Let's Clear the Air (Metropolitan Report, v2 #2)
Summer 2001
Let's Clear the Air
Over the last few years, most of us in the Baltimore area have heard local weather forecasters talk about bad air on Code Red days. Radio and TV commercials remind us of the simple things we can do to reduce ozone pollution in the summer. We've learned that ozone pollution can be hazardous to people of any age with respiratory or cardiac conditions.
The number of bad air days varies from year to year. We have more bad days during very hot summers with stagnant air than we do during cooler, rainier summers. The good news is that our air is getting cleaner. After a record 36 bad air days in the scorching summer of 1988, the Baltimore area has averaged just under 9 bad air days per summer since 1991. In fact, in the mild, rainy summer of 2000, we experienced just one exceedance of the Environmental Protection Agency's health-based standard for ground-level ozone. The bad news is that EPA has set a standard of only three exceedances in a three year period.
Much of the dramatic improvement since 1988 can be attributed to the regulation of industrial sources of pollution, such as power plants. Automobiles and fuels are also cleaner than they used to be. At this point, every voluntary individual action can help reduce ozone-forming emissions. Many of those actions have other benefits, such as reducing traffic congestion, improving vehicle performance and/or saving money.
Ozone Action Days, telework and rideshare are three strategies that can make a difference.
Ozone Action Days
The premise behind Ozone Action Days is simple. Clean Air Partners provides materials and support for organizations to promote voluntary actions to reduce ozone-forming emissions. Participating organizations receive the daily air quality forecast and notifications of Ozone Action Day alerts. When an Ozone Action Day is called, participants can pass along the information to their employees, members or customers by e-mail or voice mail, by flying the colorful Ozone Action Days flag, or through the use of a lobby poster. At the same time they can promote actions such as ridesharing, using transit or teleworking to reduce vehicle emissions. Many organizations also modify their own operations by deferring maintenance with gasoline-powered equipment or oil-based paints and solvents.
Clean Air Partners supports the Ozone Action Days program with paid advertising during the ozone season. Members of Clean Air Partners have the opportunity to participate in cooperative ad campaigns on local TV and radio stations. In this way, partners not only are identified with the effort to improve air quality, but can participate on a major media campaign at an economical cost.
Telework Partnership with Employers (TPE)
Work is something you do, not someplace you go. Telework is benefiting companies by allowing employees to work outside the traditional office environment. Teleworkers may work at home or in a satellite office using a computer and a telephone. Employees are productive, but aren't contributing to traffic congestion and pollution.
The Maryland Department of Transportation's Telework Partnership with Employers offers free professional telework consulting services to qualified employers. A participating business may choose from a list of qualified consultants, whose business is helping set up telework programs that work.
The consultant works with management to review business functions and determine which categories of employees would be eligible for telework. Members of the consultant pool are also experienced in personnel policies and other issues related to telework programs. The end product is a telework program tailored for a specific organization.
Not only does telework help reduce traffic snarls and air pollution, but studies show that employees who telework have higher morale, are more productive and enjoy a balance between their work and home lives. It's a win-win proposition.
Check out these links.
Facts and figures about EPA standards and air quality in Maryland
Animated map which shows how ozone forms and is borne on wind currents; based on hourly monitor readings
Ozone forecasts for the Baltimore and Washington regions
Information about voluntary actions to reduce ozone-forming emissions; sign-up form for Ozone Action Days program
Information about the Maryland Department of Transportation's Telework Partnership with Employers
Information about clean commute options, including how employers such as UPS and the National Aquarium in Baltimore are encouraging clean commuting
Coming soon; information about rideshare programs in Baltimore and Carroll counties, with links to other rideshare programs
MARC train, Metro, light rail and bus routes, fares and schedules
To learn more about Rideshare, contact the local rideshare coordinator where you live or work.
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY (SOUTH) • 410-269-7433
ktaylor@artma.org • www.artma.org (coming soon)
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY (NORTH) • 410-859-1000
BALTIMORE CITY • 410-859-POOL (7665)• 1-800-492-3757
BALTIMORE COUNTY • 410-732-6000
rideshare@baltometro.org •www.metrorideshare.com (coming soon)
CARROLL COUNTY • 410-732-6000 • Toll-free 1-866-645-0022
rideshare@baltometro.org •www.metrorideshare.com (coming soon)
HARFORD COUNTY • 410-638-3103
Toll-free 1-800-924-TOGO (8646) • rideshare@co.ha.md.us
HOWARD COUNTY • 410-313-4312
Clean Air Partners Welcomes New Managing Director
On June 1, Heidi Adams became new Managing Director of Clean Air Partners. Ms. Adams brings an extensive background in program administration and development, having served as Administrator of the Lead Poisoning Prevention Continuum at Kennedy Krieger Institute, and Assistant Administrator at Kennedy Krieger.Posted: September 17, 2001
Other Metropolitan Report articles
Last Updated on Friday, 10 February 2006 09:11