as they trek across the nation seeking to educate vegetarians, omnivores, and especially the carnivores of this country about the processes and influences of corporate food. They demonstrate their belief in “real” food for students, by showing universities how to shift their budgets away from large corporations and junk food and instead implement locally farmed and wholesome goods to create a more sustainable and healthier food system for its students.

The upcoming Regional Southwest Sustainable Food Summit consists of speeches from the movement and youth leaders, interactive workshops, and an Opportunities Fair populated by Fair Trade and local food representatives. Three days will be spent talking over healthier choices for eating, smarter ways to purchase food, and developing a more cohesive understanding of the companies who control the food served in universities and across the country. Feel like securing a spot? Click here to join in on the fun:  http://realfoodchallenge.org/Southwest

Thank you to Clean Air Cabs for taking interest in the actions of ASU campus and helping to spread the word!

Story by: Sharyn Tom
Social Medial Intern
Beyond Green

Your Newest Green Team Intern--->

Greetings Cab Riders and Drivers!

I’m Sharyn, a local ASU Business Sustainability student and I’m here as a personal blogger to help maintain the online community here at Clean Air Cab. In addition to giving the website a youthful twist, I’ll also be reporting and photographing the ways in which Clean Air Cabs is helping to solve and address the environmental issues affecting Tempe.

Be on the lookout for my follow-up story about the Sustainability Summit that's happening at ASU this upcoming weekend!

Also, feel free to leave me comments regarding story ideas or other issues you want to see publicized here on the blog!

Wait, did I just see Clean Air Cab?

You probably did, we are the adorable little blue and green cabs (and sometimes other fun colors depending on the charity the cab was designed for) that are actually comfortable, clean, and environmentally friendly Prius state-of-the art vehicles.

Clean Air Cab will not only be seen on the road, but soon it will be featured on the tv show, Destination Arizona, which airs Saturdays at 2:30 pm.

if you have ever wondered what the on-set filming of an interview looks like...

Here it is, there is expensive film equipment and a hip setup.

 Just to make the shot cooler, you should take a cab driver and dress him up like he is a Sheriff in a John Wayne movie. Everybody, meet Baldo~ cab driver and mechanic extraordinaire.

 This is Lauren Burgoyne, the hostess of Destination Arizona, featured with Pablo, her talking pinata.

 Back to the serious nature of filming. You have to drive a white van and have a few more expensive camera, along with reverse umbrellas to capture the best lighting. Don't we look professional?

Olivia, holding the baby, like a baby sitter; Brandy, making phone calls, like a boss.

 We brought Lily because we thought this could be her first real break in the film industry, and she is our good luch charm, and the camera loves her.

 This is Lily loving nature, something we really admire here at Clean Air Cab.

 This is Clean Air Cab's multi-colored fleet;

 not only are the causes behind each of these cabs beautiful, but this is the first time all of our specialty cabs have ever been in the same place, at the same time.

We just wanted to tell you all thankyou, for making this dream a reality.

 You can't see it, but in this picture, all the cabs were in a single line and it was a beautiful sight.

This picture is symbolic in the fact that while our eyes our forward, we remember the past and the journey taken in order to get where we are today.

 Arizona State University, Susan G. Komen, Mesa United Way, Make a Wish, and Phoenix Children's Hospital... along with our everyday cab just trying to make a difference.

 We just wanted to remind you what a beautiful concept we have,

 and how that concept can make a difference,

 like sending someone to get a higher education, or fight a disease, or build a community.

Overall, we determined that the filming session was a success and we want you to be part of it, become part of the solution,

and that's a wrap.

photos by Kylie Johnson

Earth Trivia

 

How much do you know about the planet you live on?

 

Earth is mostly iron, oxygen and silicon 

Our planet is 32.1 % iron, 30.1% oxygen, 15.1% silicon, and 13.9% magnesium. Most of this iron is located at the core of the Earth, which is roughly 88% iron.





70% of Earth's surface is covered in water

The planet Earth doesn't actually take 24 hours to rotate on its axis.

 ( It’s roughly 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4 seconds. )                                   

One year on Earth is NOT 365 days 

 A year on earth is really 365.2564 days. This extra .2564 days is why there was the creation of "leap year," the addition of one day, every 4 years, in the month of February.

The Earth has one moon and two additional asteroids locked into co-orbital orbits 

These two asteroids are called 3753 Cruithne and 2002 AA₂₉. 3753 Cruithne is 5 km across, and referred to as Earth’s second moon. It doesn’t actually orbit the Earth, but has a synchronized orbit with our home planet.

Only 3% of Earth's water is fresh, while the other 97% is salted 

Of that 3%, over 2% is frozen in ice sheets and glaciers. Means less than 1% fresh water is found in lakes, rivers and underground.

The world's deadliest recorded earthquake occurred in 1557

 It was located in central China, more than 830,000 people were killed.

Angel Falls in Venezuela is the worlds highest waterfall  

The water of Falls drops 3,212 feet (979 meters).

...whoops, wrong Vulcan....

The origin of the word "volcano" is derives from Vulcan, the Roman god of fire.

there we go, there's that Roman god of fire

The Peshtigo fire was the worst recorded forest fire in North American history.

On the evening of October 8, 1871, it raged through Northeastern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, destroying millions of dollars worth of property and timberland, and taking between 1,200 and 2,400 lives. It is said to have been so hot, that it turned sand into glass.

There now you know 10 more facts about the planet your reside on. May you continue to learn more, in order to preserve the natural beauty all around us and become part of the solution.

The Resolutions

So the New Year has come and gone, and so have the in-laws.... and if they haven't you can just call one of our cabs and we will whisk them away for you.

This new year marks the time of rebirth, revitalizations, and.... resolutions.

This year Clean Air Cab's goal isn't to lose weight, in fact, we wouldn't mind a little growth.

We want to become a larger part of the community.

We want to provide more jobs.

We want to plant more trees.

We want to give better service.

We want to be part of the solution, your solution for this next upcoming year.

Heralding in the New Year

Another year has come and gone, and in commemoration of that we present this poem by Joanna Fuchs,




New Year’s Reflections



Looking back on the months gone by,
As a new year starts and an old one ends,
We contemplate what brought us joy,
And we think of our loved ones and our friends.



Recalling all the happy times,
Remembering how they enriched our lives,
We reflect upon who really counts,
As the fresh and bright new year arrives.



And when we ponder those who do,
we immediately think of you. ~Joanna Fuchswww.poemsource.com



From Clean Air Cab we would like to thank you for being one of the reasons we will have a Happy New Year! 

We would like to thank you for being part of the solution, and for all the support you have shown our little local company.

 We thank you for helping the children at the Phoenix Children's hospital,

 those fighting Breast cancer,

your local community through Mesa United Way,

 the sick children at Make-a-Wish foundation,

and the college students at Arizona State University.

 We are grateful you helped us help the environment, and that we were able to plant large quantities of trees~ so we can not only make a difference today, but also tomorrow.