National Safety Council
Contents:
While much progress has been made over the past several decades in improving air quality, air pollution is still a major health concern in many areas, and motor vehicles are a major source of air pollution. In some areas, the personal automobile is the single greatest polluter. Driving a private car is probably a typical citizen's most "polluting" daily activity. A poorly maintained or malfunctioning car releases up to 100 times that of a well-maintained car. Transportation emissions are an important contributor to global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, and ground-level ozone (smog).
Air pollution can affect people's immune systems, airways, and lungs; can increase the risk of respiratory infection; and can contribute to lung cancer. Air pollution can also aggravate asthma and cause asthma episodes. Symptoms of exposure to air pollution can include mild irritation to the nose, eyes, and throat, coughing, wheezing, and a reduced ability to exercise outdoors. Children, the elderly, and people with asthma are at particular risk.
Asthma is the leading serious chronic illness among children and the number one cause of hospitalization among children under 15. More than 8.5 million children under 18 have asthma. A recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the reduced use of cars in Atlanta, Georgia during the 1996 Summer Olympics led to improved air quality and a significant decrease in hospital emergency room visits for asthma. More than 1.9 million children in the United States with asthma are potentially exposed to unhealthful levels of ozone, according to a recent study from the American Lung Association.
Children are more vulnerable to air pollution for a number of reasons, including having respiratory organs that are not fully developed, breathing in more air per pound of body weight than adults, and having narrower airways that are more affected by tissue inflammation.
Outreach and Education on Transportation and Air Quality
In communities across the country, efforts are underway to help address concerns about transportation, air quality, and climate change. A wide range of initiatives have been undertaken by federal, state, and local agencies as well as environmental organizations, community organizations, and others. Many communities have included education and outreach among their various means of reducing vehicle emissions, meeting air quality standards, and maintaining a healthy environment.
A number of communities have specifically targeted youth in their outreach activities. Focusing on pre-drivers and new drivers will help instill life-long practices of proper car maintenance and driving habits. Starting with new drivers may also more easily accomplish these goals than changing the behavior of experienced drivers. Informing and involving youth even before they become drivers can be important to their future decisions about driving. These programs are intended to provide the knowledge and understanding that will help tomorrow's drivers make the right choices when it comes to alternative transportation choices, car maintenance, driving smart, and preventing pollution.
About this report
This report describes some specific programs that focus on the interrelated issues of transportation, air quality, and climate change, and particularly on initiatives involving youth. It describes, from the perspective of the program managers and youth participants, their experiences, their keys to success, their obstacles, and their suggestions for others.
The specific activities undertaken by the various organizations vary greatly from community to community. The size and type of community being served also varies, as do the types of organizations undertaking the efforts. The organizations discussed in the report include state environmental agencies, a regional nonprofit, a metropolitan planning organization, a local chapter of a national nonprofit organization, an air quality management district, and a science center collaborative. The information in this report was gathered from participants in a roundtable discussion in October 2001, from written descriptions provided by program mangers, and from individual discussions.
While specific focus varies among the programs, some of the key types of pollution prevention actions promoted by the programs include:
The first section of the report provides an overview of the activities involved in each of the programs. The second section provides descriptions of their experiences and lessons learned.
American Lung Association of Gulfcoast Florida
The American Lung Association of Gulfcoast Florida (ALAGF) has undertaken a number of activities involving youth. Two of the programs deal specifically with air quality and have been modeled after their successful programs in other areas such as tobacco and asthma.
"AirWise" ALAGF's first effort in the area was to develop an educational kit, called "AirWise," to help educate 6th through 8th graders about indoor and outdoor air pollution. It is designed for use in middle school classrooms and contains: fact sheets, a list of resources, a comprehensive instructor's guide that includes lesson plans for two one-hour lessons, classroom activity guides, a take-home IAQ checklist, and classroom aids. Teachers can gauge the effectiveness of the program using pre- and post-tests included in the kit.
ALAGF developed "AirWise" in conjunction with air quality experts. Through group activities and individual lessons, it offers middle school students an interactive and fun way to learn more about their environment. "AirWise" covers information on current air quality issues such as:
The "AirWise" educational materials have been used by more than 15,000 students in the Tampa Bay metropolitan area since 1995. The kits are available at no cost to schools in the Tampa Bay area via funds raised through sponsorships. Schools outside the Tampa Bay area have the option of purchasing the materials.
Youth Environmental Associates (YEA!) The American Lung Association of Gulfcoast Florida, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is sponsoring an exciting environmental health program aimed at encouraging youth to reduce air pollution.
The project began several years ago when high school students interested in the environment were recruited as volunteers to work with the Association's Air Quality Task Force made up of volunteer air quality experts. From this initial effort, the students organized themselves into a group called YEA, Youth Environmental Associates. This unique, youth-driven initiative was found to be the first of its kind in the nation. YEA members feel this program is a way to collectively work towards a solution to the problems of air pollution, with specific emphasis on pollution caused by mobile sources. The primary goal of YEA is pollution reduction and they are using a myriad of activities¾all designed by students to be fun and engaging - to reach this goal. For example, both carpooling and the use of alternative forms of transportation are activities encouraged by YEA. To get more students involved, incentives are offered to participants.
YEA Clubs have been established at several local high schools and plans are to continue forming additional clubs. YEA members have written and produced commercials that have been aired on popular teen radio stations, (e.g., Radio Disney). Student members have shared information with Florida congressmen and senators during visits to their offices.
Each YEA Club must have a teacher to oversee its activities. The participating teacher must sign a letter of agreement ensuring that they will hold regular meetings and conduct activities aimed at reducing vehicle miles traveled. Participating teachers receive a $300 stipend. Each group of students, with guidance from the ALAGF, determines what activities and events they will take part in. In addition to the school-based activities, during the summer of 2001, participating students attended 27 sessions over 10 weeks covering such things as leadership training and public speaking and visited a variety of sites and organizations. The students received stipends of $50 per week for their participation.
ALAGF's YEA project incorporates education, advocacy, and volunteerism utilizing a contemporary platform; YEA presents air quality issues in a student-friendly manner, provides an entrée to public officials and decision making bodies who look to young people for input, and helps the ALAGF to identify a whole new spectrum of volunteers to reach a younger generation. Most importantly, YEA addresses the ALA's core program of environmental health. Much of the success of the program can be credited to the community partnerships whose members serve as technical advisors and supporters to YEA. These partners include the Center for Urban Transportation Research at the University of South Florida (USF); the Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, Jerry Ulm Dodge, and the USF College of Medicine.
For more information:
Email: Nelson Mongiovi,
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