WHAT ARE THE BLUE SKY AWARDS?
One of CALSTART's 2008 Blue Sky Innovation Awards went to Business Region Goteburg in Sweden for their work on biogasRecognizing companies, organizations, and individuals promoting real change in transportation has never been more important than it is today. Blue Sky AwardTM winners include many of the visionaries working to implement clean, advanced solutions in transportation. Transportation plays a very large role in global air pollution, climate change and energy security, and that role is growing. Over 600 million cars are currently registered for road use worldwide, and the number will continue to grow rapidly - especially in developing countries - during the years ahead. By the year 2010, total vehicle registrations are expected to top 1 billion, with each vehicle driven an increasing number of miles every year. Even at current levels, the transportation sector in the U.S. is responsible for one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of the carbon monoxide pollution - as well as nearly 50% of nitrogen oxides and 40% of the volatile organic compounds that combine to form smog. More than 5,000 deaths occurring each year in the Los Angeles metropolitan area can be attributed to smog levels above those set by the federal government.