Article courtesy of the Clean Air Partnership
2019 is a milestone year for three local entities playing a significant role in raising awareness about all the ways people can reduce emissions to help keep the air quality in healthy ranges – making the great communities in the St. Louis region even better places to live, work and study. Like the Clean Air Partnership, Citizens for Modern Transit, RideFinders and the St. Louis Green Business Challenge are focused on encouraging and inspiring voluntary steps to help improve the environment, and we’re pleased to highlight them as they celebrate their 10th, 25th and 35th anniversaries.
The St. Louis Green Business Challenge is a program of the Missouri Botanical Garden that helps businesses of all types and sizes to integrate “Triple Bottom Line” (fiscal, social and environmental) measures into the daily operations common to every business. As a part of the program, participants identify and adopt strategies that improve financial performance and engage employees in voluntary measures to reduce environmental impacts. Since its launch in 2010, 233 companies – representing more than 150,000 employees – have joined the Green Business Challenge. St. Louis’ ongoing commitment to sustainability is reflected in the numbers, with 47% of these companies participating for three or more years, and a Green Decade Honor Roll of 13 companies have been engaged for the entirety of the program’s existence.
RideFinders has proudly served the St. Louis region for 25 years, driving home change to improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion by encouraging alternate transportation options. The organization offers a path to reduce emissions by providing a free carpool and vanpool ride matching service, and in celebration of their anniversary welcomes commuters to “Carpool Like it’s 1994” to help improve the overall quality of the air. RideFinders works with employers, colleges, trade schools, municipalities and virtually any other type of organization to help commuters rideshare to and from work and school. Over 900 St. Louis area employers, colleges and other organizations participate in RideFinders as Employee Transportation Coordinators “ETCs” to promote commute alternatives to fellow co-workers and distribute air quality and transportation related information within their organization, helping thousands of commuters rideshare and clean the air.
Thirty-five years ago, Citizens for Modern Transit began its mission to introduce MetroLink to the St. Louis metropolitan area. Today, CMT leads efforts for an integrated, affordable, and convenient public transportation system with light rail expansion as the critical component that will drive economic growth to improve quality of life in our region. With transportation-related emissions being one of the biggest contributors to air pollution, CMT focuses on promoting public transportation as a viable alternative to driving alone. It’s Try & Ride program, launched in 2014, has helped more than 6,000 workday commuters learn how to easily navigate the transit system and experience the benefits of using MetroLink and MetroBus for their work commute. Through CMT’s Ten Toe Express program thousands of area residents now get around the region using a combination of their own ten toes and transit.
CMT and RideFinders also both offer a Guaranteed Ride Home incentive for commuters!
For more information visit https://cmt-stl.org/, https://www.sharetheridestl.org/ or http://stlouisgreenchallenge.com/. To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, be sure to check out our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @gatewaycleanair.