to take action to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion.
Glossary
Look here for definitions to common terms and acronyms relating to clean commuting and air quality.
Air Quality - The condition of air, as it relates to pollution in a particular area as measured by the Air Quality Index.
Air Quality Index (AQI) - The AQI is a scale of 0 to 500, developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and divided into several color-coded categories. The AQI scale serves as a simple tool for reporting the air quality of a particular region. A value of 101 or greater means that concentrations that violate national health-based standards for the pollutant in question (ground-level ozone or particle pollution) are either present or forecasted to be present.
CCT (Cobb County Transit) - Cobb County bus system, linked to MARTA at three rail stations: Arts Center, Dunwoody, Holmes.
C-Tran (Clayton County Transit) - Clayton County bus system, linked to MARTA at the Airport station.
Commute Alternative - Using means of traveling to and from work instead of driving alone. Examples include bicycling, walking, taking transit, carpooling, vanpooling or teleworking.
Commuter Choice Tax Benefits - The federal tax code allows tax-free transportation benefits of up to $115 per month, per employee for transit or vanpool expenses and up to $220 per month for parking. Employees can also reserve income on a pre-tax basis to cover the cost, or share the cost.
Flextime - A flexible work schedule adopted by some employers which allows employees to arrive and leave work outside of typical rush hour times (7AM-9AM, 5PM-7PM) avoiding traffic the stress and lost productivity due to gridlock. Flextime can help to improve air quality, because it reduces peak travel time emissions.
Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) - State government agency responsible for protecting Georgia?s air, water and land. Georgia EPD is a state agency, whereas the U.S. EPA is a federal agency.
GCT (Gwinnett County Transit) - provides express buses along 6 routes using the HOV lanes of I-85, linked to MARTA at two rail stations: Five Points and Arts Center. GCT also runs local bus routes in Gwinnett County.
MARTA - Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority, public rail and bus system in Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Nonattainment - A federal designation conferred by the U.S. EPA that signifies a geographic area in which the level of a certain air pollutant is higher than the level allowed by federal standards. A single area may have acceptable levels of one air pollutant but unacceptable levels of one or more other air pollutants.
NOx (nitrogen oxides) - Half the recipe of chemicals, along with VOCs, which when cooked by heat and sunlight makes up ground-level ozone; primarily created from combustion engines and point sources like power plants and industry.
Particle Pollution - A mixture of solids and liquid droplets that vary in size and typically includes aerosols and fine solids such as soot and dust; sources include all kinds of combustion, including vehicle exhaust, power plants, wood burning, construction activity and agriculture.
Smog - A combination of the words "smoke" and "fog"; in Georgia we use the term to describe the pollutants most prevalent here: ground-level ozone and particle pollution.
Smog Alert - A Smog Alert is a forecast made by scientists on days when the concentrations of either ozone or particle pollution, or both, are expected to reach unhealthy levels. The Clean Air Campaign issues Smog Alert notifications on behalf of the Georgia Environmental Protection Division.
Teleworking - Working at home or another location away from the primary worksite using the computer, telephone or other telecommunications equipment on a full-time or part-time basis, thus replacing travel to and from work; the amount and type of equipment used for successful telecommuting depends on the nature of the job and frequency of telecommuting.
Telework Leadership Initiative (TLI) - An effort to mobilize employers to start or expand teleworking programs; through TLI, The Clean Air Campaign provides professional consulting services and materials to selected employers.
Transportation Management Association (TMA) - A partnership of employers, developers, public agencies and other businesses created to respond to existing traffic congestion or access programs; mitigate traffic expected from new development; centralize and coordinate commute options for individual companies or properties; and work to enhance the quality of life and appeal in the area. TMAs are most often located in high-density business districts. There are eight TMAs in the Atlanta area. For more information, find local Resource in Your Area .
VOCs (volatile organic compounds) - The other half of the chemicals needed to create ground-level ozone; produced by things such as vapors from gasoline, paint and cleaning solvents, and natural sources like vegetation.