Fewer Cars on the Road Helps Atlanta Reach Clean Air Standards
Atlanta has officially reached federal clean air standards. What does that mean? We’ve successfully lowered our ozone levels: the harmful gases that are partially formed from the pollution from car and truck tailpipes. And while there are several factors that attributed to this, Atlanta’s efforts over the past 20 years to decrease the use of single-occupant vehicle trips are proving its case. Livable Buckhead, Atlanta Regional Commission and six other regional organizations have been working with employers and properties in Atlanta’s business centers to educate commuters on cleaner options – what people in the industry call TDM, or transportation demand management.
If you choose to ride to work with someone, take transit, or work from home (even just part of the time), you have a direct influence in Atlanta’s progress towards creating a cleaner environment. What the Georgia Environmental Protection Agency saw is that teleworking throughout the pandemic had a significant effect on our air quality, and the value of it sticking around is crucial.
So, will it last? Making the effort to choose a different mode to get to work or run an errand will have a major impact. Atlanta-area employers should also look at how they can better support their employees in this process through implementing employee benefits that encourage this behavior.
