BidForGreen is proud to have provided biodiesel to Widespread Panic's 2008 Fall Tour. Based in Athens, Georgia since the late 1980's, Widespread Panic is notorious as one of America's most predominant touring acts and a steady keeper of loyal fans. We would like to congratulate them for being honored at the 5th Annual Billboard Touring Awards on Nov. 20. "Widespread Panic will receive the first-ever Road Warrior Award, a recognition for their work ethic, steadfast dedication to touring year after year, and a commitment to the art and craft of live performance."
http://www.billboardevents.com/billboardevents/touring/2008/index.jsp

This award is long deserved for a band that has put so much time and miles on America's roadways. BFG powered their 3 coaches and 3 big rigs throughout the multishow, 11 city tour, which kicked off October 10th in Austin, TX. BidForGreen made it possible for them to use American produced fuel, benefiting America's industry while negating their impact on the environment.

NASCAR Sprint Cup officials will leave it to a green car to lead the field to the green flag next Sunday at the season-ending Ford 400 – marking a NASCAR Sprint Cup first.

The all-new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, featuring the debut of Ford’s next-generation hybrid system, along with the all-new Fusion Sport will pace the Ford 400, which concludes Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“Miami is an international city with a flair for what’s new,” said Homestead-Miami Speedway President Curtis Gray. “And with the evolution of Ford Championship Weekend into one of the highest-profile events in sports, the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami is the perfect spot for a historical racing first—the Fusion Hybrid Pace Car.”

The Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Fusion Sport will both be in NASCAR-inspired camouflage for the race. Miami-area race fans and the national television audience on ABC will be the first to see the cars, since they won’t be officially unveiled until the Los Angeles International Auto Show three days later. They will be available in dealer showrooms in the spring of 2009.

After the Fusion Hybrid leads the field to the green flag, the 263-horsepower Fusion Sport will be the pace car for the remainder of the Ford 400.

“The new Ford Fusion ups the ante in the mid-size sedan segment with outstanding fuel economy but retains what made it standout from the competition from the beginning – the fun-to-drive factor,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas, who will wave the green flag at the start of Sunday’s Ford 400. “The Fusion Hybrid pacing the Ford 400 showcases exactly what our customers want, fuel economy and fun – and we’re pleased to be able to offer racing fans a glimpse of what’s to come at Sunday’s race.”

The new product teases are welcome news to Ford NASCAR star Carl Edwards, a winner of eight NASCAR Sprint Cup wins this year and currently second in the championship standings.

“It’s really appropriate that Ford is bringing the 2010 Fusion Hybrid to pace the Ford 400,” he said. “The Fusion already gets great fuel mileage. And I sure know that my NASCAR Fusion gets great fuel mileage after the way we recently won the Texas race. But for Ford to come out with a hybrid version of the Fusion, that’s best-in-class in terms of fuel economy, is really cool.”
“It makes a great car even better,” Edwards continued. “I just hope that I can be on the pole next week at Homestead, so I can be running up right behind it at the start of the race.”

More than 700 Miles of City Driving
The Ford Fusion Hybrid can operate in electric mode at speeds up to 47 mph with a range of more than 700 miles of city driving on a single tank of gas. A smaller, lighter high-volt battery has greater charge capacity and range than Ford’s current generation battery, as found in the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, which is the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet.

“Because our hybrid can run at a much higher speed in electric mode, you can do so much more in city-driving situations,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Under the right conditions, you can drive in your neighborhood or mall parking lots without using a drop of gasoline.”

The more efficient next-generation hybrid system delivers a more seamless driving experience and is expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least five mpg in city driving.

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid has already been recognized for its significance in advancing “green” technology and improving environmental performance by the Green Car Journal. The Fusion Hybrid has been named one of Green Car Journal’s Top 5 for 2009, being a finalist for the magazine’s top award, Green Car of the Year, which is scheduled to beannounced at the L.A. Auto Show.

The Innovation of SmartGauge with EcoGuide
Pushing a vehicle to the limit takes on a new meaning in the new 2010 Ford Fusion, thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide – an innovative new instrument cluster that provides real-time information to help drivers maximize fuel efficiency.

The instrument cluster’s unique design uses two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant miles-per-gallon.

“SmartGauge with EcoGuide gives the customer real-world feedback to make the most of their hybrids,” said Portalatin. “Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good ‘coach,’ engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy.”

