“Just Do It,” is what its advertisements encourage consumers to do, so Beverton, OR-based Nike Inc. followed similar advice on energy matters from California officials and has converted its cargo-hauling fleet at the Long Beach-Los Angeles Port from diesel to liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled vehicles.

Nike also has joined the Coalition for Responsible Transportation (CRT), an advocacy group for cleaner truck technologies in port facilities.

The nation’s busiest port facility when combined, Long Beach and Los Angeles are pushing for eliminating the now-dominant use of diesel-powered vehicles and equipment in their operations, which together are the third busiest in the world. The adjacent ports handle a substantial portion of the footwear, apparel and equipment for Nike, which also owns Converse Inc., Nike Bauer Hockey Inc., Cole Haan, Hurley International LLC, and Exeter Brands Group LLC.

Nike estimates that the new LNG trucks in the two ports will emit 18% less carbon dioxide (CO2), 88% less nitrogen oxide (NOx), and 96% less particulate matter/mile, compared to their diesel counterparts. Working through CRT, Nike has signed a deal with Southern Counties Express, a local clean-fuel trucking firm, to meet about half of its port-related trucking needs in the Los Angeles/Long Beach area.

Nike Director of Corporate Logistic Service John Isbell said the company and its affiliate companies have committed to lowering CO2 emissions for inbound shipments 30% by 2020. “To do so, we will take an accumulation of many efforts just like this one in which we can take advantage of an environmentally preferred alternative.”

A CRT spokesperson praised Nike for its leadership role, and for helping make the LNG trucks part of “the approach for addressing the air quality impacts of drayage trucking in the area around these vital ports.”

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