Air quality is vital to human health and our surrounding environment. We influence air quality in many ways, including how we travel.

From the United States Environmental Protection Agency: When considering only direct emissions, transportation is the largest contributor of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (28%). From 1990 to 2022, total transportation emissions from fossil fuel combustion increased by 19%. From 2021 to 2022, emissions decreased by less than 1%.

From New Jersey: 37.3% of all carbon emissions in the state in 2021 was due to burned fuel from the transportation sector.

From RideWise: To combat this, RideWise has programs for all age ranges to learn about air quality and what we can do to reduce air pollution, especially by encouraging the use of alternative commuting options, including public transportation use and ridesharing.

Here are a few tips to help reduce air pollution on your commute:

• If commuting by car…
  • Avoid excessive idling (longer than 3 minutes, the legal NJ limit).
  • Refuel your vehicle in the early morning or late evening.
  • Consolidate trips by car when running errands to one efficient route.
  • Commute by bus, train, bike, e-bike, scooter, or walking where possible.
• When you’re at work…
  • Try to set the air conditioner back by a few degrees.
  • Turn off lights and office equipment (computers, lights, printers) when not in use.
  • Avoid using gas-powered equipment when possible and feasible (e.g. lawn mowing).
• In general…
  • Check the Current Air Quality at your ZIP code at AirNow.gov.

Interested in learning more and implementing programs in your school, workplace, or organization? Contact us today to get started! Please email staff@ridewise.org or call 908-704-1011.