EcoFair Challenge 2021

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This year we are partnering with EcoFair host, Energy Conservation Works, and other sustainability partners to host the first annual EcoFair Challenge! We collaborated to curate a list of challenges to inspire our community to take action, sustaining the spirit of the EcoFair since we won’t convene at an in-person event this year. These challenges involve simple, attainable, and impactful choices each of us can make.

 

Take on the challenges and win cool things! Challenges range from everyday activities (biking, walking, or taking the bus), weekly activities (dropping off food compost), or bigger commitments (signing up for Green Power)! Each challenge has a point value based on the difficulty, cost, and impact. Winners will be chosen each week, through raffle drawing and/or accumulated points for that week.

 

The challenges related to transportation are:

 

Check out the full list of challenges at bit.ly/jhecochallenge, and log your points on the Google Form: bit.ly/ecochallengelog. Weekly winners will be announced at our EcoTalk series at 6 pm on Tuesday. Visit the EcoFair Facebook page for details on how to attend the event: https://www.facebook.com/jacksonecofair. 

 

The EcoFair Challenge was made possible by collaboration from Avant Delivery, Energy Conservation Works, Hole Food Rescue, Jackson Hole Airport, Slow Food in the Tetons, START Bus, Teton Conservation District, Teton County Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling, The Riverwind Foundation & Yellowstone-Teton Clean CIties.

NEW GREEN MATTERS Release – Winter/Spring 2021

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The newest issue of Green Matters in Jackson Hole is live and online, CLICK HERE! Please enjoy the news from this season’s sustainability projects, programs, and people. Sample topics from this issue include the principles of sustainable destination management, details on the next chapter of the RRR Business Leaders (2.0), resource recovery through JH Public Art, an update from the JH Climate Action Collective, guidance on bear-proof trash cans, and lots of announcements from local green leaders and organizations.

Congratulations to the 2020 U.S. C3E Award Recipients

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Join us in congratulating Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities board member and Sustainability Program Manager for the City of Bozeman. This year, Clean Energy Education & Empowerment (C3E), US Department of Energy Program, selected Natalie Meyer of Bozeman, Montana, as the award winner in the Government category. https://www.c3eawards.org/

START BUS UNVEILS 8 ELECTRIC PROTERRA BUSES TO SERVE THE TETON VILLAGE ROUTE

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JACKSON, WYO. – START Bus and Proterra, a leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation, unveiled the community’s first of eight Proterra® ZX5 battery-electric transit buses. They are the first battery-electric buses in Wyoming and first Proterra ZX5 buses to be deployed in the United States.

START Bus will put the buses into service in late November. START hosted Proterra representatives for a small ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 12. Due to COVID-19, it was not a public event. For the public to join in the fun, next Thursday, Nov. 19, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities will host a webinar with Proterra representatives sharing specifics about the e-bus deployment in Teton County and the premiere of a video about the project. Look for Zoom details through Yellowstone-Teton Clean Cities.

Darren Brugmann START Director notes, “START Bus and the Town of Jackson are thrilled to add battery-electric buses to our fleet. These buses will provide cost effective, clean, efficient transportation, and help START reduce emissions to improve air quality. START is committed to transitioning 40% of its fleet to electric by 2022 and deploying these first eight buses is a major step toward that goal.”

START selected the 40-foot Proterra ZX5 MAX battery-electric transit bus with 660 kWh of onboard energy and the DuoPower™ drivetrain.

Just available in September, the Proterra ZX5 MAX can deliver up to 329 miles of drive range, which represents the most energy storage and longest drive range of any 40-foot electric bus available in the market today.

The DuoPower drivetrain delivers nearly twice the horsepower and five times better fuel efficiency than a standard diesel engine. It features two electric motors that deliver an impressive 550 horsepower, accelerating a ZX5 bus from 0 to 20 mph in under six seconds.

In addition, the DuoPower can propel a bus up a 25% grade, making it an ideal option for routes with steep hills. By combining this drivetrain with Proterra’s industry-leading battery technology and lightweight composite bus body, this vehicle provides superior performance and is designed to tackle Jackson’s routes and winter climate.

