Here at the Breathe Project, we want to make sure that children in the Pittsburgh region breathe healthy air, both at home and where they spend a significant portion of their time–at school. This guest blog post comes from Andrew Ellsworth of Healthy Schools Collaboration, which is working on a pilot project with two local schools districts–Allegheny Valley and McKeesport Area–to assess the “healthiness” of their schools buildings and then make those buildings models of healthy practices. Air quality is a major piece of that puzzle, as Ellsworth explains here. He also provides great advice for parents, teachers and school administrators who want to take action to look out for the environmental health of the children in their lives.

 

By Andrew Ellsworth, Healthy Schools Collaboration 

 

Keisha missed a few days of third grade when her asthma flared up. Joshua struggles with obesity and sometimes has trouble keeping pace. Ashley recently received an autism diagnosis and her family and teachers are working on ways to help her achieve her goals in school.

 

As a nation, we’re in the middle of a children’s public health crisis. Both asthma and obesity rates have nearly tripled over the last 30 years, while the prevalence of diabetes has nearly doubled since 1995. Rates of autism spectrum disorder diagnoses have recently been pegged at one in 50 children, triple the rate from just a decade ago. Food allergies are also more prevalent, as many school districts could tell you, with the rate of peanut allergies tripling since the mid-1990s.

 

At the same time, the condition of school buildings is declining. The last major survey of school conditions showed that 14 million students in the United States attend schools needing major repair or replacement. More recently, the American Society of Civil Engineers gave America’s schools a “D+” in its 2013 report card of national infrastructure, noting the linkage between school condition and academic performance. And while building conditions themselves are important, it is the health impacts caused these conditions that can greatly affect student health and well-being. National research shows a strong linkage between buildings, education and health; children that attend schools in poor condition have worse health outcomes and lower academic performance.

 

These statistics paint a grim picture of public and environmental health, issues that are further complicated by regional air quality issues caused by manufacturing facilities, electric power plants and vehicle exhaust.

 

So what do schools have to do with this? Children’s exposure to pollutants in the air such as diesel exhaust, pesticides, cleaning products, and formaldehyde can trigger asthma attacks, create new cases of asthma, bring on headaches and nausea, or far worse, cause learning disabilities or cancer. Since more than 50 million American children spend upwards of 40 hours a week inside schools, the quality of the school environment can have a big impact on children’s health, well-being and ability to learn.

 

Every child–including those with asthma, allergies, chemical sensitivities, and other conditions–deserves to have a safe, healthy learning environment. The silver lining here is that schools can do many things low- or no-cost things to immediately improve conditions.

 

Clutter in classrooms, for example, can restrict the flow of fresh air and increase the concentrations of dust and other contaminants, so removing it can make a difference. Other simple ideas include switching to non-toxic cleaning chemicals, setting up entryway systems that remove more of the contaminants that are tracked in, eliminating pesticides wherever possible, and ensuring that ventilation systems are all working correctly. No one single measure will fix the problem, but every little bit helps.

 

The benefits of healthy schools can be felt throughout the community. Healthier students mean better attendance; more instructional time; decreased health care burden; greater contribution to society and the economy; a higher capture rate of state and federal reimbursement to school districts; and, healthier students also mean happier and healthier teachers and a host of benefits that come with it.

 

Nearly every school can do better by their students, staff and parents to provide safer and healthier environments. If you are ready to step forward and be the change agent that your school needs, here are some things to get started:

 

=  Be a healthy schools advocate – learn more about environmental health, speak to your district’s administration, and share what you have learned with others in your community.

=  Be an observer – does the school appear clean? Are there unusual or strong odors? Do you or your child experience headaches, dizziness or other conditions while in one or more parts of the school? Are there any signs of moisture damage on ceilings, walls, or flooring?

= Build a team – talk to parents, teachers, students, and administration officials about starting a healthy schools or indoor air quality committee in your school.

= Stay positive – emphasize the benefits and opportunities of improved environmental health, instead of focusing on shortcomings and what may have been done poorly in the past. This will help you build the foundation for collaboration that is critical to success.

 

Our children are counting on us to look out for their health and well-being. We can step up and look at new, better options for learning, so our community’s future leaders can grow up without the burden of chronic illness or the sub-par education that results from sub-par learning environments. Help ensure that the children in your life have a safe and healthy place to live, learn and grow. Please browse the Healthy Schools Collaboration website to find out what you can do.

CommuteInfo Commute Options Awareness Month, a specially designated month to celebrate and focus extra attention on the promotion of commuting options available to commuters and employers in southwestern Pennsylvania. The overall goal for the month is to further encourage more people in our region to use an alternative commute–transit, van pools, carpools, biking and/or walking–to get to work or school.

