When it comes to having a more productive workday and saving money, the best commute is the one that employees don't have to make.  That's the idea behind the second-annual Georgia Telework Week, which takes place September 12-16, 2011. 

Governor signs 2011 Georgia Telework Week proclamation. 

From L-R: Mark Telling, The Clean Air Campaign; Mini Smith, Delta Air Lines; Melissa Levine, Vocalocity; Governor Nathan Deal; Jennifer Kennington, State Personnel Administration; Angie Ballard, State Personnel Administration; Allison Tanner, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Mike Williams, The Clean Air Campaign.

The week is a celebration of the success of the Georgia employers who embrace telework as a business strategy.  It's also a call to action for those employers who remain on the fence about establishing a telework program. 

There are lots of ways employers can take part in Georgia Telework Week, but here are the three biggest opportunities:

1.  Simply show support for the concept of telework as a strategy that makes business sense.  Last year, some 150 Georgia employers indicated their support.  Organizations that sign up will be recognized on The Clean Air Campaign website and in a special print ad to be published later in September in the Atlanta Business Chronicle.  Want to become an employer of choice?  Get on the list of organizations supporting Georgia Telework Week.

2.  RSVP to attend the first-ever Georgia Telework Summit on Thursday, September 15, 2011, featuring panelists and presenters from Coca-Cola Refreshments, UPS, Assurant, Vocalocity, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Georgia Department of Corrections and other organizations that are finding success with telework.  There is no cost to attend.  Whether you have a program in place or are seeking to establish a new program, you'll walk away with ideas you can fold into your operational strategy.

3.  Request a meeting with The Clean Air Campaign's nationally-acclaimed telework team to help start or expand telework at your organization.  The Clean Air Campaign has worked at no cost with more than 250 Georgia employers, providing consulting support, assessment, policy templates, training and evaluation services.  

Commuters can get in on the act, too. 
If you are a teleworker, tell us what telework has done to improve your commute.  Commuter Rewards participants can also log their telework days the week of September 12-16 for the chance to win additional $25 prizes.  And if you're one of the 245,000 Atlanta commuters who believes your job function would be appropriate for telework but hasn't yet received the green light from your boss, we can help you make the case. 

Across the state, the lines continue to blur between work and home, thanks to abundant broadband access and the realization that it's not about where work gets done ... it's about getting work done.  More than 600,000 Georgia commuters are teleworking at least occasionally, up 20% since 2007.  How much longer will others be content to hop in the car and drive from their home computer to their work computer?

Some of the best work being done anywhere for less traffic and cleaner air is happening right here in Georgia.  That was the message at the PACE Awards, which drew more than 200 guests to celebrate the good news about transportation and air quality.

The ceremony, held this morning at the Georgia-Pacific building in downtown Atlanta, recognized a total of 15 employers, property managers, individuals and schools for their work on programs that encourage the use of commute options and yield demonstrable results.  Get more details on winners and finalists here.

Recently, I set out on a grand experiment: to utilize MARTA as much as possible for four straight weeks. The first two weeks, my goal was to act as if I didn’t have any other mode of transportation. If I needed to get somewhere, I was taking MARTA.
 
After a bumpy first day, which saw me miss the very first bus I was scheduled to take, things ultimately improved, and I often surprised myself with my ability to get around town whether it be by foot, bus or train. Early in my experiment, I immediately noticed numerous benefits to ditching my car. Not only did I have more time to read, tweet and blog, I also felt less stress due to not having to sit in horrible traffic each morning. One thing I did miss on my journey, however, was all my stuff. You never realize how much stuff you can fit into a car until it is no longer an option. You quickly learn to carry only the essentials.
 
During the last two weeks of my experiment, I approached MARTA as if I was a commuter with a car. Having a car allowed me to sleep in two more hours each morning. It also allowed me to keep to my timetable a lot easier. If a bus was scheduled to leave at 8:15 a.m., I could get there just before it was ready to leave. Walking to a bus or train can be a little unpredictable.
 
During my journey I was surprised by how easy it was to use MARTA and how friendly its staff was. I was also surprised by how many people actually take advantage of MARTA on a daily basis. It seemed like each time I got on a bus or train, it was at capacity. Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned during my experiment was that preparation is everything when it comes to using public transportation. Remember the first bus I missed?
 
