green is the color of my true love's … truck

Green has become a very popular color among transportation, logistics, and distribution companies. The past few months have seen a flurry of announcements regarding initiatives designed to reduce their impact on the environment (and appeal to shippers that prefer to do business with providers that do good). Here's a look at some of those initiatives:

• WOW Logistics has replaced all high-pressure sodium and mercury vapor lighting in its DCs. The change will reduce air pollutants by more than 400,000 pounds annually. (www.wowlogistics.com)
• RedPrairie has launched a seven-point education program that will help companies reduce their environmental impact by optimizing such areas as shipment routing, fleet management, and packaging. (www.redprairie.com)
• The Retail Industry Leaders Association has launched the RILA Sustainability Initiative, which will focus on programs and solutions for environmental compliance and sustainable products. (www.retail-leaders.org)
• Hyster Co. is addressing environmental concerns by ensuring that all of its lift trucks exceed current EPA standards, developing alternative fuel sources, and manufacturing in plants that meet ISO 14000 environmental management standards. (www.hysteramericas.com)
• The Port of Charleston is fueling gantry cranes with ultra low-sulfur diesel and will expand that program to other on-terminal equipment, such as stacking cranes and yard trucks. (www.port-of-charleston.com)
• Carrier Corp., parent of Carrier Transicold, has been recognized by the EPA for helping to restore the earth's protective ozone layer. Carrier Transicold's environmental innovations for trucking include hybrid dieselelectric refrigeration technology and an auxiliary power unit that reduces the need for engine idling. (www.carriertransicold.com)