Celebrate our nation and its resources

Millions of Americans will salute the founders of our United States on the Fourth with festivities of every size, from parades and fireworks to quiet backyard barbecues. Because so many people are traveling on the Fourth and throughout July, we at Clean Air NY want to alert you to how increased demands on our transportation system create higher pollution levels this season, especially amid summer's sweltering heat.

Motor vehicles are a prominent factor in air pollution as the biggest contributors to what generates ground-level ozone, a major pollutant in our cities. This ozone is produced as fossil fuels are burned, allowing hydrocarbons to react with nitrogen oxide in the presence of sunlight (ultraviolet radiation). As more vacationers hit the roads and streets, more ozone is generated, contributing to cardiovascular and respiratory problems, particularly for sensitive groups.

If you are traveling to a holiday party or event, share a ride with someone or take mass transit for part of the trip. If you're the host, encourage your guests to take these simple actions so everyone can avoid the stresses of holiday traffic.

If you are heading to a vacation, whether it is a weekend in the city to see the sights or a longer journey, know before you go where and when is the best time to travel. By checking out the New York State Department of Transportation's free traffic, travel and transit information service, http://www.511ny.org/, you can learn about any alerts and delays as you map out your route.

Vacationers want to breathe easier this month. With some smart choices, they can do so and honor the legacy of all those who struggled to make our country independent and free. Clean air is part of that celebration.

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!

Tips for Memorial Day Travelers

With the long Memorial Day weekend approaching, Americans are bound for beaches, barbecues, parades and other gatherings to honor those who died for our nation. The holiday also kicks off summer, unofficially, so now is a perfect time to make smart travel choices that improve air quality.

If you and your friends and family will travel to the same destination together, share a ride. Splitting the cost of parking and fuel among multiple riders saves money, especially with high gas prices. More carpools mean fewer cars heading to recreational areas, alleviating congestion and pollution. To find out more about traffic conditions, check out www.511ny.org.

 If you are the driver, make sure to stop filling your gas tank when you hear the pump “click.” If you keep trying to top off the tank after the click, fumes will escape into the atmosphere instead of remaining safely in the tank.

Finally, fill your tires and check that every part of your car is in good condition. A well-maintained vehicle gets much better gas mileage, produces fewer emissions and helps ensure that you get to celebrate the holiday wherever you go!

The Science Behind Particulate Matter

image by net_efekt used under Creative Commons license

The two forms of air pollution that prompt Clean Air NY to send out an alert for an Air Quality Action Day are ground-level ozone pollution and particulate matter (PM). Here we explain how particulate matter is formed, the different ways it is classified and how it affects us. If you want to learn more about ground-level ozone pollution, check out the blog we wrote about the science behind ground-level ozone.

PM is created in numerous ways. It can be generated indirectly when emissions from burning fuels — especially emissions from motor vehicles, electric power plants and other industrial processes — react with sunlight and water vapor. It also is produced by grilling food on charcoal or gas, burning leaves and brush and burning wood in a fireplace or wood stove. PM pollution also is released into the atmosphere when gaseous pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, react to form fine particles.

Particulate matter is measured in microns and traditionally is classified into two size categories — PM2.5 and PM10. Particulates of the smaller size category (PM2.5) can be called fine particulates, fine particles or ambient fine particulate pollution. The larger particulate category (PM10) most commonly is called inhalable coarse particulates. Some of the most severe health effects, depending on exposure levels, are associated with ambient fine particulate pollution.

Fine particulate matter is one of the most serious air pollutants: the particles are so small that they can get right through the nasal passage, past the trachea and into the deepest parts of the lungs. The particles also can enter the bloodstream via the lungs and damage the body in ways similar to cigarette smoking. PM pollution can cause heart attacks, strokes and lung cancer and has been linked to aggravation of respiratory and cardiovascular symptoms.

The Biography of Fresh the Clean Air Cloud

The Clean Air NY initiative for the New York metro area began in 2006. As the program helped New Yorkers switch to using alternate forms of transportation, air pollution began to decrease. One day in 2009, so much clean air had accumulated that the gravity between the particles pulled them together into a highly concentrated cloud of clean air, and Fresh was born!

Since then, Fresh has helped Clean Air NY encourage New Yorkers to reduce their emissions and driving even more. He’s met many of you in person at numerous events; check out all the photos on our Facebook page and make sure you “Like” our page while you’re there.

Most importantly, Fresh has helped Clean Air NY spread our message that taking alternative forms of transportation is a convenient and effective way to reduce air pollution. Together, Fresh and Clean Air NY have increased awareness about air quality issues in the region. Our mission has resonated with New Yorkers everywhere. As a result, more than 9 million miles of vehicle travel are kept off our roadways each week by everyone who has been inspired by Fresh and Clean Air NY to take mass transit, to carpool and to combine errands into a single trip instead of driving alone!

Presidential Support for Air Quality

image by acameronhuff used under Creative Commons license

Reducing air pollution and improving air quality have been on the agenda for our political parties in the United States for decades. In honor of Presidents’ Day, here are some presidents who have made significant contributions to cleaner air.

President Theodore Roosevelt, often cited as the father of the modern environmental movement, made protecting our planet and its resources a critical objective of his presidency. He was able set aside 150 million acres of timberland as public domains with the the Forest Reserve Act of 1891. This is a crucial resource for converting air pollution back into oxygen for us to breathe.

President Richard Nixon signed the Clean Air Act of 1970, which was the first environmental law to incorporate a provision for citizen suits and the first piece of legislation to use the term “Clean Air.” In this way, our own program honors this law. For more information about the Clean Air Act and other federal air quality regulations, check out the blog we wrote about it last year.

Jimmy Carter, our 39th president, was the first to introduce regulations for Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE). These regulations help improve air quality by requiring manufacturers to incorporate better fuel efficiency in their cars and light trucks. CAFE compares a vehicle’s “footprint,” which is a measurement of its size based on its wheelbase and average track width, to how many miles it gets per gallon of fuel. Larger vehicles are permitted to get fewer miles per gallon, but if any vehicle doesn’t achieve the minimum fuel efficiency allowed under the CAFE regulations its manufacturer will have to pay a penalty.

When signing the Air Quality Act of 1967, President Lyndon Johnson said, “Contaminated air began in this country as a big-city problem. But in just a few years, the gray pall of pollution has spread throughout the Nation.” He also said, “[The Air Quality Act of 1967] will help our States to control the number one source of pollution--our automobiles.” Fast forward to 2012, automobiles are still a prominent source of air pollution today, especially in the New York metro area. One solution for addressing the pollution caused by automobiles is to use alternate transportation, such as mass transit, carpooling and bicycling, whenever possible. Doing so goes a long way toward reducing pollution in the region!

Behind the Scenes for Clean Air NY's "Real New Yorker" Radio Spots

You've probably heard our "Real New Yorkers" ads on the radio, where everyday people share why they take alternative transportation to improve air quality and reduce pollution. Here's a cool behind-the-scenes clip!