For dads, grads and everyone: Be smart this summer

June is abloom with travel plans, to celebrate graduations, Father’s Day and the official start of summer. At Clean Air NY, we know there are plenty of presents to give in the spirit of the season that keep on giving and improve air quality.

If your dads or grads are car buffs, give them gift certificates to get an oil change or a tuneup. A well-maintained vehicle produces fewer emissions. For bonus points, do these simple maintenance procedures for them, including checking tire pressure.

For the runner, hiker or rollerblade enthusiast, the proper footwear and other gear make thoughtful gifts, not the least of which is good health. These activities help your loved ones stay in shape and provide cleaner air for all as they reduce their carbon footprints.

Using transit slashes emissions, too. For the grad on a tight budget and who is out there looking for a job, a useful gift is a transit pass or Metro Card. 

When you're out looking for gifts for dads and grads, shopping for the essentials for a picnic or attending the latest summer blockbuster at the theater, don’t waste time, energy and patience looking for a closer space at malls or entertainment venues. Park your car at the first open spot and walk; you’ll reduce the emissions from that endless circling and idling and it probably won’t take you any longer to get inside.

For a glorious gift, take a bike trip across some of New York’s beautiful bike trails. Use 511NY to search for bicycle routes by geographic location. Summer is the time to shine!