Technology Environmental Winner's Tool

Technology is the tool today's winner of the Chamber's Tahoma Business Environmental Award utilizes in its environmental stewardship.

Carlile Transportation System (Carlile), a full-service transportation company that provides service in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, makes company-wide updates to their fleet continually.

Their freight operations in Tacoma got an environmental performance boost with the purchase of a hybrid diesel-electric truck, the first of its kind to operate on the West Coast, in December 2008. Quieter than standard trucks, the medium-duty Kenworth T370 is expected to cut fuel consumption by up to 30 percent. Advanced controls monitor driving conditions and automatically select the ideal power mode, switching between electric only, combined diesel and electric and diesel only. 2008 also saw the addition of two new Beall aluminum ULSD Fuel Tankers to their fleet.

Carlile’s entire Washington State fleet includes engines newer than model year 2000, (most are 2007 or newer), making them certainly more fuel efficient in addition to burning cleaner than the 1994 average model year for truck engines in Washington State. These environmental initiatives have helped Carlile meet the Northwest Ports Clean Air Strategy’s 2010 standard for trucks ahead of schedule.

Carlile has and continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental enterprises in myriad ways. Other Carlile environmental initiatives include:

• The installation of alternative power units (APUs) to power truck cab’s heating, air conditioning and other amenities without requiring the diesel engine to idle—lowering emissions and saving money by reducing parts wear and fuel consumption.


• Receiving SmartWay certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s SmartWay Transport Partnership program for demonstrating tangible results in reducing diesel and greenhouse gas emissions.

Since 2003, the Chamber has annually recognized entrepreneurial efforts that meet a high standard of excellence for environmental, preservation and protection accomplishments through its Tahoma Business Environmental Award.

Come join in the congratulations for Carlile Transportation Systems as the 7th recipient of the Tahoma Business Environmental Award.

Tuesday, April 28
7:30 a.m.
Landmark Conference Center
47 St. Helens Ave. Tacoma 98402
Price: $12 Ambassadors
$15 Chamber Members pre-paid by April 27
$22 Chamber Members at the door
$25 Non-members pre-paid
$30 Non-members/Walk-ins
Register: Janice Hutchins, 253.627.2175 or online here

This year, Carlile has deservedly been acknowledged with the Tahoma Business Environmental Award by having invested money and thought into ways that would improve the environmental performance of their overall operations and thus, impacting our community’s quality of life.

Congratulations to Carlile Transportation Systems, who joins an elite list of local businesses that have displayed exemplary environmental stewardship and are recognized for their notable efforts by the Chamber’s Tahoma Business Environmental Award. Past worthy recipients of the award:

• 2003 Kay Parks/Dan Meyer Auto Rebuild


• 2004 Simpson


• 2005 McFarland Cascade


• 2006 Port of Tacoma


• 2007 Totem Ocean Trailer Express


• 2008 PLU


• 2009 Carlile Transportation Systems

The "S" in STEM Comes to the Foss

Today marked "ground- breaking" for the Urban Waters project facility on the eastern shore of Foss Waterway.

A dazzling little display of science - with dignitaries pouring flasks of liquid into a bigger container of blue fluid, turning the solution within clear - utilized the miracles possible with science as a demonstration of promises with a new facility dedicated to the science of the environment commenced.

This positive development in our community is a dividend with the University of Washington Tacoma. The cooperative effort among the City of Tacoma, UWT, Port of Tacoma and Puget Sound Partnership, is a seminal event for our community.

Best for Crafting Sites

Today, The News Tribune announced the recipients for the University of Washington Tacoma Milgard School of Business Business Leadership Awards.

The first feature story was for the website development company, Sitecrafting , Inc. well known in the tech scene for its professional commercial and community websites. Listed among those commercial endeavors are websites for MultiCare Health Systems, AirStream, and Tacoma Public Utilities. And Sitecrafting's community websites include TacomaAngel Network (TAN), whose leadership continuously hear envious accolades from other angel groups.

Larry Kopp, TAN Co-Chair has said: "That SiteCrafting is a quality company is testified to by our outstanding TAN website, which is probably the most advanced Angel and/or VC site in the US in terms of its look and even more importantly its functionality. And, almost all the work-sessions laying out and reviewing the actual work was done by word of mouth over the phone without even a piece of paper—what a refreshing way to operate with a website firm."

Our kudos to Brian Forth and all the great group at Sitecrafting. And our thanks, for being an integral part of the tech community in Tacoma metro.