IBM joins U.S. EPA's SmartWaySM Transport Partnership
16 Jan 2007 -- IBM recently joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) SmartWay Transport Partnership. This Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between the EPA and participating companies designed to increase transportation energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. By 2012, this initiative aims to reduce between 33 - 66 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and up to 200,000 tons of nitrogen oxide emissions per year. IBM is participating in this program as a shipper of freight.
Shippers that join the SmartWay Transport Partnership commit to:
- Determine the percentage of freight shipped by SmartWay Transport Partnership carriers
- Measure the greenhouse gas emissions of their freight facility operations using EPA's FLEET Performance Model for Shippers
- Increase the percentage of freight shipped by SmartWay Transport Partnership carriers to at least 50%
- Identify a goal to reduce the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from freight facility operations
- Develop an action plan detailing how each of these goals will be achieved
- Report progress toward achieving each of these goals to EPA annually
Currently, over 50% (by dollar) of the goods shipped by IBM within the U.S. and from the U.S. to Canada and Mexico is already transported by SmartWay Transport Partnership carriers. In addition, IBM has committed to develop a plan to reduce GHG emissions from IBM transport operations and will also encourage participation from SmartWay Transport Partnership carriers in its contract bidding process.
For more information about the program, visit the SmartWay Transport Partnership Web site (link resides outside of ibm.com).