 

Motor vehicles emit harmful pollutants that contribute to asthma, heart disease and lung cancer. You can save money and improve your health by choosing a cleaner mode of transportation, joining the more than 1,200 commuters across our region who ride in a CommuteInfo carpool or vanpool.

 

Together, these program participants kept over 6 million miles off the region’s roadways–equal to 250 1/2 times around the Earth. They also saved nearly 250,000 gallons of gas–about $987 in savings per person.

 

First celebrated in 2004, May was chosen as this special month since it includes National Transportation Week, National Bike Month, National Employee Health and Fitness Day and National Clean Air Week. CommuteInfo staff, partners and collaborating organizations–including the Breathe Project–are helping to support the celebration.

 

This year, CommuteInfo is offering $25 GetGo gift cards for the first 10 commuters who register AND change from driving along to sharing a ride during May. Commuters simply need to register with the program, request a match list and then let CommuteInfo know when you decide to start sharing a ride. The first 10 commuters who do this will receive a gift card–an extra special savings when added to the everyday savings commuters realize by sharing their ride.

 

Click here for a full list of events for CommuteInfo Commute Options Awareness Month and ways you or your organization can get involved.

Last week, the American Lung Association (ALA) released its 2013 “State of the Air” report ranking of air pollution levels nationwide. The report finds that over the past few years, air quality in the Pittsburgh metro area has improved modestly.

 

 

Decreases in air pollution can be attributed to many factors, including installation of new pollution-control equipment at the U.S. Steel Clairton Coke Plant, emission reductions from coal-fired power plants and the use of cleaner diesel fuel and engines.

 

“The fact that the region’s economy has been stable and the population growing when levels of air pollution went down shows us that clean air and a strong economy go hand in hand,” says Matt Mehalik, Sustainable Pittsburgh program manager. “We need more support for clean air policies that add value to the region.”

 

Despite these improvements, our area still ranks as one of the top 10 most polluted cities in the nation in the ALA report with regard to short-term particle pollution (#7) and year-round particle pollution (#8). Particle pollution (also known as PM2.5) is the mix of tiny solid and liquid particles in the air we breathe, which can increase the risk of heart and lung disease, adverse birth outcomes, cancer and premature death. According to the ALA, Pittsburgh also continues to rank in the top 25 for ozone pollution, which can reduce lung function and worsen asthma.

 

“As a resident of the City of Pittsburgh, I’m glad to see our city is improving,” says Hill District resident and Clean Water Action steering committee member Beverly Walker. “But it’s obvious we have a long way to go. I want our leaders to do all they can to make sure Pittsburgh not only continues to improve, but does so as quickly as possible.”

 

After the release of the State of the Air report, a number of environmental advocacy groups in the region called for the City of Pittsburgh to implement and enforce the “Clean Air Act of 2010,” also known as clean construction legislation, as soon as possible. The law requires that projects receiving at least $250,000 in public subsidies use a percentage of cleaner construction equipment to reduce harmful diesel emissions. The legislation should have been implemented within six months of passing, but instead has languished in City Hall for nearly two years.

 

“Applying the clean construction legislation is a concrete step the City can take to safeguard the health of Pittsburgh residents,” says Rachel Filippini, executive director of Group Against Smog and Pollution. “It was recently estimated that the biggest cancer risk in Downtown Pittsburgh’s air comes from diesel vehicles. Enacting this legislation will help protect the hundreds of thousands of people that work and live in Pittsburgh, while simultaneously improving regional air quality.”

 

Questions sometimes arise about whether our air quality problem is a regional issue as the ALA report indicates or localized to areas with large stationary pollution sources. Indeed, while our air quality is improving modestly, the air we breathe throughout the region still isn’t clean enough to protect our health, as confirmed by an independent analysis conducted recently by scientists at the Clean Air Task Force.

 

Building on a 2011 report, CATF researchers analyzed data from 2000 to 2011 (the most recent data available), finding that six out of 10 of the air quality monitors measuring particle pollution in the Pittsburgh region ranked in the worst 10 percent of the U.S. for national averages (red box in the figure below).

 

Some other key findings:
= Nine out of 10 of these monitors were in the worst 25 percent for annual averages.
= Three out of 10 PM2.5 monitors in the area ranked in the worst 10 percent of the United States for daily averages.

 

Perhaps most shockingly, the Clean Air Task Force found that even the cleanest measured air quality in the area ranked nationwide in the worst 33 percent for fine particle pollution daily and annual averages. That means Pittsburgh’s cleanest air is still dirtier than the air in nearly 70 percent of the monitors analyzed in the country’s network.

