April 30, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LEAVE YOUR CAR AT HOME FOR A DAY
It’s good for air quality and you could win a prize!
Charlotte, NC - As we move into ozone season, every member of this community can help make sure our air is clean and healthy to breathe. On Thursday, May 7, Mecklenburg County Air Quality, NC Air Awareness, Clean Air Works!, and the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) are encouraging commuters to park their vehicles and participate in the Second Annual “Don’t Drive Day,” to promote alternatives to driving to work alone that help clean our air.
Commuters who take transit, ride LYNX, carpool, vanpool, bike, walk or telecommute to work on May 7 can visit www.dontdriveday.org and enter to win an iPod Touch, programmable thermostat, solar phone charger or a digital camera. Entries are due by noon on May 8, and winners must live or work in the Charlotte ozone non-attainment area, which includes Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, Rowan, Iredell, Lincoln, Gaston and York (SC) counties.
Vehicle exhaust is one of the main sources of air pollution in the Charlotte Region. In 2008, the eight-county Charlotte region exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) health standard for ground-level ozone on 28 days (25 code orange days and 3 code red days). “Ozone pollution presents a serious threat to the health and quality of life of people living in the Charlotte area,” said Don Willard, Director of Mecklenburg County Air Quality. “A key component to improving the Charlotte area’s air quality, especially for ground-level ozone and particulate matter, is to reduce the amount of air pollution produced by vehicles.”
“Riding CATS buses, LYNX Blue Line or vanpooling gives citizens in the region an opportunity to help reduce ozone pollution by trying a cleaner way to get to work,” said Olaf Kinard, Director of Marketing and Communication for CATS. “Participating in “Don’t Drive Day” is an excellent way to improve air quality while at the same time save money on gas, wear and tear expenses on your car and reduce stress in your daily routine.”
Media Contact: Alan Giles, Mecklenburg County Air Quality (O) 704-336-5836 or Alan.Giles@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov or Jean Leier, CATS, (O) 704-432-0496 or jleier@ci.charlotte.nc.us