Long-term fuel efficiency can be displayed in two ways – either as a traditional chart or using an innovative display that shows “efficiency leaves,” which is an animation of growing green leaves on vines projected on the right side of the cluster. The more efficient a customer is, the more lush and bountiful the leaves become, creating a visual reward for the driver’s efforts.

The “efficiency leaves” were the inspiration for the Fusion Hybrid Pace Car’s camouflage design, which showcases green leaves growing from the front grille down the length of vehicle.

EPA-Smart Way Cars
The 2009 Ford Fusion is among the vehicles that have received SmartWay certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a partner of NASCAR. The SmartWay designation is earned by vehicles meeting EPA-set Air Pollution and Greenhouse Gas Scores.

Among NASCAR’s vehicle partners, a variety of makes and models have received the EPA SmartWay designation, providing drivers with a range of options whether they’re looking for a compact car, mid-size sedan or sport utility vehicle.

Consumers visiting the Ford displays at Homestead will see a variety of these EPA SmartWay vehicles, including the 2009 Fusion, 2009 Taurus and the 2009 Focus.

Fusion in NASCAR
Ford has sponsored a racing version of the Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series since 2006. It has captured 22 series wins since its debut, including 10 this season.

The 2010 model NASCAR Fusion will make its competition debut at the 2009 Daytona 500 in February and will be unveiled to consumers during Ford Championship Weekend.

The Fusion made its debut as a pace car in the series on Oct. 9, 2005, at Kansas Speedway. It also paced the field prior to that season’s Ford Championship Weekend.

Ford has 591 wins overall in NASCAR’s top division. Seven different drivers have captured eight Cup championships, and Ford has won 15 manufacturers’ championships

President-elect Barack Obama made environmental initiatives one of the most important part of his successful campaign.

In preparing for his first 100 days, there are several indications of where energy policy will take him. The campaign's video outlines his goals in broad (and somewhat vague) terms. Obama is more specific in his plan's outline, which can be found on the Energy page of his site.

Obama's presidency promises more economic opportunity for green businesses than any in history; it remains to be seen what deflated oil prices will do to the general public's opinion of green initiatives.

Pushing a vehicle to the limit takes on a new meaning in the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide – an innovative new instrument cluster that provides real-time information to help drivers maximize fuel efficiency.

“SmartGauge with EcoGuide gives the customer real-world feedback to make the most of their hybrids,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good ‘coach,’ engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy.”

Ford collaborated with IDEO and Smart Design, two world leaders in helping consumers connect with technology, to develop the instrument cluster. Job One was properly integrating the driver with the cluster’s science and technology.

“The main question hybrid drivers had was, ‘How do I know I'm getting the most out of my hybrid?’ ” said Jeff Greenberg, Ford senior technical leader. “We needed to create a system that better communicates with drivers and gives them the tools to maximize fuel efficiency. That’s what SmartGauge with EcoGuide does.”

The driver is immediately engaged by the SmartGauge displays, on either side of the center-mounted analog speedometer, with a special greeting that combines illumination and graphics.

EcoGuide then uses a multi-layered approach to coach the driver to maximum fuel efficiency. A tutorial mode built into the display that helps the driver learn about the instrument cluster and the hybrid in a whimsical way that does not overpower.

For instance, drivers can choose one of four data screens to choose the information level displayed during their drives. They are:

* Inform: Fuel level and battery charge status
* Enlighten: Adds electric vehicle mode indicator and tachometer
* Engage: Adds engine output power and battery output power
* Empower: Adds power to wheels, engine pull-up threshold and accessory power consumption

All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history, odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in and trip data (trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty). The engine coolant temperature indicator turns green when engine conditions are warm enough to allow engine pull-down.

At the core of the instrument cluster’s design was an understanding that the Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) experience evolves and deepens over time and the technology needed to reflect that.

The four levels of information can be customized to fit each driver’s needs or situation. If cruising on the highway, for instance, only basic information may be desired. Once a driver moves off the highway into a city, additional information to optimize fuel economy may be desired and can be easily accessed.

Long-term fuel efficiency can be displayed in two ways – either as a traditional chart or using an innovative display that shows “growing leaves and vines” on the right side of the cluster. The more efficient a customer is, the more lush and beautiful the leaves and vines, creating a visual reward for the driver’s efforts.