If you live along one of the train corridors, I would urge you to take MARTA more often. The sustainability community especially should make the commitment. Biking, walking, carpooling and other forms of mass transit all offer options for consideration. With the cost of gas and the peace of mind I get from not dealing with traffic, it's worth it. Being in the car again seems even more stressful after breezing along the train corridors.
 
So let me encourage you: commit to using a commute alternative at least one day a week. If you already are, that’s great.  But if not, give it a try. Think about the change we could collectively make!

Beth Bond is the editor of Southeast Green. Having owned her own marketing company for over 15 years working with green companies, Beth knew the story of sustainability and green resided here in the Southeast. Since relaunching Southeast Green in September 2008, Bond has been establishing even broader liaisons and partners to help continue the story of green and sustainability.

This just in: it’s hot out there.  Through June 4, Metro Atlanta’s blistering heat wave, mixed with pollution from tailpipes, has caused the region to ring up five days in the last week and half where ground-level concentrations were considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”  Children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions are most vulnerable to ground-level ozone exposure, which can inflame airways and lungs, making it tough to breathe.

What’s the antidote to this recent string of Code Orange ground-ozone days?  Certainly some sustained rainfall would help flush out some of the problem.  Cooler, windier conditions could help bring some relief, too.  But the latest weather forecast for the Atlanta region projects the strongest chances of rainfall may not come until after next weekend.  And Mother Nature has a reputation for being a fickle gal.  That’s why it’s up to individual commuters to take charge, to the extent that our choices can move the needle on smoggy conditions.  Half of Atlanta’s ground-level ozone emissions come from tailpipes.  So reduce your contribution to the problem.  Here are a few easy ways to help:

• Commit to carpool, vanpool or ride transit to your job. Ask your boss for permission to telework.  There are loads of services available from The Clean Air Campaign to help make any of these options more possible for you than you might think.  Call 1-877-CLEANAIR or e-mail us and we’ll help you get started.    

• If you have to be out and about in your car, avoid unnecessary idling.  Avoid drive-thru lanes.  Stay out of stop-and-go traffic conditions.  If you need to refuel, do it after dusk.  Be cognizant of the most efficient ways to combine your trips and errands. 

• Brown-bag your lunch so you don't have to leave work in your car to grab a bite.  Avoid the lunchtime scramble on busy roads and save a few bucks at the same time.

• Keep an eye on ground-level ozone and particle pollution forecasts, just like you do with weather forecasts.  Sign up to receive Smog Alerts so you can plan accordingly, tailor outdoor activities and reduce your exposure. 

These small actions can make a difference.  While we keep our fingers crossed for the perfect panacea to break up this sweltering spell and the dirty air it brings, keep in mind that we can all be part of the solution. 

From the time I turned 10 years old, I have been in love with riding my bicycle.  I've ridden, raced, trained and commuted on a bicycle.  I've worked in bike shops, run teams, coached cyclists... I just love the sport of cycling.  The thing is, the bicycle wasn't really invented to be a sport.  It was invented to be a mode of transportation.  A way to get around that was more efficient than walking along whistling Dixie.
 
Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that and opt to drive in a car wherever they go. They think of cycling as something they can do on a nice day for a couple hours of exercise.  I'm not saying there is anything wrong with recreational riding, but why not be able to get someplace on your bike?
 
As much as I love cycling, there is something extra special about riding my bike to work.  I enjoy leaving my car at home, getting out there, saving gas and burning calories.  It's just awesome.  My commute is no "joy ride" though.  On a good day, it takes me about an hour each way on some not so friendly roads.
 
In my 30 plus years of cycling, I've learned a lot of things to help me share the road.  As I use these skills, I am able to save over a gallon of gas every time I ride (that's a $4 pay raise!) not to mention the wear and tear on my car. I arrive at work with a fresh attitude and a better outlook on life. The only thing that makes me sad while I am out on the road, is that I almost NEVER see another person commuting on a bike.  Think about this for just a minute. if everybody just committed themselves to using a commute alternative just ONE day a week, you would see:
 

• 20% less traffic

• 20% less air pollution

• 20% less wear and tear on your car

• A healthier community

• A greater appreciation for cyclist and pedestrians as you would know they are helping!

