¡Presentación de información sobre el aire puro en español! / Introducing Clean Air Information En Espanol!

Nueva York se enorgullece de ser un crisol de culturas; alrededor del 36% de la población en los cinco distritos municipales de la Ciudad de Nueva York es de origen extranjero. Cuatro de los cinco distritos municipales se clasifican entre los 20 condados más heterogéneos de la nación.

Clean Air NY reconoce la necesidad de educar a todos los neoyorquinos, no solo aquellos que hablen inglés con fluidez. Por lo tanto, hemos traducido nuestra hoja informativa al español, el segundo idioma más hablado en Nueva York. Nos entusiasma difundir el mensaje de aire puro a más de 1,8 millones de hispanohablantes de Nueva York.

Puede encontrar nuestra hoja informativa en aquí en nuestro sitio web. También enviaremos alertas de los Días de acción por la calidad del aire en español, a fin de informarles a los hispanohablantes cuándo la calidad del aire estará en una categoría no saludable. Puede inscribirse para recibir alertas de los Días de acción por la calidad del aire aquí.

Debido a que nos esforzamos por ampliar la forma en la que publicamos nuestros mensajes, alerte a cualquier amigo o familiar que no hable inglés ni español sobre cuándo son los Días de acción por la calidad del aire. ¡Juntos podemos difundir información sobre el aire puro y ayudar a mejorar la calidad del aire de Nueva York!

New York prides itself on being a melting pot of culture – about 36 percent of the population in the five boroughs of New York City is foreign-born. Four of the five boroughs are ranked among the nation’s 20 most diverse counties.

Clean Air NY recognizes the need to educate all New Yorkers, not just those who are fluent in English. So, we’ve translated our fact sheet into Spanish, the second most widely spoken language in New York. We’re excited to spread the clean air message to more than 1.8 million Spanish speakers in New York.

Our fact sheet can be found on here on our Web site. We’ll also be sending out Air Quality Action Day alerts in Spanish, to let Spanish speakers know when the air quality will be in the unhealthy range. You can sign up for Air Quality Action Day alerts here.

As we strive to broaden how we get our message out, please alert any friends or family members who do not speak English or Spanish when there are Air Quality Action Days. Together, we can spread the clean air word and help improve New York’s air quality!

All Aboard – New York is Surrounded by Water, Take a Ferry to Work

The other day I had a Clean Air NY Partner meeting on Staten Island and I was considering my transportation options to the outer borough. Among them was renting a car, but since I didn’t have a carpool buddy that was not a smart choice to improve air quality. I used the 511NY transit trip planner and learned that taking the Staten Island Ferry was the best option. It was only a 25-minute ferry ride. What better way to commute to Staten Island than by taking the relaxing, quick, easy and low-carbon-footprint ferry? I boarded, easily found a seat, read my book and the next thing I knew we were docked at St. George Terminal in Staten Island.

Ferries are the forgotten public transportation option. But in New York, where a lot of our land mass is surrounded by water – the Hudson River, East River, Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean – ferries just make so much sense.

Did you know that in the 12-county downstate region that Clean Air NY covers, there are 22 different ferry line options from which commuters can choose? Check out the list to see if any of them work for you and your commute.

All in all, large passenger ferries are a great, environmentally friendly alternative to driving alone in your car, so all aboard!

Written by Jessica Horne, Clean Air NY Outreach and Marketing Associate.

Upper Green Side Joins Clean Air NY as Community Partner

According to a new air quality study, the Upper East Side (UES) is home to some of the most polluted air in New York City. New York City’s Department of Health’s first Community Air Survey (pdf) used highly technical sensors to monitor the level of five types of air pollutants - fine particles, nitrogen oxides, elemental carbon, sulfur dioxide and ozone. These have been linked to a variety of health problems, such as asthma, in more than 150 locations throughout the five boroughs. Download the full report here (pdf).

While many people may be shocked to hear that the UES air is, in fact, so polluted, the news should sadly come as no surprise. The neighborhood has long been home to a high concentration of older buildings, many of which still house old boilers and furnaces that burn a heavy grade of heating oil. In addition, heavy traffic from two nearby bridges and streets full of taxis, cars and trucks do more than their fair share to contribute particulate matter and other toxins to the district’s poor air quality.

Upper Green Side is proud to be Clean Air NY’s newest Community Partner. We will be working with other local community groups and stakeholders to help raise awareness about the need to clean our polluted air. Together, we can clean our air and provide a cleaner and safer environment for all!

