When I think of LA lifeguards, the first thing that comes to mind, as I’m sure for others too, is the iconic 90s TV show, Baywatch, where Pam Anderson and the cast strutted their stuff on the beach and pretended to “save lives.” However, I am pleased to learn that the real Baywatch lifeguards of LA county today are not only saving real lives, but are also helping to reduce our carbon footprint! An article from USA Today gave credit to Ford for helping reduce emissions in Los Angeles County. The county owns 45 Ford Escape Hybrid SUVs for their Baywatch lifeguards. With a little help from some of the Escapes, they made 9,000 rescues over the past year. In the process, the hybrids cut the fleet’s fuel usage by 25%. That amounts to more than 5,000 gallons during the first six months of service, Ford says. Escape Hybrids have a fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon in the city and a 27 mpg on the highway. The SUVs cut carbon emissions, NOx emissions, and greenhouse gas emissions. I think I might just have to drive up to LA for the day to catch a glimpse of these “green” lifeguards in action.
