 SPRING 2008 ISSUE |
Clean Air Partnership encouraging area residents to “go green”As the green movement continues to sweep the nation, people everywhere are making personal commitments to “go green” in their daily lives. And with the air quality forecasting season getting underway this month, the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership is building on the green momentum by working to educate area residents about how going green can positively impact the region’s air quality. “The expanded theme for this year’s public awareness campaign is ‘Go Green: Do Your Share for Cleaner Air,’ and it aims to reinforce how the green steps we take each day in our homes, at work and on the road can help reduce pollution-causing emissions that lead to poor air quality,” notes Susannah Fuchs, Director of Environmental Health for the American Lung Association of the Central States and spokesperson for The Partnership. From taking mass transit, carpooling and turning off appliances that aren’t in use to recycling office paper, newspaper and drink containers, there are countless, easy lifestyle changes that can help area residents breathe easier. Visit www.cleanair-stlouis.com for more simple ways you can help clear the air, and see the sidebar to find out how you can make a personal pledge to go green and begin doing your share for cleaner air. 5th annual Clean Air Festival set for May 20thThe Partnership will again kick-off the start of the 2008 summer air quality forecasting season with its 5th annual Clean Air Festival at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis on May 20th from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event is expected to attract more than 500 attendees, and it will feature live music, an appearance from K-HITS 96 radio personality Mark Klose, prize giveaways, complimentary Ted Drewes frozen custard and organic apples courtesy of the American Lung Association (ALA), free bottled water courtesy of Schnucks and more than 14 clean air-themed information booths designed to help individuals get involved in improving the region’s air quality. Confirmed exhibitors include the ALA/St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership, the Asthma & Allergy Foundation St. Louis Chapter, Citizens for Modern Transit, Earthways Center, the Environmental Protection Agency, Madison County Transit, Metro, MoDOT, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, RideFinders, SuiteCommute, Trailnet and the U.S. Green Building Council. If your worksite is downtown, please share the date with your co-workers so they can mark their calendars to attend. We’d love to see you there! Also, if your worksite is in downtown Clayton, mark your calendar for June 25th, as plans are in the works for a lunchtime Clean Air Festival in Memorial Park. Details regarding this event will be on the way soon. The Partnership extends outreach efforts to local green retailersIn addition to our ongoing outreach to major employers and schools, in recent weeks, The Partnership has been working to engage environmentally-friendly retailers in the regional clean air effort. We’re proud to announce that outdoor sporting goods store REI has come on board as a new partner for 2008. In the coming weeks, the location on Brentwood Blvd. will be working with The Partnership to receive, distribute and post the air quality forecast, make Partnership brochures available and man an informational table at the May 20th Clean Air Festival. The Partnership is hoping to develop relationships with other local retail chains that are committed to reducing their environmental footprints, and our additional targets include Whole Foods Market and Cabella’s. We’ll keep you posted as additional partners are added and welcome your input regarding other possible retail targets. If you have suggestions, please feel free to e-mail them to sfuchs@breathehealthy.org. MoDNR, RideFinders and Metro team up to help commuters combat high gas pricesAs prices at the pump continue to skyrocket, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Metro and RideFinders are hosting a series of community events designed to show the public how options like public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, driving techniques, automobile maintenance and more can play in taking the sting out of record-high gas prices. On May 3rd, the groups hosted the first of a series of planned informational events in the food court at Chesterfield Mall. Representatives from the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership and the Missouri Department of Transportation joined the organizations to share information on a variety of topics including joining or forming a carpool or vanpool, commuting on MetroLink or MetroBus, getting better fuel economy from your automobile, vehicle maintenance, trip planning, choosing energy-efficient cars, the link between alternative commutes and air quality, and more. Representatives were on hand answering questions and helping attendees take the first steps towards reducing their energy-related commuting costs, while also reducing emissions that can negatively impact lung health. Additional mall-based events are scheduled throughout May and into early June (see calendar below), and representatives from the various organizations will also be on hand at The Partnership’s Clean Air Festivals (see previous story) distributing information and answering questions. If high gas prices are putting a strain on your budget, be sure to make plans to attend one of these free events! Mark Your CalendarFollowing are a list of upcoming clean air-oriented events that you’ll want to add to your calendar. You may even consider hosting some fun incentive-based promotions at your company to coincide with one of these events. May 15 – Health and Wellness Fair to kick-off Citizens for Modern Transit’s Ten Toe Express Program, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Memorial Park in downtown Clayton May 16 – National Bike to Work Day May 17 – Learn how to combat high gas prices with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, RideFinders and Metro, noon to 3 p.m. at South County Mall May 20 – Clean Air Festival, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Kiener Plaza in downtown St. Louis May 31 – Learn how to combat high gas prices with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, RideFinders and Metro, noon to 3 p.m. at St. Louis Mills June 7 – National Trails Day June 19 – Dump the Pump Day June 25 – Clean Air Festival, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Memorial Park in downtown Clayton July 4 – Independence Day – make it a green holiday! We need your input!As we continue our work to improve the air quality in the St. Louis region, we remain on the lookout for new partners to join us in our efforts. If you have a friend or colleague at a company or organization that you think would be interested in serving as a Clean Air Coordinator or Employee Transportation Coordinator, please ask them to call (314) 645-5505, ext. 1007 or send an e-mail to sfuchs@breathehealthy.org for information on how they can get involved.
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| INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Clean Air Partnership encouraging area residents to “go green” 5th annual Clean Air Festival set for May 20th The Partnership extends outreach efforts to local green retailers MoDNR, RideFinders and Metro team up to help commuters combat high gas prices Take the Clean Air Challenge!In 2007, The Partnership launched the I-64 Clean Air Challenge as a way to educate the public about the link between construction-related traffic congestion and air quality. We encouraged area residents to make personal commitments to take steps such as carpooling or vanpooling, utilizing mass transit, finding alternate routes to work or taking advantage of flex-time and telecommuting options in order to alleviate traffic congestion and the related emissions that can lead to poor air quality. Thanks to the efforts of countless individuals who adapted their commuting behavior, the traffic nightmare we all feared didn’t materialize when I-64 shut down. But with the reconstruction project expected to last through 2009 and the summer weather pattern likely to impact our region’s air quality once again, the challenge continues, and you can take it online. Click here to sign up, note the green steps you'd like to take, and begin doing your share for cleaner air today. |
