New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
(212) 361-6350, Ext. 206
For Immediate Release: September 10, 2020
Contact: Shachar Sharon, ssharon@nylcv.org
Back to School: Time to Get on the Clean Bus
NYLCVEF Launches Toolkit for Groups to Start a Transition to Electric School Buses
New York, N.Y. – The return of dirty diesel school buses that fill the air with pollution may be the only constant in a back-to-school month filled with changes this year. The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) is hoping to change that.
The group released its Clean Bus Guide today, a toolkit for community groups and everyday New Yorkers to launch their own electric school bus campaigns in local communities across the state.
NYLCVEF compiled resources and lessons learned for community groups, parents, and other residents to raise awareness about diesel pollution in their neighborhoods and organize their own electric school bus campaign. The Guide provides information for who to contact about the issue, suggestions on potential allies, talking points for those conversations, information on electric school bus funding opportunities, organizing tips and strategies, and more.
Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, said, “We’re going back to school differently this year so why do we still have the same dirty buses on the road? Now is the time to implement out-of-the-box climate solutions. We can’t achieve our climate goals if we ignore school buses. Our Clean Bus Guide will empower New Yorkers in communities all across the state to become advocates for zero-emissions school buses, which are better for local air quality and our children’s health. We look forward to working with partners and connecting with new groups as we distribute the Guide throughout the state.”
The Guide is part of NYLCVEF’s Clean Buses for Healthy Niños campaign. The organization has been promoting electric school buses to improve local air quality, protect children’s health, and fight climate change. The campaign has educated New Yorkers about the public health and environmental impacts of diesel pollution and the need to transition toward zero emissions electric school buses. In 2018, NYLCVEF released a report that demonstrates the public health impact of pollution emitted by diesel buses, highlights the fact that communities of color disportionately bear the burden of this pollution, and makes the case for large-scale investment in electric school bus fleets. The organization continues to urge State decisionmakers and City policymakers to invest in clean school buses in environmental justice communities that are disproportionately impacted by air pollution.
The Guide was generously funded by The New York Community Trust. NYLCVEF will host a series of informational webinars on the Clean Bus Guide focused on different regions of the state. Details are forthcoming.
The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund educates, engages, and empowers New Yorkers to be effective environmental advocates. NYLCVEF’s programs foster open, nonpartisan discussion on environmental policy issues and encourage New Yorkers to get involved in the environmental decision-making process at the local, state, and federal levels. Visit www.nylcvef.org for more information.
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