Lunch and Learn with The Clean Air Campaign

2008 series of training seminars helps employers improve air quality, productivity and the bottom line

(ATLANTA, GA — 02.12.08)

Throughout 2008, The Clean Air Campaign, the region’s transportation management associations (TMAs) and RideSmart will host a series of Lunch ‘n Learns. These free training sessions will provide employers with strategies for starting or improving their commute options programs.In addition to improving air quality, these programs have been shown to deliver business benefits including improved morale, increased productivity and higher employee retention rates, in addition to the tax savings and decreased costs associated with energy, fuel, parking and office space.

“Making the most efficient use of our current transportation system is crucial to improving traffic congestion for the region, and employers play a key role in that,” said Kevin Green, executive director of The Clean Air Campaign. “By helping employers build effective commute options programs, we can continue to grow the number of commuters who take transit, carpool, vanpool or telework.Ultimately this benefits the employer’s bottom line as well as our air quality and overcrowded roadways.”

Program highlights include:

  • March 6 - Alternative Ways to Work - Flextime, compressed work weeks, staggered hours and teleworking are simple changes that can help your employees spend less time stuck in traffic, increasing productivity and improving the bottom line. Our panel of employers will share how they have made alternative work schedules successful at their worksites.
  • April 22 - Go Green and Breathe Clean - If your organization wants to “go green,” join us on Earth Day to learn practical steps that you can take to make your operations and business practices more environmentally friendly.
  • May 29- The Air We Breathe - Poor air quality has health implications for you, your family, and the entire region. This seminar will help participants understand the basics of air quality, the significance of Smog Alerts and the role of clean air programs in promoting healthy individuals and communities.
  • July 10 - Web Conferencing - As an alternative to traveling to a meeting, experts at this session will discuss how Web conferencing can reduce travel costs, improve productivity, get you out of traffic and help keep the air you breathe clean.
  • September 4 - Georgia Telework Tax Credit - Georgia is the first in the nation to offer employers a state tax credit simply for allowing employees to telework, even on a part-time basis. This session will provide information about who is eligible, the application process and what types of programs qualify, all in plenty of time to meet the application deadline.
  • November 20 - State of the Commute - The Atlanta Regional Commission and The Clean Air Campaign will provide an update on local and regional transportation issues, including the most congested roadways, the state of our transit network and plans for future structural and technological growth.

Employers interested in signing up for any of these training seminars can sign up online at CleanAirCampaign.com or call 1-877-CLEANAIR (1-877-253-2247).

In addition to these training seminars, The Clean Air Campaign provides employers and property management companies with free program development assistance, offers transportation fairs and marketing tools, as well as opportunities for recognition through the annual PACE Awards.

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About The Clean Air Campaign

The Clean Air Campaign is a not-for-profit organization that works with Georgia employers, commuters and schools to encourage actions that result in less traffic congestion and better air quality. To accomplish this goal, The Clean Air Campaign and its associate organizations work with more than 1,000 employers to design and implement commute options programs; help thousands of commuters annually find commute alternatives that work for them, with targeted incentives to get them started; protects public health by issuing Smog Alerts; and work with elementary and middle schools to empower children, parents and teachers to play a positive role in reducing traffic and cleaning the air.

Each day, these efforts help reduce traffic in the region by more than one million vehicle miles and keep some 500 tons of pollution out of the air we breathe. For more information, call 1-877-CLEANAIR (1-877-253-2624).

Media Contact:
Lindsay Durfee/Tracy Paden
404.816.2037