Every time we visit my family in Myrtle Beach, S.C.  we stop to fill our tank at the Flying J on Highway 38, where gas is typically 20 cents less expensive than prices in the Research Triangle Region, before getting onto I-95 North to head back home.  But that’s where our savings end, according to Rick Sapienza, Clean Transportation Specialist at the North Carolina Solar Center.  Mr. Sapienza presented “Drive Green, Save Green” to the Charlotte Area NC Air Awareness Coalition Training May 10, 2012 on the topic of ecodriving, during which time I learned just how inefficient our typical drive up the I-95 corridor is.  Here are some reasons why:

1. For every 5 MPH we drive over 60 MPH, our fuel economy decreases 7-10%. The speed limit along the stretch of 95 we drive between Highway 38 and I-40 is mostly 70 MPH.  Driving any slower than 75 MPH in that zone actually seems to put us at higher risk of being rear-ended.
2. Frequent braking reduces fuel economy. It’s I-95, one of the most traveled roads in the U.S., so we’re guaranteed congestion along the way, and, therefore more braking.
3. Bursts of speed reduce fuel economy. So, there is that occasional person who does actually obey the speed limit, or, heaven forbid, drive below it, and we can’t wait for a break in the flow of traffic in the left lane to get around that driver.  Maybe we want to take out our frustration on the gas pedal, or, I hate to admit it, maybe the break in traffic really isn’t that big, so we punch the gas, move into the left lane and whiz past the slower driver, triuMPHant.
4. Aggressive driving reduces fuel economy. See my example in #3.

Now, here are some strategies Mr. Sapienza recommended that will increase our fuel efficiency and make the money we saved on our last fill-up stretch farther on our drive home:

1. Anticipate traffic flow. This effectively addresses numbers 2-4 above.  Keeping an eye on the cars farther ahead of us on the road will help us judge when we need to make an adjustment in our speed.  These adjustments can be made more gradually, burning less fuel.
2. Maintain a steady speed. Using cruise control can increase fuel efficiency by approximately 7%.  According to the US Department of Transportation, we can save approximately 20 cents per gallon when we drive using cruise control.
3. Shift early. If I still had my beloved stick-shift, or manual transmission, car, I’d need to shift gears around 2000 RPM to maximize my fuel economy.
4. Keep tires inflated to recommended pressure. Low tire pressure can reduce fuel efficiency by 0.3% for every 1 PSI drop in all 4 tires.  In the U.S., we waste approximately 1.2 billion gallons of gasoline per year, due to underinflated tires.
5. Practice “smart cooling.” Use the 40 MPH rule:  When driving under 40 MPH, open the windows (weather permitting); when driving over 40 MPH, use the air conditioner.  Driving at higher speeds with our windows down creates drag, and makes our cars work harder and burn more fuel to maintain the speed we want to drive.  Using our air conditioners at the maximum setting at lower rates of speed decreases our fuel efficiency by approximately 5-25%.
6. Lighten your load. I’m not talking about leaving a passenger behind.  Obviously, when we travel for overnight stays, we pack luggage.  But anything else that’s not necessary but adds significantly to the weight of the car gets left at home.  For every 100 pounds extra we carry, we reduce our fuel efficiency by up to 2% (which is why my husband no longer “stores” his golf clubs in the trunk of his car).
7. Turn off your engine. It’s only about a three and a half hour drive between here and Myrtle Beach, but, depending on the time of day, we may get hungry and pull off the road at a fast food restaurant.  Instead of idling our engine waiting in the drive-through lane, we park and go inside.  For every 2 minutes of idling, we consume the same amount of gas it takes to drive 1 mile.  Besides, it’s nice to get out and stretch our legs.

We look forward to seeing just how far we can stretch that tank of gas from the Flying J home using Mr. Sapienza’s green driving tips on our next trip to see my family.  In fact, maybe I’ll issue a challenge to my husband—we take turns driving on these trips, with one of us driving down and the other driving back:  whoever burns the least amount of fuel on her or his drive is treated to dinner by the other, paid for with the money we save by our increased fuel efficiency, of course!