 
Think about it!  I highly recommend you put some TRANS back in your sportation!  If that doesn't work for you - hike, carpool or work from home!  Be creative.  Help me change the world, one commute at a time!
 
Scott Patton lives in Marietta.  Bike to Work Week in Atlanta is May 16-20, 2011

Happy St. Patrick’s Day.  Since 2005, we’ve convinced more than 70,000 Georgia commuters there’s a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.  Think green today – and every day – and enjoy the latest installment of Merging Lanes.

Telework Seminar Recap
A panel of telework managers representing a cross-section of industries shared their perspective earlier this week on how to make telework successful.  A sampling of some of their observations:

• The lines are blurring between work and home.  You see the bevy of people with laptops at coffee houses soaking in java and wi-fi.  You see the legions of mobile phone users thumbing e-mail messages.  In the Atlanta region, 600,000 commuters telework on occasion.  That’s enough people to fill up Turner Field 12 times.
• The decision to offer telework spans a range of motivational factors from attracting talent to offloading real estate expenses to delivering a modicum of work-life balance.
• The biggest obstacle to getting buy-in from managers centers on trust.  How can you trust employees to do their jobs from home when you cannot see their nose to the grindstone?  Managers have to stop obsessing over this conundrum and trust their employee’s understanding of a simple code: “You have an objective.  Get it done.”

Lane ends 2,000 feet.

Seeking Relief from the $700 Sting

Gas prices have climbed nearly 90 cents in Georgia between mid-September 2011 and mid-March 2012. How has this affected your discretionary spending?  The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates higher prices will cost the average U.S. household $700 more this year in gasoline than in 2010.  With wild predictions swirling around about the future of gas prices, now is a good time to take a look at your commuting options.  In 2008, $4 a gallon was the threshold that brought more people to reconsider driving alone.  What is the proverbial tipping point this go around?

Lane ends 1,000 feet.

Clean Air Schools Move to Head of the Class

The education program that brings students, teachers, administrators and parents together for less traffic and cleaner air has reached an incredible milestone on the journey to foster clean air values and awareness. 300 schools across Georgia are now involved in Clean Air Schools programs that reduce vehicle trips on campuses, reduce unnecessary idling in the carpool lane and teach youths about the link between transportation and air quality.  Here’s to the next 300 schools.

Lane ends 500 feet.

Positively Mad About High-Speed Rail
Three-time Golden Globe award-winning TV drama “Mad Men” counts some big admirers of high-speed rail transit among its cast.  The show takes place in NYC in the 1960s, when commuters could choose between taking the train into work or driving and being able to snag a parking spot with minimal effort.  The producers shot this fun vignette about travel choices as part of an advocacy campaign for high-speed rail.
Worth a vote.
Merge.

New data from the Georgia Department of Transportation shows commuting habits in metro Atlanta have changed since 2007.  Fewer commuters are choosing to drive alone, and telework has become a “go-to” option for a growing number of Atlantans, surpassing carpooling and vanpooling for the first time as the primary alternative to solo driving.

 
Recently, we had the opportunity to catch up with Sharon Terry, who teleworks five days a week from her home office in Henry County. Sharon, a nurse case manager in the national accounts department of Anthem/Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa), a Buckhead Area TMA partner, has been participating in her company’s telework program since October 2009. When she does need to make the 45-mile trek into the company’s Atlanta office once or twice a month, she typically carpools with another co-worker or takes MARTA. BCBSGa provides monthly MARTA passes for its employees free of charge.

Q&A

CAC: Recent data from the 2010 Metro Atlanta Regional Commuter Survey shows that the percentage of frequent teleworkers has increased by 75 percent in just three years. Why did you decide to join that group and begin teleworking?
ST: I decided to start teleworking when my department offered the opportunity. I live 45 miles from the office and a good day’s commute would take an average of one hour. However, a typical city commute can quickly turn into a 1.5- to 2-hour commute. Having a young child at home, I felt the time spent on commuting could be spent with family and a balanced life, which my company supports.
 
CAC: In addition to doing your part to improve the air we breathe, what are some of the other benefits you have found by teleworking?
ST: I am so excited to telework. My stress level has significantly decreased since teleworking. My productivity is up because I can work earlier/later when needed. I don’t have to consider travel time and if there are any travel alerts. I was pleased with my job, but teleworking makes it even more exciting.  I can actually spend my time with family and exercising, rather than sitting in a car for long periods of time.
 
