SLAP Now! Mission Statement

Students for Less Air Pollution - NOW!

We are Westchester County high school students deeply concerned about air pollution in our area, which harms our health, the health of those we love, as well as the health of other members of our communities. We care about how air pollution affects the most physically vulnerable, children, youth, as well as the elderly, burdening all with costs now and in the future, that could be harmful to our overall economy, and thus, as younger Americans, harmful to our future. We also care about the threat air pollution poses to our natural environment, specifically with respect to global warming.

We believe that young people, who are among the most physically vulnerable, can and should lead the way in addressing air pollution problems - but we invite school administrators, teachers, school bus drivers, and parents to join our campaign and work in partnership with us. We aim to focus our efforts locally, by organizing:

1) To promote better air quality on school grounds, by advocating for formal school policies to end unnecessary idling of all school buses, delivery trucks and passenger vehicles; lobbying New York State for funding for a) the retrofitting and retirement of older school buses, and b) the conversion to ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel for school bus fleets throughout the county.

2) To raise the level of awareness outside school grounds of the ways communities throughout Westchester can reduce air pollution.

Founding Members of SLAP NOW!
Alex Gertner, Scarsdale High School
Chiaki Kurihara, Mamaroneck High School
Anna Pycior, Hastings High School
Dave Weinreb, Harrison High School
Katie Walter, John Jay High School