City leaders of Coconut Creek, Florida (near Fort Lauderdale) say they are committed to a proactive approach to protecting the environment. That's one reason the city began using biodiesel in the spring of 2001, according to Gloria Fantl, mayor of the city of 46 thousand people.

"Using biodiesel creates a lot less pollution, and that provides for a much healthier environment," she said. "Our city management is very much in the forefront of environmental protection and we are proud to be a leader in alternative fuel. Everyone in this city, young and old, is proud to be a part of this."

Rich Cascio, the city's property maintenance manager, says the city uses biodiesel in anything with a diesel engine, including light trucks, dump trucks, tractors, bucket trucks, backhoes, sewage trucks, ambulances and fire trucks. The switch to biodiesel was seamless.

"We're trying to get away from petroleum as a city, and biodiesel was a way to do that without making major changes to our vehicles or infrastructure," he said. "The fuel has performed very well. There's really no noticeable difference in power or fuel economy."

Cascio says he would recommend the fuel to other city fleets. "We've been very pleased with it. If your fleet is 10 years old you won't have a problem with it. If it is 20 years old, you may have to do simple things like change the fuel lines. Once you're into it, you don't have the fumes, the odor, the black smoke. It has excellent lubricity. You're cleaning your engines and lowering maintenance costs. There is an initial period of changing fuel filters, but once you get past that you shouldn't notice a difference."