Break Out Your Bike and Walking Shoes

image by Spencer T. used under Creative Commons license

The temperatures are rising, the sun is shining and spring is in the air. It’s time for walking and biking and all the benefits they bring, including improving both the air quality and your health.

Nearly 27 percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older do not get the amount of weekly exercise that the Center for Disease Control recommends. One common excuse: “It’s too hard to find the time.” Well, Clean Air NY has the solution! If you start biking or walking to work, you will get your exercise by doing something you have to do anyway – commuting! Not only will the exercise help you live a healthier life, but choosing these alternate forms of travel over driving will improve New York’s air quality, providing additional health benefits for everyone.

Biking to work is gaining popularity, especially in New York City! The number of people commuting by bicycle has risen 109 percent in the past four years. People who commute by bike also lose an average of 13 pounds during their first year – that’s more than a pound per month just going to work every day! Bike commuter Andrew Breck says, “I find that my five-mile bike ride to work is a great opportunity to breathe fresh air and give my heart a workout in the same amount of time that it would take me to get to work sitting on the crowded subway. Commuting by bike also saves me $100 on a monthly transit pass and another $100 on a monthly gym membership.”

Walking to work can be difficult to do, especially if you do not live close to your office. Clean Air NY recommends that you incorporate walking into your daily routine in other ways to reap the health benefits. Choose the stairs instead of the elevator, go for a stroll to pick up lunch or take an evening walk with a friend for some fresh air.

The best part? Whether you choose to bike or walk to work, they are both great for you and your environment!

Earth Day Has Dawned: How Are You Celebrating?

Our calendars salute April 22 as Earth Day! What can you do to commemorate the annual global event? Visit Clean Air NY at Earth Day NY’s EarthFair Outdoors at Grand Central Terminal today (4/22) and tomorrow (4/23) to meet Fresh, the Clean Air NY cloud mascot.

Clean Air NY has two new, simple ways for you to commemorate the day and to improve New York’s air quality. Join thousands of New Yorkers who are already making a difference in our air quality:

• Idea #1: Commit to cleaner air! Click here to pledge your support to reducing traffic congestion and to creating cleaner, healthier air. Watch our YouTube Video to see who has already committed to cleaner air.
  
  
• Idea #2: Measure your carbon footprint! Do you know how much carbon dioxide you and your family produces each year? Use this carbon emissions calculator to calculate your carbon footprint and to receive recommendations on how you can reduce those emissions with your own actions.

Clean Air NY Events for Earth Month

The first full week of April brings forth a celebration of Earth Month! Clean Air NY will participate in a bunch of Earth Month events about sustainability and environmental awareness. Here are some highlights, but we encourage you to visit the events section of our website for the full list!

Marist College Sustainability Day

April 14, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – This will be Clean Air NY’s first time at Marist College’s Sustainability Day, and we’re excited to participate in its Earth Day activities this year. Sustainability Day will feature events focusing on environmental sustainability issues, including workshops, panel discussions, films, exhibits and keynote speakers. This year’s focus is “Sustainability…from ideas to action,” and the theme of how new ideas related to sustainability can make the transition from concept to reality will be highlighted throughout the day’s events.

Earth Day NY

April 22, 12 noon to 7 p.m., and April 23, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. – For four years, Clean Air NY has participated in Earth Day NY’s EarthFair at Grand Central, the biggest Earth Day celebration in New York City. This two-day festival of art, music and the environment is on Vanderbilt Avenue. Clean Air NY and our mascot, Fresh, are proud to join this celebration once again!

SUNY Stony Brook’s Earth Stock

April 29, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – SUNY Stony Brook, a Clean Air NY Campus, has invited Clean Air NY back for the third year to participate in its annual Earth Stock event. Environmental organizations, other participants with an earth-friendly message and local schools will celebrate on the Academic Mall at the campus.

Money-Saving Commuter Tax Benefits

The current economic climate prompts us all to find more ways to save money. Your employers may offer a solution that is often overlooked. A pretax commuter benefit program can help you pay for your daily commute – whether you’re a vanpooler, cyclist or mass transit rider - and can save you a good chunk of change.

A commuter benefit program allows you to pay for your commute through a pretax payroll deduction up to the monthly Internal Revenue Service (IRS) limit of $230. If you use public transportation or a vanpool, you can purchase your fare on a tax-free basis up to the monthly IRS limit. Any costs exceeding the IRS limit are typically deducted from your paycheck on an after-tax basis. This pretax benefit can save you more than $1,000 a year.

As of January 2009, the IRS now offers a subsidy for the most environmentally friendly commute option – bicycling. If you are an avid cyclist (bike to work three to four times a week), you are eligible to participate in an after-tax reimbursement program for approved items that support the maintenance and upkeep of your bicycle. This can include a commuter bicycle, bike lock, helmet and bike parking facilities, among other items. Reimbursements are up to $25 a month and are usually reimbursed on a quarterly basis. Keep in mind, though, the bicycle subsidy benefit cannot be combined with the pretax commuter benefit.

