American Lung Association Biobased Academy Now Live

 The American Lung Association’s Biobased Academy® is now live for fleet use. The ALA’s new comprehensive online training program educates fleet and facility professionals and technicians on the operational, health, safety, and environmental benefits of biobased fleet and facilities products. This program is offered by the American Lung Association in partnership with the United Soybean Board. Greater Indiana Clean Cities, Inc. worked with the American Lung Association to build the online training course.

“The American Lung Association is proud to offer this comprehensive training program to educate professionals on the operational, health, safety, and environmental benefits of biobased alternatives,” said ALA Director of Clean Air Initiatives Bailey Arnold. “Implementing biobased products is an easy way to complement existing carbon reduction strategies while protecting the overall health of employees, communities, and the environment.”

“USB’s partnership with ALA offers an unprecedented new resource for fleet and sustainability leaders along with their staffs to learn about the benefits of soy inside products they can use every day in their fleets,” says Ralph Lott, who serves as Chair of the soy checkoff and farms in Seneca Falls, New York. “U.S. Soy offers natural choices in a wide range of products, ranging from Goodyear soy-containing tires to biodiesel and hydraulic fluids.

“Our USB-funded outreach to fleets across the nation has proven that leading sustainability-minded fleets want to help educate their staffs about these products,” added Lott. “We thank all the fleet leaders from across the nation who reviewed these educational materials for their real-world practical use.”
“Greater Indiana is pleased to work with the American Lung Association to develop a robust training program,” said Kaylee May, Greater Indiana’s Development and Communications Manager. “This course is a great resource for fleets in Indiana and across the nation, who are looking at ways to reduce emissions and provide a safer work environment and healthier community.”

Upon completion of the Biobased Certified Fleet Professional (BCFP)® course, participants will have a firm understanding of how and why biobased products can be safer, rapidly renewable, and reliable alternatives to petroleum-based products that improve operational, health, safety, and environmental performance. Participants will also understand the type and variety of biobased products available and how to procure them.

Programmatic Benefits and Purpose
1. Benefit workers through reduced exposure to harsh chemicals and fumes.
2. Assist organizations in reducing their environmental footprint with soy biobased products.
3. Increase fleet and facilities’ knowledge of soy biobased products.
4. Contribute to the United States’ economy by increasing the use and sale of soy biobased products made from U.S. Soy.
5. Train and assist fleets and facilities in implementing cutting-edge sustainability practices, like soy biobased products, to create ideal candidates for national fleet and facilities awards, such as the 100 Best Fleets in the Americas and USEPA Federal Green Challenge award programs.

At the completion of this certification program, participants will gain:
1. Awareness of the human and environmental effects of air contaminants and contact exposure to chemicals
2. Awareness of the requirements and liabilities associated with spills and releases of pollutants and contaminants
3. An understanding of the current definitions and meanings of commonly used terms related to environmental sustainability
4. An understanding of Biodiesel fuel standards, performance attributes, proper storage procedures and blends.
5. An understanding of the type and variety of soy biobased products applicable for fleet/facility operation and maintenance activities.