Clean Air Commute Awards 2016

Yards Brewing Company and SEPTA rider Ted Cary were presented with Clean Air Council’s second annual Clean Air Commute Awards at the Run for Clean Air on Saturday, April 16, 2016. Scientific and medical publishing company Elsevier‘s Philadelphia office was the runner-up for the Employer award, and avid bike commuter Cara Tratner, was runner-up Clean Air Commuter. Transportation-related sources are one of the largest contributors to air pollution in the Philadelphia region. Each year, Clean Air Council recognizes an employer who promotes sustainable commutes and a commuter who goes the extra mile for a sustainable commute. Our winners this year had some particularly compelling stories, so we thought we would share them with you. We hope you enjoy them!

Clean Air Commute Employer of the Year – Yards Brewing Company

Yards Brewing Company was selected as the Clean Air Commute Employer of the Year for their conscious decision to support sustainable commutes as part of their business model. With a staff of 49 full-time employees, 53% choose clean commuting, including walking, biking, carpool, public transit and even running. Yards makes clean commuting an easy choice by offering their employees sheltered bike storage, lockers, showers and a pre-tax benefit for mass transit riders.

Gina Vasoli of Yards says, “We support sustainable commuting because it’s one way to ensure the vitality of this great city and its people.” As one Yards employee described, “Every year we see less and less employee cars in our [parking] lot while our bike racks are becoming beyond full.” In addition to clean commuting, Yards is Pennsylvania’s first 100% wind powered brewery.Yards won a Clean Air Run team entry and will be honored for their award in the July issue of Grid. Cheers to Yards!

If you are an employer who would like to learn how to promote and support sustainable commuting in the work place, please contact Erika Reinhard, Sustainable Transportation Outreach Coordintator at the Clean Air Council, by emailing ereinhard@cleanair.org or calling 215.567.4004 ext. 111. 

Clean Air Commute Employer of the Year Runner-up – Elsevier

Elsevier’s Philadelphia office was chosen as the runner-up Clean Air Commute Employer of the Year. Elsevier offers employees access to a secure bike storage room and WageWorks, a program for pre-tax public transportation benefits. A large share of Elsevier’s Philadelphia employees walk, bike, or take public transportation to the office. Elsevier’s employee-led Green Team also hosted Cleaner Commute Philadelphia for a lunch-and-learn about sustainable transportation in the Philadelphia area and the programs Cleaner Commute Philadelphia offers.

If you would like Cleaner Commute Philadelphia to give a lunch-and-learn presentation on sustianable transportation at your place of employment, please contact Erika Reinhard, Sustainable Transportation Outreach Coordintator at the Clean Air Council, by emailing ereinhard@cleanair.org or calling 215.567.4004 ext. 111. 

Clean Air Commuter of the Year – Ted Cary

Ted Cary got rid of his car 15 years ago and hasn’t looked back. His daily commute is a three-hour round trip combining bus and subway from Center City to Newtown Square. Once a week, Ted is able to telecommute from home. Ted says, “I still feel the best way to get to Newtown Square from Center City is SEPTA. That’s partly because West Chester Pike can’t accommodate all of its commuter traffic. I’d prefer to be sleeping or reading in a bus rather than navigating the road myself.” He also likes to use his time on SEPTA listening to NPR’s Ted Talks. On the weekend, Ted likes to ride his bike on new Circuit Trail connections, visit Morris Arboretum by way of the Wissahickon or take a ride on the Schuylkill River Trail to Valley Forge National Historical Park.Ted won a $150 gift certificate to his favorite bike shop, Bicycle Therapy.

If you would like to learn how to become a sustainable commuter, please contact Erika Reinhard, Sustainable Transportation Outreach Coordintator at the Clean Air Council, by emailing ereinhard@cleanair.org or calling 215.567.4004 ext. 111. 

Clean Air Commuter of the Year Runner-up – Cara Tratner

You can find Cara Tratner in the rain, snow, or shine commuting 4.5 miles on her yellow and black Schwinn, dubbed Queen Bee, from West Philadelphia to her job at Institute for Community Justice in Center City. Additionally, she travels to various parts of the city including the jail facilities in Northeast Philadelphia and Clinica Bienestar in Kensington. She usually takes the 18 to 31 mile round trip by bike, but some days she combines bicycling with public transit.

Cara says, “I feel extremely committed to making sure my commute, and all of my travel around the city, is as sustainable and environmentally responsible as possible! I have never owned a car and never plan to, and I feel that sustainable commuting is an important way I can reduce my own footprint.”  Beyond commuting to work, Cara traveled 1,400 miles of the West Coast by bike. Cara won a $25 gift certificate to her local bike shop.

Do you or someone you know brave snow, blocked bike lanes, early morning small talk, or uncomfortable proximity to your fellow public transit riders to get to work each day, in a way that reflects your commitment to the environment? Enter the most dedicated sustainable commuter you know in our third annual Clean Air Commuter of the Year award! Nominations open in September 2016.