Why not celebrate Earth Day all year long? Besides recycling newspapers, magazines, glass, plastics, old medicines, paints and cleaning materials, there are other actions you can take which will also contribute to a cleaner environment.
Leave your car at home—for local trips in the neighborhood, walk or ride a bike and, for longer travels, consider many public transportation alternatives already available. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, New York City Transit, Long Island Rail Road, Nassau Inter County Express (NICE) Bus and MTA Bus, along with other private transportation owners, offer various options such as local and express bus, ferry, jitney, subway and commuter rail services. Most of these systems are funded with your tax dollars. They use less fuel and move far more people than cars. In many cases, your employer can offer transit checks to help subsidize a portion of the costs. Utilize your investments and reap the benefits. You’ll be supporting a cleaner environment and be less stressed upon arrival at your final destination.
Many employers now allow employees to telecommute and work from home. Others use alternative work schedules, which afford staff the ability to avoid rush-hour gridlock. This saves travel time and can improve mileage per gallon. You could also join a car or van pool to share the costs of commuting.
Use a hand-powered lawn mower instead of a gasoline or electric one. Rake your leaves instead of using gasoline-powered leaf blowers—the amount of pollution created by these machines would surprise you.
A cleaner environment starts with everyone.
—Larry Penner