Additionally, the real-time system feedback allows drivers to assess or modify their driving habits to achieve maximum fuel economy. A shutdown screen reviews important information from the latest trip, including fuel economy performance and comparative data from previous days.

Extensive customer research was completed to ensure the instrument cluster is as driver-friendly as possible. Prototype testing was done in Ford’s Virtual Text Track Experiment (VIRTTEX) simulator, the industry’s largest driver distraction laboratory operated by an automaker. Test drivers were able to safely interact with the new technology as engineers gathered data and helped refine SmartGauge, aiding drivers in making informed decisions without being distracting or overwhelming.

“When you’re driving, you have a second or so to look at your display,” Greenberg said. “A dense display isn’t going to work. SmartGauge with EcoGuide is designed to minimize distraction caused by multiple displays. We did a lot of work to eliminate extraneous movement and create a smooth, fluid display.”

The instantaneous fuel economy gauge, for example, can be shown or hidden at each of the EcoGuide levels to suit the needs of individual drivers. “We did a lot of research and modified our designs along the way to make SmartGauge with EcoGuide unobtrusive, using subtle cues to relay information,” Greenberg said.

The brainstorming sessions with the IDEO team proved invaluable. “We received more than 100 ideas about information to display – that was our input to our studies with VIRTTEX,” he added. “In VIRTTEX, for example, we learned that you can’t overlay multiple levels of information. One of our design goals then became to geographically separate the information so it can be better understood while driving.”

The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids join the already successful Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrids – the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the planet. With the addition of the two new hybrid sedans, Ford will double its annual hybrid volume and be the largest domestic producer of full hybrid vehicles in North America.

The Fusion and Milan Hybrids will be built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant and a will arrive in dealer showrooms in the first quarter of 2009.

You Are Here, the new book by Tom Kostigen, published by HarperCollins, is a trip through the world's worst environmental disasters. Kostigen brings home the force of our mistreatment of planet Earth in a vivid and gripping way. Kostigen stopped by to talk about his book recently:

BidForGreen: From reading your book, I was struck by the inequitable effect that the worst environmental problems have on the poorest people. They live the problems. Are some of the more heinous problems really civil rights questions?

Tom Kostigen: The poor get the raw of the stick, no question. But as the world "shrinks" because of travel and technology efficiencies, it's important to remember that what has happened and is happening to the poor can just as easily happen to the more fortunate. Natural resources do not discriminate. This should be a big wake-up call for the developed world.

BFG: Your style reminds me of Thomas Friedman in the way you see an issue from many different perspectives. Obviously, he has a very different opinion of globalization than you do. Is "You Are Here" the dark side of "The World Is Flat"?

TK: While I think there are benefits to globalization, there are downsides, sure. The transportation of goods, for example, all the way from China to the US. Certain exploitations occur. Take a look at the economic woes of today and you'll find no better example for buying local. We of course have to be mindful of the global community but that doesn't mean ignoring our own community close to home.

BFG: You visit many places, from Alaska to Brazil, on this book's journey. What surprised you most?

TK: I was heartened to find that pretty much every one around the world has a new consciousness of the environment. Being green isn't just a US phenomenon; it's worldwide.

BFG: Is there a contradiction in writing a book about pollution? How do you feel about the waste that your own book creates?

TK: First, the book is made with recycled paper. Second I carbon offset all the energy. And third I believe the tradeoff of educating people about the environment offsets the downside of its production. You can't live in a cave and hope to change the world outside.

BFG: What do you consider to be the most pressing environmental problem? Is there any solution in sight?

TK: Water scarcity is the biggest problem today. No question. We can solve this crisis tomorrow through education and preventing waste, pollution, and mismanagement.

BFG: Do our current economic woes scare you, considering the greater cost that additional environmental requirements and programs carry?

TK: Actually, I believe this is a time of opportunity -- to create better infrastructure, green collar jobs, and create incentives for alternative energy. I see a big silver lining in the dark clouds we are living under today..

BFG: In the end, do we solve these problems in the public or private sector?

TK: It is going to take three constituencies to solve the environmental problems of today: us, businesses, and the government. We have to take accountability and create demand to which businesses respond to with more sustainable products. Government then has to step in and provide incentives. No one sector can do it alone.