For more suggestions for fuel efficient driving habits, visit these websites:

• http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

• http://www.epa.gov/smartway/vehicles/driving-tips.htm

Triangle Air Awareness kicked off Ozone Forecast Season with it annual kick-off luncheon April 13 at IBM’s Recreation Center in the Research Triangle Park. The event drew a full house and record attendance, with more than 50 companies and
organizations represented.

The public/private partnership effort of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Research Triangle Regional Partnership, hosts the event as part of its effort to educate the community and promote practices that improve air quality across the 13-county region.

Here are the top takeaways from the event, says program coordinator Elaine Loyack:

1. IBM encourages alternative commuting. Learn more about IBMs environmental leadership commitment and why the Triangle is one of the Best Workplaces for Commuters.
2. DENR reports that air quality in the Research Triangle Region has improved to now meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards for ground-level ozone pollution.
3. The Mecklenberg County officials shared lessons learned from its community-based social marketing campaign to drive behavior change and improve energy efficiency. The effort was hugely successful and is attracting national attention. The Light’s Out Tool Kit offers everything needed for a workplace campaign.
4. When considering behavioral change campaigns, Mecklenburg County officials say, “Make it personal, make it fun!”
5. Jennifer Smith from ShareFile/Citrix shared four tips for social media success: deliver relevant content; develop meaningful relationships online, share pictures and links, don’t be a spammer.
6. Raleigh, N.C. is a leader for plug-in electric vehicles, second only to California.  Learn more from the U.S. Department of Energy.
7. Advanced Energy reported that workplace charging is a new trend in the Triangle, which now has  more than 20 charging stations.
8. The Triangle population is 1.5 million. The average one-way commute is 16.2 miles. One of every seven workers in Wake County commutes daily to a job in Orange or Durham County. Driving electric vehicles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, and encourage cleaner, renewable energy.
9. There are 3 types of electric vehicles: hybrid electric, such as the Toyota Prius; plug-in hybrid electric, such as the Chevy Volt; and all-electric, such as the Nissan LEAF.
10. In the 13-county Research Triangle Region, cars and trucks are the No. 1 source of ozone-forming emissions.

Christina Motley is a strategic, integrated marketer and award-winning writer.  Connect with her via her website, LinkedIn and Twitter @christinamotley.

On behalf of our gracious host, IBM, Kermit Smith, Manager of IBM RTP Environmental Engineering, shared with us all that IBM does to reduce it’s carbon footprint, particularly the company’s efforts to encourage alternative commuting by its employees.  IBM serves as a wonderful example to us all.

Already we’re hearing from attendees ready to launch either “Crab, You’re It” or “Race to the Beach” programs Shelley Lanham, Coordinator of Charlotte Air Awareness, shared with us.  Her mantra?  “Make it fun; make it personal!”

Jennifer Smith of FileShare/Citrix gave us these rules of social media engagement to live by:

•Deliver relevant content to your followers
•Develop meaningful relationships
•Share pictures and links
•Don’t be a spammer

You’ll get a charge out of this fact about our state that Advanced Energy’s Stacey Carless shared with us:  did you know that North Carolina is a recognized leader in the country for plug-in electric vehicles?  Kick-off attendees got to check out Nissan’s Leaf and Chevrolet’s Volt during the event.  Our thanks to Bobby Murray Chevrolet and Michael Jordan Nissan for bringing the cars to us.

Watch for announcements about our 2012 End of Ozone Forecast Season event coming this fall.  We hope you’ll join us to celebrate and honor our local meteorologists with our We Couldn’t Do It Without You Award!

The Research Triangle Region has a lot going for it. However, eight counties were designated as nonattainment for ozone by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2004 and are now meeting the standard while in maintenance mode. This means air quality in the Triangle Region – including Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill – has met the National Ambient Air Quality Standards but requires continuous monitoring. If the standards were to be tightened, it’s possible some counties could be designated nonattainment again, according to Elaine Loyack, Program Coordinator for Triangle Air Awareness (TAA).

TAA ─ a public/private partnership between the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Research Triangle Regional Partnership ─ will host its annual “Ozone Forecast Season Kick-off Luncheon” April 13 at IBM’s Recreation Center in the Research Triangle Park from 12-1:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Online registration is available through EventBrite. Reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis with limited seating.