 

Clearly our problem isn’t confined to one neighborhood or community–we all share the air, and the air we all share simply isn’t clean enough.

The Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, Inc.–which forecasts Air Quality Action Days, or days when the air quality is expected to be particularly unhealthy to breathe–recently changed how it makes these predictions. The changes were made to the Air Quality Index (AQI) forecasts for the Pittsburgh and Liberty/Clairton areas to reflect stricter federal standards for fine particle pollution.

 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency took a historic step this past winter by tightening the federal standard for fine particle pollution, also known as soot or PM2.5. More has become known in recent years about how these microscopic particles are linked to serious health effects, including cardiovascular disease, adverse birth outcomes and premature death. To reflect our growing knowledge about the health dangers of air pollution, EPA set the annual standard for fine particle pollution at 12 micrograms per cubic meter of air; the previous yearly standard of 15 micrograms per cubic meter had been in place since 1997.

 

The AQI is EPA’s color-coded tool for communicating the health risk of breathing polluted air to the public. It converts concentrations for fine particles to a number on an index scale from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the level of air pollution and the greater the health concern. Each range of AQI values is assigned a different color.

 

To reflect the new annual PM2.5 standard, EPA is lowering the upper end of the “good” or “green” AQI category (an index value of 50) to 12 micrograms per cubic meter. EPA is also lowering the 100 value of the index at the level of the current 24-hour PM2.5 standard, which is 35 micrograms per cubic meter. An AQI of 100 is the upper end of the “moderate” or “yellow” range, where EPA begins cautioning at-risk groups. In addition, EPA is lowering the upper end of the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” or “orange” range–an AQI of 150–to 55 micrograms per cubic meter.

 

What will this mean for air quality forecasts in the Pittsburgh region? Southwest Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership estimates that we will experience more “yellow” days and less “green” days. For instance, using the old AQI, the Pittsburgh area experienced 144 yellow days a year, based on the past three years of data. That will increase to more than 214 yellow days a year. The same pattern will hold true for the Liberty/Clairton forecast. Under the old AQI, the area experienced 125 yellow days each year; the new index should increase that value to an estimated 170 yellow days annually.

 

We at the Breathe Project are encouraged by the new federal standards that will accelerate our efforts to improve our region’s air quality–and by the adjustments to the AQI that reflect these changes.

 

But we caution that scientists have found no threshold or level of no risk that can be identified at the population level for the serious public health concerns linked to air pollution. Research documents that the risk of some of the most serious health effects remains at levels well below the current national air quality standards for fine particulate matter and other pollutants.

 

In other words, even a “green” AQI day may not be so “good” after all, which is why our work to improve air quality in the Pittsburgh region is so vital. All of us need–and deserve–to breathe clean, healthy air every day.

Our special thanks go out this week to the students at BYS Yoga studio in the South Side, who realize that air pollution and yoga definitely don’t mix.

 

Each week, these students do more than just nurture their body, mind and soul through the practice of yoga–they also give back to the community. The Friday evening “Benefit YogaRhythmics” class combines yoga postures, breath work, free-form movement and creative play. It is also donation-based, meaning the price for the class is contribution-only, pay-what-you-wish (or can). The students then choose an organization each week to donate 50 percent of the proceeds from the class.

 

“It’s absolutely terrific,” says Kristi S. Rogers, director and co-owner of the East Carson Street studio, which opened in 2004. “We want to emphasize that yoga can be done by anybody, and it can be done everywhere. So we just want to make sure from a studio standpoint that we reach anyone who might be interested.”

 

Recently, the BYS Yoga Students made a donation to the Clean Air Fund housed at The Pittsburgh Foundation in honor of the Breathe Project.

 

“I’m aware of our air pollution problem in terms of the studio being perched above Carson Street with all the buses and trucks and traffic going by,” Rogers says. “That’s definitely something that comes to our attention in the summer months, especially.”

 

The key to gaining the full health, relaxation and spiritual benefits of yoga is to breathe deeply–and of course, that can’t happen without clean air. Air pollution affects us all, every day, both on and off the yoga mat. That’s why more than 150 organizations–and thousands of people across southwestern Pennsylvania–are coming together through the Breathe Project to take action to improve our air quality.

 

Join us here today:  https://app.actionsprout.com/qPvJY5

 

Biking is a fantastic way to help keep the air clean and get exercise. A short, four-mile round-trip by bicycle keeps about 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air we breathe.

 

That’s why we are thrilled to help promote the 2013 National Bike Challenge, sponsored locally by Bike Pittsburgh and OTB (Over the Bar) Bicycle Cafe in the South Side.

