Naperville, Ill. – June 29, 2023 – Naperville Park District recently was accepted into membership in the B20 Club, which is a partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association and the American Lung Association that recognizes Illinois organizations with a strong commitment to the use of biodiesel fuel blends of 20 percent or greater. Currently, Naperville Park District is one of only two Illinois park districts to be accepted into membership. Located in both DuPage and Will Counties, Naperville Park District works to preserve and promote a clean, healthy, sustainable environment through a variety of initiatives and best practices. The Park District’s fleet has been designated as an Illinois Green Fleet by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Illinois Alliance for Clean Transportation (formerly Chicago Area Clean Cities) since 2014, running on a diverse mix of alternative fuels, with B20 biodiesel, propane, hybrid and all-electric vehicles and equipment.
“The B20 Club of Illinois represents a select group of more than 22 fleet members that have made a commitment to combat climate change and protect human health by reducing their carbon footprint and lowering tailpipe emissions with drop-in biodiesel blends,” said Bailey Arnold, program lead for the B20 Club of Illinois and director of clean air initiatives for the American Lung Association. “Our members have used more than 85.5 million gallons of B20 and higher biodiesel blends in nearly 5,000 fleet vehicles, reducing carbon emissions equivalent to planting more than 2.7 million trees, and providing an estimated health savings benefit of more than $16.5 million to local communities since 2014.”
“The Naperville Park District manages more than 2,400 acres of park land in Naperville, the 4th largest city in Illinois,” said Brad Wilson, executive director. “Stewardship of the environment has long been one of the District’s core values. The use of B20 allows us to reduce emissions while improving the performance of our diesel equipment.”
“The Illinois Soybean Association is excited to welcome the Naperville Park District to the B20 Club,” says ISA Vice-Chairman, Ron Kindred. “With this new partnership, we can continue to reduce carbon emissions across our state by using a more efficient, cleaner fuel, grown right here in Illinois.”
Some of the benefits of membership in the B20 Club include partnership opportunities, webinars, competitive grants, promotions, fuel quality, technical services and training.
About the Naperville Park District: Created in 1966, the Naperville Park District is an independent, municipal agency serving the recreation needs of its residents. The District is one of only 1% of park districts across the country to be nationally accredited through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA). The Naperville Park District’s mission is to provide recreation and park experiences that promote healthy lives, healthy minds and a healthy community. The District maintains and operates more than 2,400 acres with 136 parks and provides more than 7,500 recreational classes, teams, events and performances annually. Included within the District’s operations are two championship golf courses, a multitude of playgrounds, trails, athletic courts and sports fields, Fort Hill Activity Center, Knoch Knolls Nature Center, two inline skating and skateboarding facilities, the Millennium Carillon, a paddle boat quarry, historic Centennial Beach, and the beautiful Riverwalk.
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy, and research. The Association’s Department of Clean Air Initiatives is dedicated to providing clean air for all through its award-winning Clean Air Choice® program, which focuses on promoting and implementing alternative fuels and technologies. Learn more at cleanairchoice.org
The B20 Club of Illinois is a partnership between the Illinois Soybean Association Checkoff Program and the American Lung Association that showcases leading green fleets with a commitment to use B20 or higher biodiesel blends in the state of Illinois. Learn more at B20Club.org.
The Illinois Soybean Association (ISA) checkoff and membership programs represent more than 43,000 soybean farmers in Illinois. The checkoff funds market development, soybean production and government relations efforts, while the membership program, Illinois Soybean Growers (ISG) and the Illinois Soybean Growers PAC actively advocates for positive and impactful legislation for farmers at local, state and national levels. ISA upholds the interests of Illinois soybean farmers through promotion, advocacy, research and education with the vision of becoming a trusted partner of Illinois soybean farmers to ensure their profitability now and for future generations.
