Press Release

RESIDENTS ASKED TO PRACTICE AIR QUALITY AWARENESS DURING HOLIDAY WEEKED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. LOUIS, MO ­ SEPT. 1, 2004... Labor Day weekend means time off to travel, visit local hot spots, host backyard barbeques and celebrate how hard you work the other 364 days of the year. Mixing these activities with local pollutants and the predictable heat that seems to be returning to our area can make for miserable air quality conditions. In an effort to keep our air quality in the healthy range we've enjoyed all summer long, the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership (The Partnership) asks that area residents choose behaviors that will keep emissions at bay during the holiday weekend.

To help keep the air clear, area residents are encouraged to trip chain, carpool or ride MetroLink or the MetroBus when heading to the St. Louis Zoo, Science Center, Six Flags, ball games, picnics, parties or wherever they choose to celebrate. For backyard barbecues, residents are encouraged to use an electric or chimney starter on their grill as a alternative to using lighter fluid. Residents also are encouraged to avoid the use of gas-powered lawn tools, to refuel gas tanks after 7 p.m. and to avoid topping off the gas tank.

"By adopting these simple environmentally friendly actions, area residents can have a tremendous impact on the quality of air we breathe as we enter into the part of the season where there is a greater potential for 'orange' and 'red' air quality days," stated Susannah Fuchs, air quality director for the American Lung Association of Missouri and spokesperson for the Partnership.

CONTRIBUTE TO CLEAN AIR FIRST AND FINAL ADD

The nice weather and great air quality the region has enjoyed all summer may have people thinking that the air quality worries are over for this season but, historically, the first part of September has been a period of higher ozone levels.

"With the forecast calling for several days of warm, sunny, humid conditions leading up to the weekend, all the ingredients may be there again this year," notes Fuchs. "Every little step area residents take to limit their emissions will go a long way toward keeping our air quality good."

The Partnership's focus on promoting behaviors that improve our air quality stems from a desire to protect the health of area residents. Poor air quality on orange or red days 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.

More information about air quality and its impact on our region, as well as a complete listings of tips for improving our air quality are 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:

Julie Hauser
The Hauser Group, Inc.
(314) 436-9090

-or-

Susannah Fuchs
American Lung Association
(314) 645-5505

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