Known for Lake Michigan beaches and urban parks, the Chicago Park District is using ever-higher biodiesel blends to reduce emissions and improve air quality in America's third-largest city. Lawn mowers, beach rakers, truckers, and tree trimmers are operating on blends up to B100 (100 percent biodiesel), achieving up to an 86 percent reduction in carbon emissions.

The Chicago Park District estimates it has saved people about $67,000 in health care costs by improving the air quality with biodiesel. Michael Dimitroff, manager of Art Initiatives with Chicago Parks, wants to see the City of Chicago utilize more biodiesel across its fleets.