EMBARQ Participates in Boston's Alternative Transportation Festival

The event, organized by WRI Board member Alison Sander, brought together a wide range of sustainable transporation enthusiasts.

Sunday, September 16, 2007 | Boston, United States

AltWheels festival organizer and WRI Board member Alison Sander talks with Boston Mayor Tom Menino.  Photo: Rhys Thom  © 2007 WRI

On September 14 and 15, 2007, EMBARQ participated in the 5th Annual AltWheels Festival, the largest alternative transportation and energy festival on the east coast of the U.S. The event, organized by WRI Board member Alison Sander was a flurry of activity featuring everything from homemade biodiesel cooperatives to web 2.0 ridesharing company GoLoco to plug-in hybrid manufactures.

EMBARQ's exhibit highlighted the project's work in mega cities around the world, and stressed the importance of sustainable transportation systems (rather than just new technologies) as a means to make urban areas healthier and more environmentally friendly places to live.

A highlight of the festival was an appearance by the Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino, who announced a new diesel retrofit grant program for Boston, promised to plant over 100,000 trees in the city over the next 12 years, and to make Boston the most bike friendly municipality in the country.