Fall into Cleaner Air

October is International Walk to School Month!

Many U.S. celebrations focused on Walk to School Day on Oct. 7, but it's not too late to organize a celebration at your child's school. Visit www.WalktoSchool.org for tips to plan a quick Walk to School Day, starting with the principal's approval. It's just a few short steps from there to a fun community event promoting a healthier lifestyle for everyone. Whether you're able to get a celebration in place this October or not, mark your calendar for next year: Walk to School Day 2010 is scheduled for Oct. 6.

A Busy Parent's Best Friend: Carpooling

You know the drill: trumpet lesson, ballet class, art workshop, class project, soccer game, repeat. Feel like you spend more time in your car than your home lately? Save time, gas and stress by organizing or joining a carpool with other parents in the area.

Some carpool tips for parents:

• Determine how many seats you have to offer, especially if your other kids are in the car with you. It's not the number of seats in the car but the number available that counts.
• Set ground rules for child and parent behavior. No talking on the cell phone or texting while driving. Wear seat belts at all times. Decide how stragglers will be handled.
• Exchange cell phone numbers with all of the parents involved. You never know when you may need to contact someone at a moment's notice.

Kristen Gantos, Clean Air NY Outreach and Marketing Coordinator.

Get Some Relief from the Heat of High Gas Prices and Clean Our Air of Excess Pollutants: Dive into Carpooling!

Finally, summer has embraced New York's metro area! It's time for family picnics in parks, outdoor parties, relaxing in hammocks, sports and other exercise outdoors. During the warm summer days, we feel good to be outside and filling our lungs with some fresh air. However, New York's air needs to be healthier.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), New York's downstate region does not meet federal standards for air quality. As indicated by EPA tests, the air has harmful pollutants, a risk not only to sensitive groups, such as people with asthma or emphysema, but to those without health problems. Studies have also shown that pollutants can aggravate symptoms in people with pre-existing conditions, such as heart disease or high blood pressure.

The increasing numbers of people with respiratory problems signal that something is stirring in our air, even if some people do not think there are harmful effects.

Our cars are major contributors to air pollution. Most people believe that a single car is not going to make a difference, so they choose to drive by themselves. But each car that is on the road is releasing pollutants, and too many cars equal air pollution. How do we solve this problem? By jumping into something that some New Yorkers may be wary of - carpooling.

If more of us carpooled to work or to our summer activities, we'd experience some great benefits - fuel bills would be cut; there would be less wear and tear on our cars; there would be fewer cars on the road and, thus, less traffic; passengers would catch up on reading, e-mails or shut-eye; and our air would be healthier.

Some might think the idea of carpooling and not being in control of our own transit would feel like a nuisance. We might fear being at work, far from home and needing to get back home in case of an emergency and having no transportation. That is why your local transportation management association (TMA) offers a guaranteed ride home program that allows employees paid rides in the event that their transportation from work is unavailable. For more information, visit your appropriate TMA's Web site:

• MetroPool for commuters traveling within the Lower Hudson River Valley.
• CommuterLink for commuters traveling in and to New York City.
  
• Long Island Transportation Management (LITM) for commuters traveling in Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island.
  

These organizations also help commuters enter the carpooling system, linking people who want to carpool with others in their area. To find a carpool partner or vanpool in your area, visit www.511ny.org.

When comparing carpooling to driving alone, carpooling is the more environmentally friendly option. High-occupancy vehicle lanes on some major highways allow passenger cars with at least two people to travel amid less congestion. Some people may love the comfort of their own cars for various reasons, but try stepping away from your comfort zone and carpool for the greater good.

Take some relief from the heat of high gas prices and clean up the air that we breathe - it's time to dive into carpooling!

Guest blog by Jessica Wade, Clean Air NY/MetroPool summer intern.