CAC: How much money and time would you estimate you save per month by teleworking?
ST: I have saved approximately 11 to 13 hours of time a week and an average of $50 per week in gas. I have saved also with decreased oil changes and maintenance on my car.
 
CAC: Do you log your clean commute trips with The Clean Air Campaign? If so, have you ever won anything through the Commuter Rewards incentive program?
ST: Yes, I log my commute daily with The Clean Air Campaign. I have also won $25 gift cards in the past with the incentive program and the initial cash incentive.

We were saddened this week to learn that The New York Times has declared carpooling dead.  The article describes a national trend that the vital signs for carpooling, once thriving in the 70's during the oil crisis, have been declining over the past 30 years -- and now a once-popular solution to combating fuel prices and traffic has passed away. 

According to the Times, carpooling is survived by its distant cousin, slugging.

The Clean Air Campaign, along with metro Atlanta carpoolers, read the obituary.  But we didn’t get the memo.

Reports about the death of carpooling are greatly exaggerated.  In fact, the American Community Survey shows metro Atlanta carpool numbers have held rather steady over the past decade:

Looking at the national picture, remember that carpooling first appeared as a data point on the census in 1980, when the aftereffects of the oil crisis were still raging.  And it’s not surprising that carpool numbers went down from 1980 to 1990 as oil prices stabilized.  In spite of this, Atlanta ranks among the top 10 U.S. cities for carpooling based on 2000 census figures.    

Georgia – particularly Atlanta – is better positioned than many other areas of the U.S. to make carpooling attractive to commuters and employers because of programs like:

• Guaranteed Ride Home – when carpoolers and other users of commute alternatives need to get home because of an unexpected event – or have to work late – RideSmart and The Clean Air Campaign can arrange a free ride home.

• Ridematching Assistance – there’s a database of 50,000 Georgia commuters seeking carpool partners, vanpool partners and bike buddies.  Chances are, many of them may live and work near you.

• Carpool Rewards – carpools of three or more can earn $40-$60 in monthly gas cards from The Clean Air Campaign.

It could also be argued that Atlanta's limited transit footprint makes it more likely for commuters to opt for carpooling if they're motivated to do something other than drive alone and have the means. 

So we say to those grieving over the death of carpooling, before you pull the hearse around front, be sure to hold Atlanta out of the funeral procession.

The last visible signs of Atlanta’s “Big Chill” are melting away today.  And as employers finish thawing out their operations from the deep freeze, the staggering totals of a lost week of productivity are staring the region in the face: the Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State University reports the business community lost an estimated $300 million last week.  That has many employers asking the question, “What could we have done differently to keep our business moving?”

At the same time, some employers stared down the icy mess and didn’t blink.  For them, the capacity to telework made the circumstances of last week “business as usual.”  Shaw Industries kept the wheels moving with a business continuity plan that included telework and had this to say:

"Having a teleworking program in place at Shaw is one of the ways we are able to help ensure the safety and well-being of our associates during extreme winter weather conditions like those we experienced this week. In addition to those associates who routinely telework as part of their normal schedule, we also asked all managerial and administrative associates in the affected areas to telework this week until they could safely get to their offices. While we temporarily closed or delayed shifts at several of our manufacturing facilities, having a telework program and the associated technology in place meant that some of our associates were also able to conduct business as usual this week from the warmth and safety of their own homes."

-- Paul Richard, Vice President Human Resources, Shaw Industries Group, Inc.

One thing we all learned last week is that the notion of preparedness is relative.  There’s only so much we can control.  The rest is about making the best of a given situation.  And from a productivity lens, that’s what telework allowed many of us to do when we couldn’t get out of our neighborhoods.

So, to the region’s employers that are searching for ways to shore up their business continuity plans, The Clean Air Campaign has lots of relevant ideas to help you get started.

Snowy conditions on Monday across North Georgia gave way to icy conditions on Tuesday that continued to disrupt employers, commuters and schools. MARTA indicates on its website that bus service is still offline for Tuesday. GDOT advises not to travel on metro Atlanta roads today, where several bottlenecks have occurred.

Sorry, people. Commuting by dogsled does not make you eligible to participate in The Clean Air Campaign's Commuter Rewards program.
Photo Credit: Alaska Tourism