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Scorching summer temperatures result in increase in orange days during 2011 Air Quality Season
Above average temperatures and high humidity have contributed to a decline in air quality conditions thus far during the 2011 air quality forecasting season. From the start of the season in mid-May through early August, the region has seen 25 green days, 24 yellow days, 24 orange days and a red day.
These numbers represent a considerable increase in orange days over 2010, when the region experienced just four orange days and a single red day during the duration of the air quality forecasting season.
Weather patterns definitely played a role in the increase in orange days so far this summer, but the continued commitment of area residents, businesses and organizations to do their share for cleaner air remains critical as we head into the remainder of this air quality forecasting season and beyond.
For a list of steps you can take to help improve the region's air quality, visit The Partnership's website at www.cleanair-stlouis.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. |
EPA further delays ruling on new ozone standard
In late July, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once again delayed, for a fourth time, the expected release of a new health standard for ground-level ozone pollution aimed a t improving air quality and lung health nationwide.
A reconsideration of the standard has been submitted by EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to the White House Office of Management and Budget, which is currently leading an interagency review. Following this review, the EPA will finalize its reconsidered standard, but no specific timeframe has been announced. The EPA says "a new ozone standard will be based on the best science and meet the obligation established under the Clean Air Act to protect the health of the American people." And in implementing the standard, the EPA notes it "will use the long-standing flexibility in the Clean Air Act to consider costs, jobs and the economy."
The highly anticipated decision is aimed at setting a tougher National Ambient Air Quality that will fall between 60 and 70 parts per billion.The standard will replace ozone limits set in 2008, which many felt weren't strict enough to protect human health.
We encourage you to stay tuned to our Facebook and Twitter pages for the latest news updates on this story. We'll be sure to keep you informed on the new ozone standard once it's released and share any related news coverage following the ruling.
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Green tips for the trip back to school
With August now underway, kids across the region are saying goodbye to summer vacation and hello to the start of another school year. The rush is on to fill supply lists and find the perfect bac k-to-school clothes. Amid all the hustle and bustle, the environment may not be top of mind, but there are a variety of easy ways to kick off the school year in a greener way and reduce our impact on the planet.
When it comes to school supplies, choosing to reuse supplies from the previous school year or utilizing any supplies that may already be around the house is the most eco-friendly and economical option. For students that prefer new supplies each year, retailers now offer many supplies made from green materials. The list includes recycled and chlorine-free paper and notebooks, pencils made from recycled newspaper and cardboard, soy crayons, biodegradable pens made from cornstarch or recycled paper and scissors made with recycled content. Even backpacks have gone green, with a variety of them now made from recycled rubber or natural fibers like hemp, instead of traditional oil-based nylon and plastics.
Clothing is another back-to-school staple, and there are lots of ways to send kids to class in style in an earth-friendly way. A trip to a gently used or vintage clothing store can be a great alternative to purchasing brand new clothes. For those choosing to hit the mall, there are several companies that specialize in sustainable clothing made from organic cotton and natural fibers. Many of these items are colored with natural dyes and can include features like recycled zippers and buttons.
Once the first day of school arrives, there are a number of ways to green the commute to class. For kids that live close to school, walking and biking are eco-friendly options that also provide students with a chance to get some exercise. The school bus is also an environmentally friendly option that continues to get even greener, with increasing numbers of school districts purchasing hybrid busses. If driving kids to school is the only transportation option, parent carpools can help reduce the environmental impact of the school commute.
Packing a lower-waste lunch is another simple way to go green, and there are countless ways to make lunchtime a more eco-friendly experience. Start by ditching disposable bags and containers and replacing them with a lunchbox or reusable lunch bag. Waste can also be reduced by trading paper napkins for cloth ones and plastic utensils for reusable ones. And while kids love single-serving juice boxes and snack packs, they create lots of unnecessary waste. Purchasing food and drinks in larger containers and creating lunch portions from them is a greener way to keep kids full and the environmental impact low.
All of these ideas are simple, easy steps we can all take, and they can have a very positive impact on the environment and our air quality. To learn about additional ways you can live greener and do your share for cleaner air, visit our website at www.cleanair-stlouis.com, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. |
Like us on Facebook and win a chance to go to the greens!
If you've been on our Facebook page recently, you've likely noticed that we're working with Emmis Communications to give our fans the chance to win free golf foursomes at Far Oaks Golf Club in Caseyville, Ill.
So far, we've awarded golf packages to two lucky fans, and we have four more packages to giveaway! Those that are already our Facebook fans are entered to win. But, we encourage you to spread the word to your friends and family members, so they can become our fans too and be entered into the contest. The final four winners will be announced on our page this Friday and next Friday, so be sure to stay tuned!
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Area schools now on board with RideFinders' School Pool program
RideFinders has launched a new free, online matching service
designed to help area parents form carpools to transport their children to and from school. The program, known as S chool Pool, was initially launched last year by RideFinders to help offset cutbacks in school bus service due to state transportation issues.
Since School Pool was launched, a number of districts and schools have enrolled in the program including the Edwardsville and O'Fallon Districts in Illinois, as well as private schools such as Marquette Catholic High School in Alton, Ill., the Christian Academy of Greater St. Louis in Overland, Mo., and the South Side Preparatory Academy in South St. Louis City.
Enrollment in RideFinders' School Pool program is free and open to public and private K-12 schools in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis, Jefferson, Franklin and St. Charles counties in Missouri; and Madison, St. Clair, Monroe and Jersey counties in Illinois. To enroll, school administrators first contact RideFinders at (800) 847-7433 or ridefinders@mct.org to schedule a brief meeting at the school to review the program. After the meeting, the school voluntarily joins School Pool and creates a unique school passcode that they provide to parents along with information on how to register with the program.
Parents then register with the free School Pool ridematching service at www.ridefinders.org by creating a username and password, parent profile and student profile using their school passcode. Next, parents select "match" to see if there are parents from their child's school who are interested in carpooling. If there are matches, they contact the parents listed to form a School Pool, which they register at www.ridefinders.org to receive free benefits. If there are no matches or parents are unable to form a School Pool with their initial matches, parents edit their parent and/or student profiles or login at a later date to run new "matches."
With carpooling playing such an important role in improving air quality, the School Pool program not only provides a safe, reliable transportation option for getting kids to and from school, it also removes vehicles at schools, which results in less traffic congestion and cleaner air.
School administrators can still enroll in the School Pool program for the upcoming school year by contacting RideFinders at (800) 847-7433 or ridefinders@mct.org. Parents interested in having their schools participate in the program may also contact RideFinders or visit www.ridefinders.org.
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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 friends or colleagues at companies or organizations that you think would be interested in serving as Clean Air Coordinators or Employee Transportation Coordinators, 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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