Ground-level ozone levels fluctuate daily based on the amount of sunlight and emissions from sources such as cars, trucks and coal-fired power plants.  Highest levels generally are recorded in late afternoon, most often from April-October.  In the Research Triangle Region, cars and trucks are our number one source of ozone-forming emissions.

Air quality experts from Mecklenburg County’s Air Awareness Program and business leaders from ShareFile (recently acquired by Citrix) and Advanced Energy are among the speakers who will help educate area citizens about the meaning of ground-level ozone measurements, tips to stay healthy when levels fluctuate, and ways everyone can help reduce air pollution and promote clean air for healthy living.

Reservations qualify attendees to enter a drawing for a cordless, electric lawn mower. The winner must be present to win. Earn more chances to win the green mower by recruiting new TAA Business Coalition Members, Tweeting about the event (@TraingleAir), Liking TriangleAirAwareness on Facebook, and using alternative transportation to the event.

Additional sponsors include IBM – which is the second largest IBM operation in the world next to India – and is providing its Recreation Center in the RTP as the venue. Eurest, IBM’s food service contractor, is offering lunch at discounted pricing.

We hope to see you at our End of Ozone Forecast Season Luncheon in the fall!

In addition to IBM’s donation of our venue for the kick-off, we’re grateful for support from Eurest, IBM’s food service.

Donna Rogers, USEPA, at our 2011 Kick-off

• Ecology
• Botany
• Fisheries
• Forestry
• Geology
• Geography
• Environmental engineering
• Environmental planning
• Impact assessment
• Natural resource management, or
• Conservation

Contact:  scholarships@ncaep.org

Clair and CAM make some new friends.

3/31: Frog Fest, Crowder District Park, Apex
Let it rain!  We had a great time at Frog Fest this past Saturday, and the “tadpoles” had fun meeting mascots, Clair, the Clean Air Explorer, and CAM, the Clean Air Mascot!

On December 16, 2011, educators gathered at the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (NC DENR) new Green Square complex in Raleigh to participate in “A Breath of Fresh Air,” a free workshop offered to teachers within the 13-county Research Triangle Region.   Workshop participants, each of whom earned 1.0 CEU, learned about air quality and got to try out, first-hand, educational activities to take back to their classrooms.  These fun, engaging activities were drawn from The Adventures of Clair and CAM, Triangle Air Awareness’ air quality education curriculum for grades K-5, that is available free to schools within the region.  Clair, the Clean Air Explorer, and CAM, the Clean Air Maniac, Triangle Air Awareness’ mascots and the curriculum’s namesakes, even made an appearance at the workshop!

Following a welcome from the NC Division of Air Quality’s Deputy Director, Mike Abraczinskas, Pam Wall, VP for Product Development for Research Triangle Regional Partnership and creator of Clair and CAM, gave a brief history of the Triangle Air Awareness program and the development of its mascots and curriculum.  Dr. Denis DuBay, Ph.D., of thisviewofearth.com, explained ground-level ozone, including how it’s formed, its effects on our health and how we can take action to prevent it.  Over lunch, Dr. Larry Hemmings, MD, talked about asthma and the role air pollution plays in its development and worsening of symptoms.  Participants also got to hear about NC DENR’s Environmental Education Certification program, as well as the opportunities for learning offered by the Neuse Riverkeeper Foundation.

Here’s what some of the participants had to say about the workshop:

“I enjoyed the workshop/training very much-thank you for the opportunity to participate and gain a much more informed perspective on the quality of the air we breathe!”
-4^th grade teacher, Durham Public Schools

“Thanks for the great presentation.  I am looking forward to using the information in my classroom.”
-K-5 Science Teacher, Durham Public Schools

Look for future teacher workshops offered by Triangle Air Awareness, and expand your toolkit of air quality education activities for your students!

Triangle Air Awareness and the N.C. Division of Air Quality are encouraging Research Triangle Region residents to turn off their engines when they’re idling – that is, sitting in their cars but going nowhere — in places like parking lots, drive-through lanes and schools.  Turning off engines is an easy way to save money on fuel and vehicle maintenance costs and help keep the air clean.  Read more from the News of the Research Triangle Regional Partnership.