Tax-free commuter benefits are only available to commuters through your employers, so ask your employers if they offer such a benefit. It’s easy for your employers: All they have to do is enroll in a pre-tax benefit program. Click here to find out more information that you can share with your employers.

With Telework, Everyone Wins

In recent years, the number of people who telework at least part-time has increased significantly. According to a survey by the National Small Business Association, telework has increased from 19 percent of employees in 2007 to 44 percent in 2010. If the term is new to you, telework (or telecommuting) involves using telecommunication devices, such as a phone, fax, computer and modem, to work outside the traditional office.

In the modern workplace, many professionals only need a secure Internet connection and a phone to do their jobs. Obviously, some tasks cannot be done off-site, but if your profession is one that permits telework, then talk to your supervisor. There are undeniable benefits for everyone.

The Employer:

As a business owner, what would you say if someone showed you how to significantly reduce your operating costs while simultaneously increasing productivity? You’d probably think it was a fairy tale – but it’s not. It’s telework. Multiple studies now confirm that employees are more productive when teleworking; with fewer employees in the office, the employer saves money on heat, electricity and other expenses.

The Employee:

An employee who teleworks, even part-time, will significantly reduce the amount of time and money spent commuting to and from work. The employee will gain a better balance between the job and life outside of work. Time that was previously consumed by a daily commute can now be spent with families and friends, making the employee happier.

Everyone:

Not only is teleworking good for the employee and the employer, it benefits the general public because of its positive effect on air quality. A 2010 study by the Telework Research Network found that if 41 million U.S. residents worked from home half of the time, oil imports could be cut by 37 percent and greenhouse gas emissions by 53 million metric tons a year. That’s equivalent to taking nearly 10 million cars off the road.

If you think telework is appropriate for your job but aren’t sure how to discuss it with your employer, 511NYRideshare can help. And if you have a telecommuting success story, share it with us in the comments below or on our Facebook page!

Drivers Can Improve Air Quality, Too

image by Indy Charlie used under Creative Commons license

Is giving up your car altogether unrealistic for you? Good news! There are still actions you can take to reduce the environmental impact when you have to drive.

1. Maintain Your Vehicle

A well-maintained vehicle produces 20 percent less greenhouse gas emissions, has better fuel economy and retains its value longer. Just keeping your tires properly inflated can save around $75 each year. Other items to check regularly include your air filter, vacuum and coolant hoses, oil, and oil filter. Check your vehicle’s owner’s manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Have your car adjusted by a skilled technician when necessary.

2. Don’t Top Off the Tank – Stop at the Click

Gas pumps are intentionally designed to stop filling your vehicle’s tank before it’s entirely full. The pump stops with a click when there is just enough extra space in the tank for the gasoline fumes to remain inside instead of escaping into the air. If you “top off” your tank, these fumes end up in the atmosphere. Stopping at the click is a simple habit that goes a long way in reducing air pollution.

3. Cut Back On Idling

Every year, the average driver wastes more than a full tank of gas (24.5 gallons) idling a vehicle. Cutting the average idling time in half would prevent more than 235 pounds of carbon dioxide per person from being released into our atmosphere every year! If you’re going to be idling your vehicle’s engine for more than 30 seconds, it is more fuel efficient to turn your engine off. In fact, idling your vehicle for 30 seconds or longer uses more fuel than restarting your engine. Avoid idling; not only will you save gas and money, but you’ll help keep our air cleaner.

4. Combine Errands into One Trip

Combining multiple errands into one trip is an effective way to make the most of your time and to improve air quality. Your engine operates more efficiently when it’s warm, so you can reduce emissions and save gas by taking care of all your errands in a single trip.

For more tips on improving New York’s air quality, visit www.CleanAirNY.org.

WIN FOUR ICE SKATING TICKETS - PART II

Do you want to win four FREE ice skating tickets?
Just follow Clean Air NY’s social network profiles & you’re automatically entered to win!
This contest was so successful for us over the past two weeks that we have decided to extend it for another two weeks! Start following Clean Air NY NOW and you could win TONIGHT! Every day from now until March 14th we are picking one of our new friends to win four free tickets to ice skate in Central Park – it could be you! What are you waiting for? Add Clean Air NY now!

Friend us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

Each day we’ll pick one person at random from all of our new fans on both Facebook and Twitter, so add us on both networks and double your chances at winning!

Good luck everyone, and thank you so much for supporting Clean Air NY!

BONUS:

Help us promote this contest and you could earn even more tickets! Just write a tweet encouraging your friends to follow Clean Air NY on Twitter, and we’ll pick two of our helpers to each win five tickets at the end of the contest.

One example would be “CONTEST: follow @CleanAirNY & u could win 4 tix for ice skating at Wollman Rink! http://www.bit.ly/fi109rf (Pls RT!)” Just make sure you @Mention us in your update so we see it. We will count one promotional tweet per person per day, so tweet about our contest often and increase your chances of winning!

*Tickets are good for free admission and skate rental at Wollman Rink, and are valid through April 3, 2011.