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.