Extra Credit for Cleaner Air

Whenever our Clean Air NY teams communicate with our network of individuals and employers, we often encounter people who are already helping to improve air quality and are looking for even more ways to take action. We encourage New Yorkers to look first at making changes to their transportation habits, such as carpooling, taking mass transit, teleworking and combining errands into one trip. However, if these changes aren’t workable for you at this time, or you already take alternate forms of transportation and want some “extra credit” to improve air quality further, here are more ideas that can really add up.

• Don’t mow your lawn on Air Quality Action Days. First, sign up to receive alerts from Clean Air NY when air pollution is going to be high. When these days occur, postpone mowing your lawn until after the Air Quality Action Day has passed.
• Don’t drive around looking for parking. If a parking lot is crowded, don’t drive around in circles looking for a close space. If you park your car at the first open spot and walk, you will cut down on extra driving and it probably won’t take you any longer to get inside. If you’re looking for street parking, check out our Community Partner Parking Auction to see how its app can help you find a spot without circling your block.
• Refuel after dark. When you are refueling your vehicle, we often encourage you to stop at the “click” to prevent gasoline fumes from leaving your tank and entering the air. This is because the fumes get baked by the sun and turn into pollution. Refueling after dark adds an extra layer of protection because any fumes that do escape have time to dissipate before the sun comes out again.