Getting to work:
Your clean air commute

How did you get to work today?

Ara Retchian rode his bike to work—by choice. “I’m only two miles from work, why drag a car?” says Retchian, who works for the city of Burbank.

Retchian’s story is one of the many clean air commutes featured in the Coalition for Clean Air’s (CCA) report, Getting to work: Your clean air commute. The special report highlights proven programs that help workers improve their commutes while leaving their cars at home. It is a guide for employers, workers and policymakers to provide smarter transportation benefits to our workforce.

Good for workers, good for employers

It turns out that clean air commuting is good for workers and employers alike. CCA’s research repeatedly found that a clean air commute can save an employer the cost of providing parking and is good for a company’s productivity.

Retchian feels healthier and happier biking to work, which he does about three days per week. It’s a “good way to wake up,” he emphasizes, adding that “the cold air in your face and blood flow makes you feel energetic and awake.” Retchian also notes that biking to work made him more health conscious.

CCA unveils report at special city council meeting

Today, CCA staff presented the report findings to a special meeting of the Los Angeles City Council Committee on Jobs, Business Growth and Tax Reform. CCA recommended to the committee several specific and important actions the city can take to improve your daily commute. “A clean air commute is easier than one might think—even in the city of cars,” said Campaign Director Martin Schlageter.

To read Retchian's story, learn more about clean air commuter options, and share your thoughts and stories, click here.