START utilized Proterra’s battery lease program to help lower the upfront price of their buses and ensure funding to deploy eight at once, representing one-third of START’s total fleet.

“Proterra is excited to partner with START to bring the first battery-electric transit buses to Wyoming and deliver clean, quiet transportation to local riders,” said John Walsh, Proterra’s Senior Vice President.

Manufactured in the United States, Proterra battery-electric buses feature zero tailpipe emissions, saving approximately 230,000 pounds of greenhouse gases annually when replacing diesel buses. The purpose-built electric buses further offer a quieter ride for reduced noise pollution, greater efficiency, and lower operating costs than combustion engine vehicles.

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About START
START Bus is a public transit system serving Jackson and Teton County, Wyoming, and nearby areas including Teton Village, Star Valley and Teton Valley, Idaho. It is owned and operated by the Town of Jackson.

About Proterra
Proterra is a leader in the design and manufacture of zero-emission, heavy-duty electric vehicles, enabling bus fleet operators to significantly reduce operating costs while delivering clean, quiet transportation to local communities across North America. The company’s configurable ZX5 platform is designed to serve the daily mileage needs of a wide range of transit routes on a single charge. With industry-leading durability and energy efficiency based on rigorous U.S. independent testing, Proterra products are proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in America. For more information, visit: www.proterra.com.

Source: Town of Jackson, WY

Community Spotlight: Henry Sollitt on driving his Hybrid EV in Jackson

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Henry Sollitt is a young Jackson native who participates in the “ski bum lifestyle” while also driving a plug-in hybrid vehicle. He drives a 2013 Ford C-Max Energi, which in his experience runs on all-electric for about 24 miles and then switches to hybrid mode. Henry stated that it is incredibly easy to charge his vehicle around town, and free of charge because the Town Of Jackson offers electric vehicle charging as an amenity to residents and visitors. At home, he uses a regular plug (110 volt) and it takes about 6-8 hours to charge fully. In comparison, when he charges around town his car can be fully charged in 3-4 hours utilizing a Level II charging station (240 volt).

Henry drives his car all winter long and explains that he has had very little trouble with the colder temperatures. In fact, his car has turned on easily on -20 degree mornings when other car engines have trouble starting. Henry mentioned, “the colder temperatures do decrease the efficiency of the hybrid vehicle, but regardless he is still getting better gas mileage than most other vehicles on the road in the same weather conditions”. As he said he is “still using electricity, still more efficient, which is pretty cool” given the extreme weather we experience in Jackson. Henry explained that there was one big powder day on the pass where he could not make it up to ski in his car due to lack of four-wheel drive, the hybrid has front-wheel drive, and lack of clearance. However other than that the Ford C-Max Energi has been an ideal vehicle that gets him everywhere he needs to go. When more clearance or 4-wheel drive is needed, he’s been able to ride with friends.

When searching for a new vehicle, Henry was initially looking for a hybrid or a fully electric vehicle. However, he also wanted an SUV type car that would be suitable for the many outdoor activities the region provides. He explains that he started to give up hope of finding an electric vehicle, due to availability locally and cost, and started to focus on fuel efficiency. Henry was lucky to eventually find his hybrid vehicle through a family connection in Southern California. He acknowledges that he got a very good deal on his vehicle and that price is very prohibitive to the younger age group when wanting to purchase a more sustainable vehicle. However, he believes that many younger individuals could most likely afford a similar used electric vehicle if they are able to find one nearby. He compared the price he paid to a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. He explains that “they are getting worse fuel economy and don’t necessarily need a pick-up truck for what they are doing and therefore are burning more gas”.

Overall, Henry greatly recommends buying a hybrid electric vehicle, all-electric vehicle, or more fuel-efficient vehicle when purchasing your next car. Even for the younger individuals in Jackson, who might think an electric vehicle would not be feasible for them to purchase. He explains that his hybrid vehicle has been very easy to maintain and that the fuel cost is low. Therefore the initial investment has been paying off very quickly, especially with relatively cheap charging at home and free charging in the Town of Jackson. Henry claims that his vehicle can be used for “95% of activities in the valley, and the other 5% you can find a ride with a friend”.