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Photo by Michele Bratschun
Commit to Cleaner Air” Week kicked off this week, concurrent with the start of summer. The awarenes week seeks to motivate NewYork metro area residents to consider their travel choices in light of the community’s health.
The reason behind "Commity to Cleaner Air" Week: The American Lung Association’s tenth annual State of the Air report showed that New York’s air quality is sub-par. 12.5 million New Yorkers--65 percent of the state’s residents--live in counties where air pollution levels endanger lives. Poor air quality can cause respiratory and heart disease, restrict fetal growth and even cause premature death.
“Commit to Cleaner Air” Week is an initiative of Clean Air NY. The organization is sponsored by the New York Department of Transportation. "Commit to Cleaner Air" Week is spearheaded by Clean Air NY, but involves many other organizations including the American Lung Association in New York, CommuterLink, the New York Methodist Hospital, and the Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco.
“We’re trying to give New York a breath of fresh air,” said Frank Mongioli, a spokesman for Clean Air NY. He hopes that, as a result of the week, New Yorkers will sign up for air quality updates. You can sign up today by texting CLEAN (42269) on your cellular phone.
Support Clean Air NY by pledging online to make the lifestyle changes that will improve our local air quality. Consider changes such as:
- Don't top off your gas tank when you fill up.
- Take the subway or bus. Better yet, walk or ride your bike.
- Join the online communities on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and You Tube and raise awareness about New York's air quality.
- Find a ride by using the CommuterLink ride-matching database.
- Talk to your employer about CommuterLink's customized Commuter Benefits programs for companies, teleworking, or working a compressed work week so that you make fewer trips to work.
Look for Clean Air NY's cloud mascot on the subways this week. And check back for more updates on "Commit to Cleaner Air" Week.
Comments
This is such a great initiative! Keep it up. And the mascot is soooooo cute. How can I attend your events?
Thanks for your comment and for reading, Mom for Change. Visit the CleanAirNY page at www.cleanairny.org. There's an upcoming event on July 26. Sorry for the delay in my reply to your comment!
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