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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 30, 1999
CONTACT:
APCD
American Lung Association
Bobbie Bratz 805.961-8890
Debbie
Weeks 805.963.1426
Mary Byrd 805.961-8833
Jane
Hall 805.963.1426
Clean Air Month May 1999
It’s Our Air: Let’s Keep It Clean
SANTA BARBARA, CA — Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) and
the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties (ALA) announced today
celebration of May 1999 as Clean Air Month.
"Clean Air Month is about working together for clean air and healthy lungs,"
said Debbie Weeks, Executive Director of the ALA local chapter. "We can all make
choices to improve our air and our lung health—and Clean Air Month is a good time to
start."
APCD Director Doug Allard noted that this summer is a critical time for air quality in
our county. Santa Barbara County air does not currently meet federal or state health-based
standards for ground-level ozone, commonly referred to as smog. Typically the highest smog
levels are recorded between April and October. Ozone levels over the last ten years have
been going down steadily in our county. "But a great deal depends on what happens
between now and November 15," noted Allard.
November 15 of 1999 is the deadline for our county’s air to meet the federal
one-hour standard for ozone. Once we meet that standard, we will still have to meet
additional standards—but we will be a lot closer to having clean air in our county,
said Allard.
Allard and Weeks also stressed the connections between different kinds of pollution.
"Choices we make that cause air pollution—such as relying so much on cars and
trucks for transportation—affect many other things at the same time," said
Allard. "Motor oil and spilled gasoline poison our creeks and ocean, and our
dependence on cars affects the way we develop our land."
Said Weeks, "Clean Air Month is a good time to start down a path that will not
only clean our air and keep our lungs healthy—but also improve our overall
environment. Because when you can’t breathe, nothing else matters."
Clean Air Month Tips
Allard and Weeks suggested some Clean Air Month tips:
- Instead of driving, try bicycling, walking, taking the bus or train, carpooling,
vanpooling, rollerblading, skateboarding, or telecommuting.
- When you drive, combine car trips, and keep your car tuned up. And consider making your
next car an ultra low-emission car, or an electric vehicle.
- Consider less toxic alternatives to the chemicals you use inside and outside your home.
- Attend some of the Clean Air Month events listed below to get more information and to
get started making clean air choices.
Clean Air Month Calendar
- Saturday May 15, 9:30 to 6, and Sunday May 16, 10 to 5 come to the Costco Goleta
warehouse and test-drive a General Motors EV-1 electric car, or test-ride ZAP (zero air
pollution) electric scooters and bikes.
- Saturday May 15, 8 to 11 AM, visit "Bike Saturday" in De La Guerra Plaza in
Santa Barbara (for details call 564-5544).
- Tuesday May 18 ride your bike to work and get free food and a t-shirt at a Bike to Work
Day event in Santa Maria (4:30-5:30 PM, City Hall); Lompoc (7-8 AM, South Side Coffee Co);
Solvang (7:30-9 AM, Solvang Park); UCSB (5-6 PM, Faculty Club lawn); Goleta (12-1 PM,
Goleta Valley Athletic Club); Santa Barbara (7:30-8:30 AM De la Guerra Plaza); or
Carpinteria (7:30-8:30 AM, Parking Lot 3). For more details call 688-9507
- During May, APCD is making Clean Air Month classroom visits to schools around the
county. May also marks the launch of APCD’s Old Car Buyback program, designed to take
older high-polluting cars off the road. And Green Award nominations for extraordinary
environmental efforts by businesses or individuals in our county will be accepted by the
Green Award Consortium through June 18.
- Clean Air Week May 17-22 ALA is focusing attention on indoor air quality, especially in
our schools.
- For more information, call APCD at 961-8833 or ALA at 963-1426.
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More on Clean Air Month
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