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Business & Tech

Higher Gas Prices Can Lead To Cleaner Air

While Governor Nathan Deal nipped a gas tax in the bud, driving is still an expensive endeavor — the Clean Air Campaign offers ways to save.

Forty cents doesn’t seem like that much money.

However, considering most families have two cars, factor in two fill-ups per week in 52 weeks a year.

That 40 cents savings for each vehicle at each fill up averages out to be about the cost of one full tank of gas.

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You can thank Governor Nathan Deal for that free tank, because as of June 24, he put a freeze on a proposed state gas tax of an additional 1.6 cents, an expense drivers were expected to take on beginning July 1. 

Gas prices may be falling, but they've still hit hard,” Deal said in a news release, “and drivers can use a break.”

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The freeze will, however, end Dec. 31, and the state legislature’s vote will be required to continue that freeze.

Today’s price for regular unleaded gas in Winder is an average of $3.45. But do you know how much of that is Georgia state tax? A whopping 20.4 cents a gallon.

And $3.45 is a lot of money, especially when you make minimum wage. Drivers all over the state are faced with stretching their dollars as far as they can no matter what their income. Many are looking into ways to save money at the pump.

Thanks to the Clean Air Campaign, Georgia drivers have alternatives. A nonprofit entity with several sponsors, including UPS, Coca Cola and Turner Broadcasting, the Clean Air Campaign is a statewide resource for air quality and traffic congestion information and solutions. The various programs and resources save Georgians more than $150 million every year on gas and vehicle expenses. 

The Cash For Commuters Program, which offers three different options, has seen its numbers increase by more than 50 percent since last year.

The first option is called Commuter Rewards, which encourages solo drivers to choose alternatives such as carpooling, mass transit and bike to work. Drivers can earn up to $3 per day. Myridesmart.com helps coordinate carpoolers.

The second option is for those already choosing alternative methods of transportation. By logging a clean commute trip at their online site, drivers are entered to win a $25 gift card in a random monthly drawing. The more you commute, the more likely your chances to win. 

The third option rewards multiple riders in a carpool with gas cards ranging from $40 to $60 for each carpool.

“I chose the Cash for Commuters Clean Air Campaign program,” said Auburn resident Michael Irizarry. “So far, I am very pleased with the program. What I like most about the program is that I get something in return, which gives an incentive to continue to use the program."

Irizarry said his only complaint is that the program is not very user friendly when having to turn in the last log.

“However, I plan to continue to use the program,” he said. “It is going to save me about $3,000 a year.”

The Clean Air Campaign works in other areas of the state in addition to its driving incentives — the organization works with schools to encourage a reduction in unnecessary idling during parental drop off and pick up times. The Clean Air Campaign also creates lesson plans that reach over 380,000 students and faculty and show the science behind air quality.

Other Clean Air Campaign programs include workplace incentives, smog alerts and newsletters, which go out to tens of thousands of Atlanta commuters daily. 

More than 70,000 commuters have participated in Commuter Rewards, and more 10,000 people in Georgia have registered to receive smog alerts via e-mail to help them take precautions on bad-air days. Almost 20,000 employers and commuters receive the air quality newsletters.

Brian Carr, director of communications for the Clean Air Campaign, said the overall success of the programs shows in the fact that more commuters are aware of and are choosing alternatives. 

“More than 1,600 employers are working with the Clean Air Campaign and its partners to integrate commute options into their workplace strategies,” Carr said. “Each work day, this adds up to 1.4 million vehicle miles of travel eliminated from Georgia roads and 700 tons of pollution and CO2 kept out of the air we breathe, along with $658,000 in savings to commuters on gas and car expenses.

“Of course, Carr added, “with more population growth and greater demand for transportation options expected in the future, there is more work to be done.”

Another good indicator that the campaign is a success is that other regions in the U.S. are working on similar traffic and air quality issues have asked the Clean Air Campaign for guidance about starting similar programs.

“It’s a signal that the model is working here,” Carr said.

The Clean Air Campaign reports that the number of applications received for the $3 a day program is up 53 percent for the first half of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. 

“Half of all smog-forming emissions in the region come from the tailpipes of cars and trucks,” Carr said. “In addition, traffic congestion in the region is among the worst in the U.S. The best way to address both of these issues at the same time is to get more people to choose alternatives to driving alone on their trips to and from work. It’s easier than you might think to make a difference and there are lots of ideas to get you started at cleanaircampaign.org.”  

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