One way in which the City of Chicago is helping to improve air quality is by actively participating in the Clean Cities program . Because approximately half of Chicago's air pollution comes from motor vehicles, the widespread use of alternative fuels, in place of gasoline, hold promise for improving our air. Sponsored in over 60 cities nationwide by the US Department of Energy, Clean Cities provides a framework for increasing the percentage of AFVs in urban areas. Cities form an alliance with local industries and work to create refueling infrastructure, build market demand, and transfer and improve technology for AFVs. Clean Cities successfully encouraged the state to legislate rebates of hundreds of dollars for people or companies that purchase AFVs, which Clean Cities helps fund.
Some money also goes for educating mechanics on how to fix different types of AFVs.