SEATTLE, Wash., December 5, 2013 – Four local fleets received top honors for their environmental performance and became certified through the Evergreen Fleets program. The 2013 Evergreen Fleets will be honored at a ceremony tonight and include Quest Diagnostics, Snohomish County, CleanScapes, and Waste Management.

Evergreen Fleets is a voluntary, tiered certification program that recognizes fleets for making smart, environmentally responsible choices that save fuel, improve operational efficiencies, and reduce air emissions. Established in 2009, Evergreen Fleets is the first green fleet certification program of its kind in the nation, and was created by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Western Washington Clean Cities in collaboration with a consortium of public fleet managers.

“Evergreen Fleets sets rigorous benchmarks for fleet performance, awarding one-to five-star ratings for fleets making smart, environmentally responsible choices that save fuel, improve operational efficiencies, and reduce air pollution,” said Stephanie Meyn, Program Manager of Western Washington Clean Cities. “For the first time in program history, all certifying fleets are four star and above. We applaud them for their superb leadership and commitment to advancing alternative fuels.”

2013 Evergreen Fleets: • Five-star: For the second year in a row, local waste hauler CleanScapes certified at the 5-star level, with continued superior best practices in “green” fleet management. CleanScapes increased its use of alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas and biodiesel, reduced the greenhouse gas emissions of its fleet, and deployed a number of efficiency measures to optimize fleet operations.