Individual Actions Add Up
You and all your friends and family are invited to join Clean Air NY. Why? Simple mathematics: The more people who join Clean Air NY and who take environmentally sensitive steps every day, the more vehicle miles we reduce. That equals a lot less pollution in the air.
Think You Can't Help?
You might be thinking, "I'm not an air-quality superhero. What I do doesn't count." We beg to differ. When you make smart travel choices every day, your actions to reduce driving will lead to less air pollution—and you will make a difference.
What Can I Expect If I Become a Part of Clean Air NY?
You'll receive helpful information from us about once a month. We will provide free materials to educate you on reducing air pollution and to inform you on how to turn that inspiration into reality. They include:
- Action Day Bulletins. Sent by e-mail or fax (your choice), these messages will arrive on the day prior to forecasted Air Quality Action Days with tips on how to improve air quality.
- Clean Air Connections. Full of useful info, this quarterly e-newsletter will show new ways to improve air quality and to reap the other benefits of making alternate transportation choices, like saving time and money.
- The Latest Breeze. These exclusive e-mails from Clean Air NY will arrive about once a month (separate from the Action Day Bulletins) offering tips, advice and reminders about how to improve air quality every day.
- Access to Local Transportation Experts. Known as transportation management associations (TMAs), these experts can help you make better transportation choices.
What's In It for Me?
When you put all (or even just some) of the stuff you learn from Clean Air NY into action, you may get:
- Bragging Rights. Join Clean Air NY and reduce a few weekly trips (for example, take the train rather than a car to work, brown-bag your lunch rather than driving to the deli in the next office park), and you can brag about how "green" you've become.
- More Money in Your Pocket. Whoever
said it isn't easy being green didn't know that you often
can save money when you leave your car at home by using less gas and reducing wear and tear on your car. And if your employer offers commuter benefits, you can save even more money.
- Less Stress. If
you take transit or walk or bike to work instead of fighting traffic, you could arrive less harried and depart in a better frame of mind. This makes for better office interactions and more time with family and friends.
Who Else Benefits?
Many others, including:
- Children. Active children are most at risk from ozone exposure because they often spend a good part of the day outdoors in vigorous activities. Childhood asthma is a very common chronic disease that can be aggravated by ozone exposure.
- The Elderly. Some people who are most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution are the elderly, especially those with pre-existing respiratory and cardiac problems.
- People With Asthma. One in eight adults in New York City will report an asthma diagnosis.1 Poor air quality particularly affects people with asthma and other respiratory diseases.
- Everyone Else. In a survey by the New York State Department of Transportation in June 2006, 42 percent of New Yorkers indicated that air pollution affects the health of at least one member of their household. Even those of us who don't have pre-existing health conditions can still be affected by poor air quality.
Sign up now to become part of Clean Air NY.
1 Garg R, Karpati A, Leighton J, Perrin M, Shah M. May 2003. Asthma Facts, Second Edition. New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/asthma/facts.pdf (accessed March 16, 2007). |
