Business Community Can Help Combat Poor Air Quality in New York

From our parner, Clean Air NY:

A major concern for New York City right now is poor air quality. According to the 2007 Inventory of New York City Greenhouse Gas Emissions, the average temperatures in New York State are projected to increase 2 to 8 degrees by the year 2100, with the largest increases in New York City.

Global warming will not only cause loss of vegetation and other natural resources, it has serious health effects. The EPA recently declared greenhouse gases a threat to human health. Studies link outdoor pollution to heart disease, respiratory disease, restricted fetal growth, appendicitis and other health issues.

A major contributor to poor air quality in the metro New York area? Transportation. Cars and trucks are responsible for about a third of emissions of ozone-forming chemicals. According to the American Lung Association, the New York City metropolitan area leads the nation in total deaths, cancer deaths and heart attacks associated with diesel emissions.

Clean Air NY, an initiative sponsored by the New York State Department of Transportation in support of regionwide air-quality efforts, is working with local businesses to help employees find ways to reduce transportation-related pollution.

SH&E, an aviation consulting firm, worked alongside Clean Air NY and increased its employee transit subsidy from $32 to $50 – encouraging employees to use mass transit. The firm also educated employees on actions they can take to improve air quality during a “Lunch n’ Learn” session.

Some programs can take time to implement. But, there are steps businesses can take now. Clean Air NY lists these simple actions to take every day:

• Bike, Walk or Use Public Transit. Forgoing your car just one day a week for a year could save about 1,000 miles on the vehicle and $500 in total driving costs.

• Share a Ride. Whenever possible, share a ride by carpooling or vanpooling to your destination. To find a carpool partner or vanpool, visit 511ny.org.

• Access Local Transportation Experts. CommuterLink (www.commuterlink.com) offers free commuter services to businesses in the five boroughs.

• Stay informed. Sign up to receive real-time updates on Air Quality Action Days - days when ozone levels are at their highest and most dangerous. Send these alerts to employees and encourage them to stay inside on Air Quality Action Days whenever possible. Text AIR to 42269 or visit cleanairny.org to sign up to receive alerts.

For more information on how your business can make a difference, visit cleanairny.org/DoYourPart/Default.aspx