Activities Include Green Vehicle Car Show, Green Transportation, Bike, Bus, Walk and Downtown Albany Living and Renewable Energy Information

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is partnering with the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks), the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) and the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) for the third Annual Green Your Commute Day (GYCD) in Albany, Friday, May 15. 

The Green Your Commute Day event, held in Albany’s Tri-centennial Park on Broadway and Columbia Street from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., will highlight environmentally friendly ways commuters can get to and from work such as carpooling, bicycling, walking, public transportation or driving an electric vehicle. Activities in the park will also include bus pass raffles, giveaways and information on safely walking and biking in the city. Visitors to the park will also be able to talk with owners of electric vehicles about what it’s like to drive electric and learn about renewable energy for their homes.

Green Your Commute Day brings together a collaboration of state agencies with the City of Albany, Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID), Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA), Capital District Transportation Committee (CDTC), Albany Bicycle Coalition, Capital CarShare, and two volunteer community solar organizations Solarize Albany and Solarize Troy/Rensselaer County. The event coincides with nationally recognized Annual Bike to Work Day, which encourages bicycle commuting as an environmentally friendly transportation alternative. 

DEC Commissioner Martens said, “DEC is excited to once again collaborate with so many groups that share our goal of a healthy environment. Not only does greening your commute reduce greenhouse gas emissions and traffic congestion, it improves fitness, saves money, reduces commuting stress and can be fun, as well. Any day that you can green your commute is a great benefit to you and the environment,” he said. “I encourage all employees to consider alternate transportation to work not only for tomorrow but whenever they can. Last year, the event helped to avoid more than 10,000 pounds of CO2 in a single day. Imagine how much CO2 emissions could be avoided with regular green commuting.”

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Rose Harvey said, “State Parks is pleased to once again join with DEC and our partners for a third year to encourage commuters to utilize greener transportation alternatives such as walking, biking, carpooling, or using mass transit to and from their workplaces on Green Your Commute Day. Efforts made on even a single day like this will help reduce our environmental impact and provide individuals with an enjoyable option for their daily commute.”

“DASNY is proud to once again take part in Green Your Commute Day with DEC and OPRHP.  As we explore greener ways to get to work we support not only our own health and well-being, but we also reduce travel costs and respect limited resources.  The principles behind GYCD are the same principles that DASNY applies to building high performing and beautiful buildings for our clients,” said DASNY President Paul T. Williams, Jr.

NYSERDA President and CEO John B. Rhodes said, "Green Your Commute highlights the simple steps we can all take -- walking, biking or taking the bus to work -- to reduce the use of fossil fuels in our daily lives and to lessen the demands on our energy and transportation systems."

“So many of our residents choose to live in Downtown for a ‘green’ lifestyle,” says Georgette Steffens, executive director of the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District. “They can walk or take public transportation to work, as Downtown hosts CDTA’s highest trafficked transfer station, or to the over 70 eateries and world-class entertainment venues located within a few blocks of their home.”

Get more information and register for Green Your Commute Day at:  http://www.dec.ny.gov/public/96418.html.