TR15: Public Outreach

Transcription

1 TR15: Public Outreach Brief Summary: The Public Outreach control measure includes activities to encourage Bay Area residents to make choices that benefit air quality. This measure includes various public outreach campaigns to educate the public about the health effects of air pollution and the air quality benefits of reducing motor-vehicle trips and choosing transportation modes that reduce motor vehicle emissions. The measure includes outreach and education regarding electric vehicles, smart driving, carpooling, vanpooling, taking public transit, biking, walking, and telecommuting. Purpose: The purpose of this measure is to reduce emissions of the key ozone precursors, ROG and NOx, particulate matter, air toxics and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Travel Market Affected: This measure would affect intraregional travel, including commute travel; shopping, personal business, school trips, as well as social and recreational travel. In addition, this measure may help to reduce emissions from the use of lawn and garden equipment and recreational watercraft. Regulatory Context and Background : Electric Vehicle Strategy The Air District and MTC view PEVs as a promising technology for reducing tailpipe emissions, thus helping the region achieve local, state, and federal criteria pollutant and GHG emission reduction targets. In December 2013, the Air District, in partnership with MTC and ABAG, completed a Bay Area Plug-in Electric Vehicle Readiness Plan ( The plan outlines a series of strategies and best practices that can be taken by regional agencies and other PEV stakeholders to remove potential barriers and accelerate deployment of PEVs. An EV Promotional Campaign is one of the strategies outlined in the Readiness Plan and a wellcoordinated regional PEV marketing campaign that specifically targets Bay Area consumers is needed in order to successfully capture the attention and acceptance of the broader general public. This campaign was implemented in by MTC and the Air District. Campaign development began in October 2012 and included research into which activities would be the most successful to increase EV adoption. Research indicated that allowing interested individuals to test drive EVs in an environment free of sales pressure would be the most impactful strategy. An initial one-year ride-and-drive campaign was then launched in Spring 2014, marketed as Experience Electric. Through the Experience Electric campaign, MTC offered twenty-one free, interactive Ride-and-Drive events at venues around the Bay Area. The ride-and-drives allowed drivers to test-drive EVs and share their experience via social media. To evaluate the campaign, MTC implemented a pre-drive, post-drive and follow-up surveys (several months after the ride and drive) to event participants. Overall, the events yielded 1

2 positive effects on perceptions of EVs, perceived barriers to EV purchase, and intent to purchase an EV immediately following the events in the post-drive survey. Because of these results, the Air District provided additional funds for six ride-and-drive events in winter 2015 and spring In addition to the campaign, the Air District provides funding for outreach and activities including implementing the training described in the PEV Plan for local government agencies and the public, conducting workshops and participating in workgroups and other opportunities to support PEV deployment and sharing best practices. Spare the Air The STA Every Day Program is the backbone of the Air District s efforts to encourage the public to take direct action to reduce emissions and improve air quality. Since motor vehicles are the leading source of ozone forming emissions in the Bay Area, efforts to reduce vehicle travel, particularly on days with Spare the Air Alerts, can help avoid exceedance of federal and state standards. STA Every Day includes the following components: Outreach Program - STA Alert notifications via media channels, alert notification sign up lists, and the employer program. - Advertising campaign through print, billboards, TV ads and website ads. - Media outreach through news programs and community based outreach channels, such newsletters. - Outreach at community events, such as county fairs. - Coordination with MTC/511. Employer Program - Employer coordinators inform their workforce of impending Spare the Air days, educate employees about the ways individuals can improve air quality, and motivate them to take action. Community Resource Teams - Local civic groups, agencies, businesses and environmental organizations meet regularly and work collaboratively to implement projects that promote cleaner air. Team members, with Air District support, are responsible for developing and carrying out local projects. Winter Spare the Air - The Winter Spare the Air program notifies residents when particulate matter levels are anticipated to be unhealthy. On these high pollution days, the Air District issues a Winter Spare the Air Alert which prohibits wood burning throughout the Bay Area. Youth Programs - Protect Your Climate Curriculum: 16 lessons for 4th and 5th grade students that focus on air pollution, energy, waste reduction and transportation. - Clean Air Challenge Curriculum: a science-based curriculum which includes experiments that help students understand air pollution and climate change. - Cool the Earth: a greenhouse gas reduction program for K-8th grade students and their parents. 2

