Plug-in vehicles to be featured at July 27 forest preserves event
On Thursday, July 27, the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition and the Forest Preserves of Cook County will host a "Picnic in the Preserves," a seminar on electric/hybrid vehicles and charging stations, at the Thatcher Woods Pavilion in River Forest.
The test drives are a part of Midwest EVOLVE - which stands for Electric Vehicle Opportunities: Learning, eVents, Experience - a new three-year, seven-state partnership between the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest and eight Clean Cities coalitions throughout the Midwest to demonstrate the performance and environmental benefits of plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles.
At Midwest EVOLVE events, consumers, government officials, fleet administrators and dealership personnel have an opportunity to learn about the environmental benefits of electric and hybrid vehicles, and the ease of charging vehicles at home, at work or at public charging stations.
"This is the second Midwest EVOLVE ride-and-drive event our coalition has held in Illinois," said John Walton, chairman of the executive board of the Chicago Area Clean Cities Coalition. "This is a terrific opportunity for anyone looking to learn more about electric and hybrid vehicles to get behind the wheel of the latest models for a test drive."
"Both the ride and drive and the seminar, which will cover the performance and environmental advantages of electric and hybrid vehicles, are open to the public to attend," Walton added. "We'd especially like to encourage commercial and municipal fleet administrators and government officials to join us."
Cook County has the largest forest preserve system in the nation at 70,000 acres. The Forest Preserves of Cook County operate more than 20 alternative-fuel vehicles and 32 clean-burning, propane-fueled lawn mowers. At the July 27 event, representatives will highlight FPDCC's eight hybrid vehicles and discuss the future of its fleet, as it looks to add plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles as well as vehicle-charging stations.
"The Forest Preserves of Cook County is one of the largest Forest Preserves districts in the nation," said Tom Thompson, maintenance supervisor for the Forest Preserves of Cook County. "We manage a land area about half the size of the city of Chicago, spread across about 60 miles. Our organization includes 500 staff members, hundreds of buildings, a large fleet of vehicles and millions of visitors every year. The use of alternative-fuel, electric and hybrid vehicles helps reduce tail pipe emissions in the maintenance of this vast area while staying true to the tenets of our mission as a conservation and preservation organization."
The seminar and ride and drive will be held Thursday, July 27, at Thatcher Woods Pavilion, 8030 Chicago Ave. in River Forest, IL 60305. To register for the free event, go to ev_picnic_in_the_park.eventbrite.com.
Midwest EVOLVE is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), under Award Number DE-EE0007743. Between now and the end of 2019, more than 200 large and small Midwest EVOLVE events, including ride and drives, workplace-charging seminars, and other events, will be held at brand-neutral settings throughout the Midwest. To learn more, visit midwestevolve.org or follow EVOLVE on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
Chicago Area Clean Cities is a nonprofit coalition focused on promoting cleaner energy for transportation and automotive fleets in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. It is one of nearly 100 coalitions across the country that are affiliated with the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities program, which brings together stakeholders to increase the use of alternative fuel and advanced-vehicle technologies, reduce idling, and improve fuel economy and air quality. CACC concentrates its efforts on educating businesses and municipalities in the six-county Chicago area, including Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties. To become involved or learn more about the coalition, visit www.ChicagoCleanCities.org.
Established in 1915, the Forest Preserves of Cook County is one of the oldest and largest forest preserve systems in the nation, maintaining nearly 70,000 acres of open land for the education, pleasure and recreation of the public. The agency strives to protect and restore the county's diverse ecosystems, so all our unique native plants and animals can live and thrive. Each year, millions of people use these lands and facilities to enjoy or study nature, bicycle, hike, fish, cross-country ski, picnic, golf, canoe, or simply relax in a large preserve that leaves urban life behind. For more information, visit fpdcc.com.