GM Joins EPA’s SmartWay Partnership

General Motors has signed on to join the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Partnership, a global coalition of nearly 2,900 companies aimed at improving fuel-efficiency and reducing greenhouse-gas emissions.  According to the EPA, transportation alone accounts for 28% of all greenhouse gas emissions, with approximately 30% of that coming from shipping freight.  Since 2004, SmartWay Partners have saved 65 million barrels of fuel ( est. $8.1 billion), and prevented 28 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from going into the atmosphere (or, according to their website, “the equivalent to taking 5 million cars off the road for an entire year”).

According to Christopher Grundler, director for EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality, “By joining SmartWay, GM is on the road to… reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its supply chain.”  GM will collect all data on its shipping activities and work with SmartWay partner carriers to see how they can further reduce their carbon emissions and thereby save money.  Any of GM’s current logistics carriers that are not members of the SmartWay Partnership will be encouraged to join so that they too can help to reduce air pollution.

“This EPA SmartWay Partnership provides a useful tool to help our company and carriers – who already share our environmental commitment – to reduce emissions and save fuel and money,” said Mike Robinson, vice president of GM Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs.  “It’s a significant win-win situation.”