Press Release

CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO SHOW THEY CARE ABOUT CLEAN AIR DURING HOLIDAY WEEKEND

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. LOUIS, MO - June 28, 2006...Each summer, residents of St. Louis anxiously await the Fourth of July weekend, and the food, fun, fairs and fireworks that accompany it. But, as area-wide celebrations combine with sweltering July heat and humidity, the holiday weekend is often plagued by miserable air quality conditions. Since the official start of the 2006 air quality awareness campaign on May 22, the St. Louis region has already seen five orange air quality days, and with this in mind, the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership is stepping up its efforts to encourage area residents to help keep the region’s air quality at a healthy level during the Independence Day holiday by taking steps to show they Care About Clean Air.

The emissions released as area residents mow their lawns in preparation for backyard barbecues or commute to and from Fourth of July events are substantial contributors to the region’s air quality problems during the holiday weekend. Excess emissions make it difficult for residents with respiratory diseases to breathe, and can also lead to health problems in healthy adults.

By carpooling or using transit to get to Fair St. Louis or other holiday destinations, residents can do their part to help cut down on the emissions that contribute to orange and red air quality days. Information on MetroLink and MetroBus schedules can be obtained by contacting Metro at (314) 231-2345 or (618) 271-2345, or by visiting www.metrostlouis.org.

For those who are planning to travel alone, the Missouri Department of Transportation’s Gateway Guide website at www.gatewayguide.com is a great resource. The site provides commuters with real-time traffic information that they can use to plan their route to avoid unnecessary idling in traffic-tie-ups and construction zones, which results in the release of increased emissions into the air.

St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership

For residents who will be celebrating the holiday at home or with friends, The Partnership asks that they use a charcoal chimney starter instead of lighter fluid to start their grill when barbequing. Residents are also encouraged to hold off on using gas-powered lawn tools during the day.

“Most people don’t realize what an impact they can make on the environment just through the simple changes in the choices they make each day,” said Susannah Fuchs, Air Quality Director for the American Lung Association. “While actions such as waiting until after 7 p.m. to mow the lawn or stopping at the click when refueling may seem minor, they can often mean the difference between air quality conditions that stay in the good or moderate range, or hover at unhealthy orange and red levels.”

Poor air quality conditions can cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, headaches, nausea, and eye and throat irritation. Those who suffer from respiratory diseases have even more difficulty breathing when the air quality is poor.

Other clean air tips that are suggested and simple to follow not only in the summer but year round are keeping your car well-maintained, brown bagging or walking to lunch and avoiding the use of products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). A complete listing of tips is available on the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership’s website at www.cleanair-stlouis.com.

The St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership was formed in 1995, led by the American Lung Association, St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association, East-West Gateway Council of Governments, Washington University and others, to increase awareness of regional air quality issues and to encourage activities to reduce air pollution emissions

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for more information, contact:

Shelene Scarborough or Julie Hauser
The Hauser Group, Inc.
(314) 436-9090
(314) 629-3887

-or-

Susannah Fuchs
American Lung Association
(314) 645-5505
(314) 518-3886

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