The Greening Of Long Beach
Long Beach Magazine, April 2007
It is one thing to say “Think Globally, Act Locally.” It is quite another to actually do it. But that’s exactly what Long Beach’s Rossmoor Pastries has done. It recently replaced its fleet of gasoline-guzzling delivery vans with previously-owned compressed natural gas (CNG)-fueling vehicles.
Spurred by frustration with increasing gas prices and concerns about the consequences of our country’s dependency on foreign oil, the owners believe that their new fleet of alternative-fuel vehicles makes good sense for a variety of reason:
- CNG costs significantly less than gasoline. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Alternative Fuel Price Report stated that CNG is about 45 cents less than gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
- Unlike some other alternative fuels, natural gas is commercially available. Natural gas has a strong infrastructure due to its existing usage in the residential, commercial, industrial and utility markets.
- Natural gas is one of the cleanest burning alternative fuels available. For heavy-duty and medium-duty applications, natural gas engines have demonstrated more than 90-percent reduction of CO and particulate matter and more than 50-percent reduction of NOx relative to commercial diesel engines.
- Natural gas is domestically produced within our country’s borders. Increased usage of natural gas may help reduce our dependency on foreign oil.
- Federal, state and other incentives are available to consumers and businesses interested in utilizing alternative interested in utilizing alternative fueled vehicles.
- Perks such as unrestricted access to California’s carpool lanes may improve delivery times and productivity.
To further augment the multiple benefits of using natural gas, Rossmoor Pastries has even installed a CNG-fueling station onsite that features six individual fueling bays. “Anything we can do to help our environment and maintain control of our own energy resources is a good thing,” says Charles Feder, co-owner of Rossmoor Pastries, ”I have grandchildren, and I want to leave them a better place and a better environment to live in.”
The popular local bakery also recycles all of its paper, refuse and use a super efficient freezer that uses one-third less electricity than comparable units.
Regardless of why people choose to “go green” –whether they are prompted by altruistic environmental values or good old-fashioned business savvy– we should be celebrating every single person in Long Beach who thinks globally and acts locally. Their efforts benefit us all. I applaud the owners and employees of Rossmoor
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