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Pollution Reduction: Alamo Area Sheds One Ton 
San Antonio area businesses and organizations reduced one ton of ozone-forming air pollution last month by participating in the Walk & Roll Corporate Challenge and collectively logging over 550,000 smart miles. The Texas Department of Transportation led the Challenge by accruing the highest ratio of smart miles/total number of employees. USAA claimed the runner up position.
A new category was added to the Corporate Challenge this year: highest smart mile ratio for a small business/organization. The Aquifer Guardians in Urban Areas with Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance took the grand prize Small Business Commuter Challenge Cup achieving 100% staff participation. Eighteen organizations accepted the challenge to travel smart during the month of June. Employees were encouraged to log their smart miles–carpooling/vanpooling, busing, cycling, and/or walking–online at www.walkandrollchallenge.com. The organization with the highest miles per employee ratio determined the 2007 Commuter Challenge Cup winner. Participating Organizations:
What 2007 means to the Alamo Area 
Ozone Season 2007, April 1 through October 31, is our region's final year in a three-year monitoring period that will determine whether local, voluntary measures to reduce air pollution are sufficient to ensure the region remains in attainment of the federal standard for ground-level ozone.
If air pollution levels are bad enough this summer, our region will be in violation of federal air pollution standards, which could impact economic growth in the San Antonio area. More importantly, failure to meet the ozone standard means more will need to be done to protect the health of our community. Environmental Stewardship Awards 
The Air Improvement Resources (AIR) Public Education committee, a subcommittee of the AIR Committee, nominated organizations who have actively helped to improve air quality for our region by implementing measures to reduce air pollution at their workplaces. These measures include employee/student carpooling programs, reworking bus routes to reduce idle time, and implementing flexible scheduling to reduce fleet vehicle trips. The organizations were recognized for their efforts on December 13, 2006 by receiving Environmental Stewardship Awards at the Air Improvement Resources Committee (AIRCo) meeting. AIR Committee Chairman Commissioner Jay Millikin, of Comal County, presented the awards to the nominees:
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Natural Resources Outreach
Brenda Williams Projects Manager Alamo Area Council of Governments 8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700 San Antonio, TX 78217 (210) 362-5200 |
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