Air Quality

The Pacific Northwest is known for being a clean, green, and naturally beautiful place to live and work. The Port of Vancouver is working to protect the people and environment in this special location through efforts to help ensure that the region continues to meet local, state, and federal ambient air quality standards. Below are some of these voluntary efforts:

• Purchase of wind farm-generated, Green e-certified, renewable energy certificates (RECs) equivalent to 100 percent of port electricity usage.
• In 2006, the port successfully switched all of it's compatible diesel equipment to B20 biodiesel. Now the port is transitioning to ultra low sulfur diesel.
• The port has purchased a hybrid office vehicle to reduce fuel usage from related business trips.
• An emissions inventory is now underway to help the port quantify emissions from port sources. This inventory will help identify areas for potential reduction efforts.
• The port is participating in the Columbia River Clean Diesel project whose goal is to reduce diesel emissions throughout the Portland-Vancouver region.
• The West Vancouver Freight Access project will significantly reduce blockage of both north-south and east-west mainlines and will result in a 40 percent reduction in rail traffic delays. The project also includes construction of a new near-dock rail line for loading cargo directly from vessels to rail, making cargo movement more efficient. 
• Tenant education and outreach efforts to inform tenants about air emission reduction activities and strategies.
• Flex schedules for port office employees reduces the number of commuter trips to the port.

Anti-idling campaign

Do you want to save money and help improve air quality? A relatively easy way to do both is to reduce unnecessary engine idling while doing business at the Port of Vancouver. Thanks to analysis by the trucking industry, we know that engine idling costs money in wasted fuel and engine wear. For example, a heavy-duty truck can burn approximately one gallon of diesel fuel for each hour it idles. Idling also needlessly pollutes loading docks and other work sites with tailpipe exhaust. In fact, idling produces twice as much pollution as stopping and restarting your warmed-up engine.

That’s why no-idle zone signs are posted around the port, reminding drivers to turn off their engines whenever possible. In addition, anti-idling brochures are available on the port’s website which can be printed out and given to your employees and customers. Implementation of an idling reduction program is another step forward in the port’s efforts to operate its facilities responsibly and sustainably.

Here are just a few of the benefits that come from turning off your engine:

• Overall fuel savings
• Longer engine life  
• Longer time between oil and filter changes
• Improved air quality
• Less noise
• Healthier work environment (loading docks, work bays, etc.)