Yellow: It’s The New Green

Quick: what's eco-friendly, takes 36 cars off the road two times each day,and saves billions of gallons of gasoline each year? Need a hint? It's yellow.

According to John McKinney, president of IC Bus, the lowly yellow school bus can be a super-hero in the fight against everything from gridlock to greenhouse gas emissions. Especially if the bus happens to be IC Bus' hybrid school bus. The company is planning to give away one of these lovelies in May to one lucky school. The company is holding an essay contest for school children in grades K-12. Children who can describe their school's eco-friendly practices in 500 words or less may score one of company's hybrid buses.

McKinney says that IC Bus is the only company that makes hybrid buses, and says that the company's product reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent compared to a standard diesel model while improving fuel economy at the same time. The company makes two different parallel hybrid versions - one for school use and one for commercial/limousine transportation - that incorporate regenerative braking. The buses don't employ stop-start technology, a standard component of many hybrid vehicle designs, and also don't offer an all-electric drive. One hybrid model is powered by a lead-acid battery pack. The other uses Li-ion cells with a special cooling system to ensure vehicle safety. According to the company, operators can expect to see fuel economy improvements of between 20% and 70%, depending upon the hybrid model they choose, the route and the size of the engine installed in the vehicle.

The contest is open until April 30. After that, McKinney and author Terra Wellington will sift through the entries looking for that one essay that says it all. Entries can be posted at AmericasGreenestSchool.com. While they're there, students can also read about ways to conserve energy and inspire a more sustainable school environment. The author of the winning essay may not get to take the bus for a spin, but will receive a $5,000 scholarship and the company will throw in an extra $3,000 for educational materials for the winning school.

Photo Credit: Sam LeVan