Eco-Friendly Travel Tips to New York’s Fall Sporting Events

images used under Creative Commons license, credits below

Fall is a busy time for professional sports leagues. Major League Baseball is about to begin the playoffs, the National Football League has started its 2011-2012 season and the National Hockey League is in its pre-season and will start in early October. Depending on the outcome of labor negotiations, the National Basketball Association could start its season sometime this autumn. Many New Yorkers are traveling to cheer on their favorite teams now, so we want to provide you with some eco-friendly travel tips to help you reduce air pollution.

The best way to improve air quality is to avoid driving. If you have to drive, don’t drive alone. The easiest way to leave your car behind is by taking mass transit. The three main sports venues in New York City, Madison Square Garden, New Yankee Stadium and Citi Field, all have their own dedicated subway stops. Taking the train to the game is a snap. There are also convenient mass transit options for visiting arenas outside of the five boroughs. For a full list of mass transit directions to the region’s sports venues, check out our blog post, “Take the Train to the Game.”

If you’re going to drive to the game, you can minimize the amount of air pollution your trip creates. Carpooling is an effective way to cut emissions and expenses. Sharing a ride takes cars off the road and splits the cost of driving across multiple riders. Another way to prevent pollution while driving is to avoid idling. If you’re going to have a tailgate party before the game, don’t run your engine after your vehicle is parked.

Enjoy breathing cleaner air at the games, and let’s go Jets, Giants, Mets, Yankees, Knicks, Nets, Devils, Islanders and Rangers!

Photo Collage Credits:
Football Field (Top Left) by tedkerwin
Basketball Court (Top Right) by Jean Baptiste Bellet
Baseball Diamond (Bottom Left) by Rob Boudon
Hockey Rink (Bottom Right) by dougtone