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Stamford Nonprofits Push Electric, Hybrid Vehicles For Earth Day

STAMFORD, Conn. -- Just in time for Earth Day, sleek and flashy cars mixed with family cars were showcased Tuesday at a Stamford event that pushed alternatives to gasoline-powered vehicles.

A BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car.Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

A BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car.Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
A BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car.Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

A BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car.Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Leslie Lee sits inside a BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car. Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

Leslie Lee sits inside a BMW 18 plug-in hybrid sports car. Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held an event Tuesday showcasing electric and hybrid cars.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

Stamford-based nonprofit Sustainable America held the event as part of its push to reduce oil consumption.

The nonprofit is trying to cut the nation's oil consumption and increase food availability, said the organization's Executive Director Jeremy Kranowitz.

"We are a nonprofit focused on the twin issues of food and fuel," Kranowitz said. "We are trying to reduce our nation's oil consumption by 50 percent and we are trying to increase food availability by 50 percent over the next two decades."

Sustainable America was founded two years ago by Nick Tiller. He retired in 2013 from Stamford-based SAC Capital Advisors, where he was an energy portfolio manager with the massive hedge fund. It's located at 700 Canal St.

His BMW i8 hybrid sports car caught the eye of people who attended. The sleek sports car was plugged into a charging station.

The vehicles on display included a pair of BMW i3 electric cars from BMW of Greenwich, two Leaf electric vehicles from Bruce Bennett Nissan, and Karl Chevrolet cars contributing two Volt cars. The vehicles were also available for test drives.

There was also a hybrid Porsche Panamera on display.

The event was co-sponsored by the Connecticut Fund for the Environment and Stamford 2030 District.

Megan Saunders, executive director for the Stamford 2030 District, said the nonprofit is focused on reducing energy and water use and cutting transportation emissions.

"We want to let people know what the technology is either they implement it at home on an individual basis or they adopt it in their companies or their fleets of vehicles that they have," she said.

Shannon Smyth said the Connecticut Fund for the Environment, along with other groups, is pushing for more electric vehicles and to get more charging stations.

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