TSB Tri-State Biodiesel

LOCAL COALITION SEEKING TO TACKLE AIR POLLUTION PROBLEMS ON THE UPPER EASE SIDE ANNOUNCE MARCH 3RD PRESS CONFERENCE

Council Member Jessica Lappin, and environmental group Upper Green Side partners with
Tri-State Biodiesel, local businesses to reduce emissions in some of NYC’S most polluted zips.
(NY, NY) - A Health Department report identifying the Upper East Side as home to some of theCity’s worst air shocked many New Yorkers, but not Brent Baker, CEO of Tri-state Biodiesel. “Thecommunity air survey cited the area’s boilers and hot water heaters as principal sources of pollution,”Baker said, “And I am not surprised. Start with the neighborhood’s density of large buildings that burn petroleum-based heating oil, then add high volume car and truck traffic and you get a pretty
toxic mix.” For the coalition, one solution is simple: affordable, biodiesel blended heating oil fuel at competitive prices. Several local companies, including Tri-State Biodiesel (TSB), have been providing this very product to New Yorkers for several years, offering overnight emissions reductions with no change in service or operations. Buildings that replace #2 and #4 heating oil with biodiesel not only reduce air-borne toxins by up to 90% (and green-house gases by up to 85%), but also dramatically cut the percentage of fats and grease deposited in city’s waste-water stream.

TSB’s biodiesel couldn’t be much greener, given that its main ingredient is recycled cooking oil collected from New York City restaurants - including an ever increasing number located on the Upper East Side. This newly-forged partnership includes City Council Member Jessica Lappin, Upper East Side’s environmental organization, Upper Green Side, local business owners, and residents. The group’s mission is to get the word out to UES landlords and co-op boards, including those on Mayor Bloomberg’s block, that switching to biodiesel will result in a significant improvement in local air quality. And, with the switch to biodiesel, the improvements can take place immediately.
“That Health Department report should serve as a lightening rod for community action,” says Michael Auerbach, of Upper Green Side, “and our coalition is determined to make a real impact on an area of obvious need.” He adds, “And we owe it to our kids who are currently breathing polluted air.”

The campaign will formally launch with a March 3rd with a press conference featuring local residents, business owners and elected officials, pledging to work together to improve air quality by the use of biodiesel in the UES and around the city.
Draft Copy – Not for Circulation

What: Press Conference announcing campaign for clean air using local biodiesel.
When: Wednesday, March 3RD, 2010 at 10am
Where: Absolute Piano at 1646 Park Avenue near 116th Street.
Confirmed Speakers include;
Jessica Lappin -- City Council Member for Upper East Side
Michael Auerbach -- Upper Green Side
Brent Baker – Tri-State Biodiesel
Kaoru Muramatsu – Building owner using biodiesel heating oil
Steven Salsberg -- Vice Chairman of Council on the Environment NYC
Invited Speakers include;
Jonathan Bing – State Assemblyman for Upper East Side
Daniel R. Garodnick -- City Council Member for Upper East Side
Melissa Mark-Viverito -- City Council Member for Upper East Side
James F. Gennaro – City Council Member, Chair Environmental Committee
For more information on this event contact: Tri-State Biodiesel Communications

Coordinator Yiyi
Zhang at 718-860-6600 or yiyi@tristatebiodiesel.com



About Tri-State Biodiesel (TSB):

TSB is a New York City based company that provides green jobs by recycling locally collected, used cooking oil into clean burning, high quality biodiesel fuel. TSB believes that the use of sustainablyproduced biodiesel - in combination with demand reduction measures such as mass-transit and transportation alternatives and in concert with technological advances such as diesel hybrids and light rail systems - can create an America that is both energy independent and sustainable. In 2009,
TSB was honored with the Social Venture Network's (SVN) Innovation Award for CEO Brent Baker's work in maintaining "triple bottom line" principals at the company.
For more information on the company please visit: http://www.tristatebiodiesel.com/

About Upper Green Side:
Founded in 2006, Upper Green Side is a 501 (c)(3) all-volunteer, non-profit organization promoting awareness and grassroots action on local environmental issues on the Upper East & West Sides of Manhattan such as local food, progressive transportation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.

Our mission: Build a healthy, sustainable community and environment not only for our own wellbeing, but for generations to come. UGS is a sponsor of area electronic recycling, two local Greenmarkets, and determined advocate for cleaner buildings and transportation.

For more information on Upper Green Side’s efforts to make New York a greener place, please visit
http://www.uppergreenside.org.

Absolute Piano is a minority owned business and building owner that is using biodiesel heating oil supplied by Tri-State Biodiesel.