3 - As the World Warms: a classroom supplement including news stories and puzzles on climate change for elementary aged students. - eco2 Commute Challenge Project Manual: a tool to help high school students become a part of the solution to climate change by taking action in their schools to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from student commutes by promoting walking, biking, riding the bus and carpooling. In addition, Spare the Air Youth is a regional program, implemented by MTC and the Air District, that aims to educate, inspire and empower youth and families in the San Francisco Bay Area to walk, bicycle, carpool and take transit. Spare the Air Youth seeks to find effective ways to reduce GHG and other emissions related to transportation, while also providing a regional resource for students, parents, teachers and program providers. Non-Commute Trip Reductions Campaign Non-commuting travel generally includes vehicle trips associated with schools, hospitals, medical centers, banks, stores, post offices, entertainment, recreation, etc. Reducing noncommute trips may contribute to the overall goal of reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and therefore air pollution in the Bay Area. Non-commute trip reduction strategies have been successfully implemented in the Bay Area and other regions of the nation. For example, the City of Walnut Creek and Emeryville offer free shuttles to and from shopping districts. In the Denver area, retail shopping centers are also operating shuttles that are realizing high ridership. Shuttles may be funded privately or through public-private partnerships. In the instance of shopping centers, retail benefits from shared underwriting of the shuttle costs; these costs return benefits for both shoppers and employees, especially in high shopping seasons where parking is limited. Non-commute trips may also be the focus of residentially-based education and marketing campaigns. A particularly strategic time to approach people about travel behavior changes is when they change either their place of work or residence. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) is working with outreach partners throughout the region to expand on commute campaigns with information on non-commute trip reduction strategies. Outreach partners will be supported with collateral materials to share with real estate agents, rental and lease agents, and new home welcome services. Outreach could also include presentations to interest groups, including but not limited to, realtor associations, business organizations, chambers of commerce and service clubs. Information could also be developed for new home buyers, seniors in assisted living facilities, recreation and park districts, school districts, senior centers, neighborhood associations, and advocacy groups for alternative modes, including bicycling and walking. The Spare the Air Everyday Campaign has a non-commute emphasis as well. In addition to reducing commute trips, the campaign speaks to reduce driving and other activities that generate air pollution, not only during weekdays, but on all days of the week. The Spare the Air 3

4 Everyday asks residents to reduce pollution by making clean air choices every day. This can include walking and biking more often, taking transit, telecommuting or carpooling, driving less, reducing energy consumption at home, and making many other daily choices that improve air quality. Implementation Actions: The Air District will: Implement the Spare the Air Every Day Campaign including Spare the Air alerts, employer program, and community resource teams Implement outreach and education efforts in partnership with MTC, including the Spare the Air Youth Program MTC will: Implement the Spare the Air Youth Program with the Air District Encourage alternative modes of travel for non-commute trips, including walking, bicycling, transit and carpooling via the development of outreach programs to targeted travel sector groups Explore ways to expand public awareness of availability and benefits of transit, bicycling, walking, or carpooling/vanpooling for non-commute trips. Emission Reductions: TBD Emission Reduction Methodology: N/A Exposure Reduction: This measure will reduce region-wide population exposure to air pollutants based on the estimated reduction in emissions. Emission Reduction Trade-offs: None identified. Cost: Spare the Air Program: $6 million/year EV Outreach: approximately $500,000/year Non-Commute Trips Campaign: TBD Co-benefits: This measure raises public awareness of the public about the causes of and solutions to air pollution. People who choose to change their travel or other behaviors in response to a voluntary request for a STA Alert may reduce vehicle use or change other polluting activity on a regular basis, as advocated in the STA Every Day and the Spare the Air Youth program. 4

5 Additionally, increased travel by bike and walk modes may increase individuals physical health and quality of life. Issues/Impediments: Implementation of this measure requires that funding is available for these programs. In addition, because the Spare the Air program is voluntary in nature, its effectiveness depends on the cooperation of the general public. Source(s): 1. Purvis, Charles L., Incorporating Work Trip Accessibility in Non-Work Trip Generation Models in the San Francisco Bay Area, January