For this edition, a sampling of current events in the transportation and air quality world we share with every Georgian who commutes and has a pair of lungs:

Coming Soon: Cleaner Cars

Starting in 2012, new cars and trucks will be required to get 35 mpg AND produce less greenhouse gas emissions. What's exciting about this concept is that it merges together two ideas -- reduced energy demand plus lower environmental impact. It's also neat that the policy will be co-authored by the Environmental Protection Agency AND the US Department of Transportation. Still, it's important to keep a little perspective: in a few years, we'll look good sitting behind the wheel of our cleaner cars, but unless we get more cars off the road, we won't get anywhere.

Lane ends 2,000 feet

Smog Season: All's Clear ... So Far

We're now into our fourth week of smog season and the Seattle-like spate of cool, windy, wet weather has helped keep us in the green. Wish it could last forever, but the reality is that we live in the Southeast, and it just wouldn't be summer without a lingering drought and broiling temperatures. Commuter traffic also factors in to the formation of smog, with tailpipes accounting for 50% of it in Atlanta. But, it's great that we haven't had to sound the smog alarm so far. Are you registered to receive Smog Alerts from us?

Lane ends 1,000 feet

Eye Candy: Visualize Less Traffic

The Clean Air Campaign and many of our partners in the transportation created a compelling visual representation of what it is we're trying to accomplish with your help. Check out this video for an idea of what's possible when just a handful of commuters think differently about the way they get to and from work. Watch this space for a future post describing how we made this.

Lane ends 500 feet

Road Test: Drive Carefully

And finally, the most compelling reason yet to skip your commute altogether and telework. Yikes. Have a great holiday weekend!

Merge

When commuters sign up to take part in our financial incentives, we're rewarding their decision to try alternatives that help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. But another significant benefit to us is the information generated by each participant that helps us track clean commute activity. This information is represented in terms of: reduction in vehicle miles of travel, reduction in air pollution and savings on commute costs.

Since the first commuters began logging their daily activity in 2002 as part of the Commuter Rewards program, here's what we know:

• 75,000 commuters have taken part in our programs, logging more than 10 million clean commute trips and saving $100 million on commute costs

• Each day, these efforts mean 1.2 million fewer vehicle miles of travel on Georgia roads -- enough miles to circle the Earth 48 times

• The impact of this reduction in mileage means 600 tons of pollution are kept out of the air we breathe each day -- the equivalent weight of a dozen fully-loaded 18-wheelers.

From this vantage point, it's clear that the combined efforts of legions of commuters are making a difference in air quality. But what difference can individual commuters make? When sustained over a long period of time, there are many individual commuters we've identified whose long-term efforts have kept tens of thousands of pounds of pollution out of the air we breathe. These people have been faithfully logging their clean commute activity online for years -- long after their initial financial incentives that brought them to The Clean Air Campaign have run dry.

The Clean Air Campaign and its partners have created a new program that celebrates these individuals and their dedication over the years. The Clean Air Commuter Champion program recognizes the commuters who have reached specific milestones in pollution reduction because of their dedication to use alternatives to driving alone.

In our first wave of recognition, 900 Clean Air Commuter Champions are receiving a certificate announcing their achievement for eliminating 25,000 pounds of air pollution, a special gift and coveted bragging rights that their efforts are making a difference. And because this is centered around travel to and from work, employers will also receive a letter from The Clean Air Campaign applauding the "green" efforts of their champion employees who found a better way to work.

Each of us has heard the familiar refrain, "lead by example." When you meet a Clean Air Commuter Champion who has been leading by example for a long time, be sure to give that person your heartfelt thanks and a pat on the back.

A year ago, The Clean Air Campaign issued a simple but meaningful challenge to commuters: pledge to keep one ton of pollution out of the skies by using alternatives to driving alone once a week.

The One Ton Challenge was created last year strictly to appeal to the emerging "green" appetite among the commuters with whom we interact. It was an environmentally-focused idea that would be easy for individuals to work into their routine and that would make the efforts of the individual become a part of the greater good.

The concept came from the finding that every mile we drive creates a pound of pollution. This finding has become one of our most compelling links of late between traffic and air quality, which is central to The Clean Air Campaign's mission. It's so effective because it's boiled down to a concrete thought we can all grasp. I've said it before in this space and I'll say it again: sometimes in the discussion about other abstract pollution issues (like greenhouse gas emissions, for example) it's just not as easy to get our heads around it and see what our individual impact could mean.

It's gratifying to see how The One Ton Challenge was so well-received in its first year. Legions of commuters stepped up and took the pledge, resulting 3,600 fewer tons of pollution we have to worry about. That's 3,600 tons! That's about the equivalent weight of a fleet of 8 jumbo jets ... or 15 locomotives ... or two dozen Blue Whales.

The One Ton Challenge moved the needle in a positive direction on reducing pollution, but equally as important, it sparked a dialog among commuters about the difference they want to make. Here are just a few comments we received from those who took the pledge:

• “I bought a house within walking distance from my office. I now drive a total of about 10 miles a week to get groceries, for entertainment and to run errands. I used to estimate approximately 200 miles weekly. I am proud to put in my extra effort to make a huge dent in the ton.”
• “I've been driving to work for many years now, but for the good of our planet and my pocket book, I decided to take MARTA train/bus to and from work everyday! I park my car at the nearest MARTA station and take the train from there and transfer to a bus to Emory."
• “I have joined a vanpool and I pledge to use the vanpool everyday of the work week. I would normally travel 25 miles each way from home to work - so I should reduce pollution by 50 pounds each day.”

We believe this project has shown individuals that they really can make a difference ... without radically changing their way of life. We think it's about reaching one person, getting them to see this and replicating that process over and over. And we want to be sure that it remains fun. That's why we're rewarding One Ton Challenge advocates who bring others into the fold with a chance to score a Clean Air Campaign t-shirt.

Where do you stand? Do you buy into the One Ton Challenge? Do you believe the little things we do as individuals can create significant change in terms of environmental impact? Or does it require wholesale sacrifice from everyone? Does this debate show up anywhere else in the decisions we make or the actions we take?