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Transportation Choices for Clean Air
In Broward County, as elsewhere, air pollution is mainly caused by people and their activities. In Southeast Florida, the primary pollutant of concern is ozone and because motor vehicles account for 50% of all air pollution in South Florida, we need to protect our future air quality by making more responsible transportation choices.
Increasing population in Broward County means more cars on the road, but most importantly, most of the growth in driving comes not from new drivers, but from more driving by the people already on the road. In fact, during the last 10 years (1995 – 2005) in Broward County the Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) grew from 30 million miles to 37.8 million miles. Not surprisingly, the percentage of over-capacity roadway segments also increased during the last 10 years. The percentage grew from 19 percent to 29.3 percent. The increasing population growth combined with increase in the number of cars on the road and the increase in vehicle miles traveled will eventually offset any future benefits of pollution controls and vehicle fuel economy on new cars.
Why are we driving so much more each year? It seems that we are taking longer car trips, we are not carpooling like we can and should be, and we have switched from biking, walking, or taking mass transit to driving. People are also living further away from their work places, resulting in more time spent in the car and not at the destination. In order to protect our future air quality and prevent air pollution, the Air Quality Division encourages you to revert back to those common sense transportation choices that prevent air pollution.
What Can You Do:
- There are at least 50 ways to leave your car (pdf)
- Drive less by combining your trips. Remember to make up your grocery or errand lists in advance so that you don't have to drive back for forgotten items.
- In Broward County you or your employer can contact the South Florida Commuter Services for carpooling and vanpooling information.
- Ride the BCT Bus to work.
- Walk or ride your bike whenever you can.
- Talk to your co-workers and share the ride to work.
- Take the Tri-Rail to work.
- If you're in downtown Ft. Lauderdale, take the Sun Trolley.
- Keep your car properly tuned and maintained and check out more fuel efficient models when you replace your car.
- Boaters can minimize their impact to the environment by choosing a more efficent outboard marine engine.
The choice is yours for protecting and preserving our future air quality.
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