Guest Blogger: Michael Auerbach, President of Upper Green Side

This New Year, Re-evaluate Your Commute

Welcome to 2010, New Yorkers! Were you trying to think of a good New Year’s resolution? How about changing your driving habits? Cars and trucks are responsible for about 30 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, so the less you drive, the less you pollute. It’s that simple.

Every situation is different, but there are clean-air actions for every commuter. If you work on Long Island or in the Lower Hudson Valley, it may be less practical for you to walk to work. Instead, try a carpool, vanpool bus or train. If you work in New York City, you may want to consider walking or biking. New York City’s Bicycle Access to Buildings Law, announced in December, allows bicycles in buildings, so take advantage of this new law! Walking or biking also keeps you in shape, so you’ll be improving your health and local air quality at the same time.

So, this New Year, find an alternative commute that works for you. Visit 511ny.org or nycommute.org to get started.

NYC’s Community Air Survey Shows We Still Have Work to Do

Recently, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released the results of the first Community Air Survey, a study that tracked air quality across the five boroughs. The survey monitored Particulate Matter, Ozone, Nitrogen Oxides, Elemental Carbon and Sulfur Dioxide from about 150 monitors located throughout New York City.

The Community Air Survey found (not surprisingly) the worst air quality in the areas with the highest level of car and truck traffic. These maps (taken from the Community Air Survey) show pollution levels (top/left) and traffic density (bottom/right) in New York City. See how the darker areas compare – poor air quality and traffic density correlate.

These maps show just how essential your clean-air travel choices are – before you get in the car and turn the key, think. Is there a better way to get from point A to point B?

It’s also important to note that this study was conducted in the winter – a time when many may think that air quality is not an issue, because the ozone season is over. But, poor air quality is still a problem in the colder months. It may be less ideal to walk, but mass transit and carpools are still a good and warm option. Visit 511ny.org to plan your alternative commute.

Happy Holidays from Clean Air NY

The holiday season is here, bringing parties and shopping trips in abundance. It’s no secret that the holiday season also brings traffic. This year, the New York City Department of Transportation declared seven Gridlock Alert Days in December alone. The 2009 holiday traffic plan can be found here.

But remember – more traffic = more air pollution. Roughly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by cars and trucks, but the extra travel required in December does not mean air quality has to suffer. We’ve put together some special holiday tips to help you keep the air clean, even during a high-traffic season:

-Take Mass Transit. Traffic congestion in New York is an issue during winter. Beat the holiday rush and take mass transit. Taking mass transit reduces carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to global warming by more than seven million tons a year.
-Share a Ride. When traveling to holiday parties, share a ride by carpooling or vanpooling to your destination. To find a carpool partner or vanpool, visit 511ny.org or nycommute.org .
-Combine Trips. Vehicles are more fuel efficient when they are warmed up. You could end up saving twice as much on gas consumption by taking one multipurpose trip instead of many short trips. Combine your errands into one trip and you’ll make your holidays less hectic, while helping keep New York’s air clean.
-Cut Back On Idling. Whenever possible, don’t let your car idle. For example, go into a fast-food restaurant to pick up food rather than waiting in the drive-through lane.
-Work from Home. Avoid weather hazards and spend more time with your family while working from home. If just one in 10 commuters in the New York metro area worked from home just once a week, emissions of ozone precursors would be reduced by about 5,100 tons each week – that’s the weight equivalent of 720 elephants.

You can click here to download our print-ready holiday tip poster to display around your workplace, school, community center, etc. to help educate others on the simple steps we can all take to improve New York's air quality.

Our Facebook page also has some great pre-made badges and Facebook profile pictures to help you spread the Clean Air NY holiday cheer! Check them out here.

Happy Holidays from Clean Air NY!

106.7 Lite FM and Clean Air NY's Skating in Central Park

This past weekend, Clean Air NY and 106.7LiteFM, together with its radio personalities, Delilah and Christine Nagy, helped educate the public on smart everyday travel choices to make our air cleaner and healthier in New York.

Remember to make the following smart travel choices this holiday season:

• Combine shopping trips to save time and gas
• Carpool to holiday parties and events
• Take mass transit to beat the traffic
• Avoid weather hazards and work from home
• Encourage loved ones to join Clear Air NY

Add your fan photos on Clean Air NY's Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/cleanairnewyork if you were at the event!

For more info on Clean Air NY, become a fan on FB: http://www.facebook.com/cleanairnewyork or visit http://www.cleanairny.org/