Employers, both
government agencies and private sector companies, are essential
partners in meeting Tennessee's air quality challenges. The employers
that can help improve air quality are not limited to just the manufacturing
industry, but also include hospitals, banks, law firms, universities
and government agencies. Every employer in the state can do something
to help achieve clean air.
Employers are
often community leaders and have unique abilities to raise issues
in their communities and to attract public attention to a given
subject. Employers also have an obviously important relationship
with their employees. Employers can usually communicate effectively
with their employees, and employees typically assign greater weight
and significance to issues raised by their employer. Because of
these strengths, Tennessee's success in achieving clean air will
depend, in large measure, on whether employers take an active role
in reducing emissions.
There are several
categories of voluntary actions that employers can take to improve
air quality. Some of the major categories of actions are listed
below. Employers can select ideas from this list based on their
size, their activities, their location and other details about their
operations.
- Trip reduction
programs
- Commute benefits
for employees
- Regional
air quality action alert programs
- Operations
and maintenance activities
- Energy efficiency
and green power
- Cleaner fuels
and vehicles for employer fleets
- Urban forestry
programs
For example,
reducing mobile source emissions (diesel trucks and buses, construction
equipment, SUVs, minivans and cars) is essential to reduce unhealthy
levels of air pollution in Tennessee communities. Depending on the
nature of your organization, there are several options for you to
consider for reducing mobile source emissions. One, you can help
protect the quality of life in your community by taking voluntary
steps to reduce the air pollution caused by your employees commuting
to and from your workplace. The most promising strategies might
include offering commute benefits and initiating a trip reduction
program for your employees.
Second, you
can act to reduce emissions from your organization's fleet vehicles,
including forklifts and construction equipment. Options for accomplishing
this include the purchase and use of cleaner fuels, and the purchase
or lease of vehicles with cleaner engines. Third, employers can
help by examining operations and maintenance activities and looking
for opportunities to reduce emissions.
Follow the links
on this page to find more information about employer options for
improving air quality.
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