 

Inflate those tires, oil those chains and gear up for the challenge, which kicks off May 1 and ends September 30. This free and friendly competition encourages Pittsburghers to get out and ride–whether as daily commuters, weekend warriors or somewhere in between. The challenge helps riders realize the health, economic and environmental benefits of riding a bike.

 

Riders can choose to participate as individuals or teams and see how they stack up against others in the Pittsburgh region and nationwide. This year, Bike Pittsburgh and OTB Bicycle Cafe are working to register 1,250 people to help our region pedal to the top spot in the country.

 

Participant points favor daily riding–20 points per day, plus 1 point per mile logged. Smartphone users can download a free app to directly track and log trips for the National Bike Challenge. Challenge yourself, your family, friends, neighbors and colleagues to get moving, log miles, earn points and be eligible to win prizes at the national level. Pittsburgh riders even earn free drinks at OTB Bicycle Cafe just for participating.

 

Sign up at nationalbikechallenge.org and start logging your miles today!

 
Here at the Breathe Project, we believe that buying clean, renewable energy is an important piece of the clean-air puzzle. This guest blog post comes from Sarah DeSanctis and Katie Bellezza of ChoosePAWind, a coalition of green energy suppliers and wind farm developers working together to educate and encourage state residents and businesses to switch to a electric supplier offering 100% Pennsylvania wind power.*
 
By Sarah DeSanctis & Katie Bellezza, Social Media Duo for ChoosePAWind
 
Let’s talk some wind power facts (Source: American Wind Energy Association):
 
–The U.S. wind industry had its best year yet in 2012, installing 13,124 megawatts (MW) to reach more than 60,000 MW installed wind nationwide. That’s enough energy to power 14.7 million American homes and provide electricity generation equivalent to 14 nuclear power plants or 52 coal-fired plants.
 
Reaching 60,000 ME means:
 
–Each year, wind energy produces electricity equivalent to burning 320 million barrels of oil.
–Each year, wind energy avoids the emission of 95.9 million tons of carbon dioxide, taking the equivalent of 17.5 million cars off the road, and also avoids consuming 36.6 billion gallons of water.
 
Now let’s talk Pennsylvania wind power facts (Source: American Wind Energy Association):
 
–PA ranks 15th  among wind power producing states in the U.S.
–PA has 1,340 MW of wind capacity.
–PA has 24 wind farms in operation and counting.
 
Change at the state and federal levels takes time, but individuals can help the movement toward more renewable energy by switching their home and business power to 100% PA wind power. Switching to wind power is one of the best ways to contribute to your local economy and to help improve local air quality.
 
Here are the top four environmental and economic reasons to switch to 100 percent PA wind power:
 
1. Create jobs by employing locally for construction and also for site maintenance
2. Reduce air and water pollution
3. Increases the taxes collected by local townships and counties to support the rural economy and reduce the need for increased taxes on residents
4. Allow land to remain in agricultural use, while providing farmers a new income stream
 
Among all those reasons, we stress that wind power promotes clean air. The high levels of particle pollution in the Pittsburgh region can increase the risk of heart disease, lung cancer and asthma attacks and can interfere with the growth and function of the lungs. This needs to improve, and you don’t need to wait for the government to mandate change.
 
Air quality can get better when residents switch to 100% wind power. The more people who sign up for PA wind power, the more wind farms can be developed, which in turn create even more (drumroll, please)–clean air. It’s an easy step everyone can make and it has a great impact on yourself and your community.
 
Today, we challenge every reader to check out www.choosepawind.com and read about the benefits of wind power in more depth. Then, without commitment, simply investigate our “Buy PA Wind” page and find a supplier in your area. In Pittsburgh, Washington Gas Energy Services and the Green Energy Collaborative offer 100% Pennsylvania wind power.
 
You can compare prices for wind power in your area by visiting www.papowerswitch.com. Remember to look for the ChoosePAWind logo next to the products. All you need to switch is your utility ID. Nothing about the utility billing process will change. It’s that easy!
 
Switching your power to 100% PA wind is one of the easiest, yet most effective ways to contribute to a better future for you, your family, your neighbors, the environment–and the list goes on! We highly encourage Pittsburgh’s leading companies, especially the Breathe Project coalition members, to switch today!
 
Visit: www.choosepawind.com
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/choosepawind
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/choosepawind

*This does not represent a Breathe Project endorsement of any particular energy product or supplier.

Just in time for spring (and yard work), the Southwestern Pennsylvania Air Quality Partnership, Inc. is offering a rebate program to help clean our air–and save you money in the process!

 

Turn in your working gas-powered lawn equipment at 15 participating True Value hardware stores (in Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Greene and Westmoreland counties) and get a rebate toward the purchase of electric or battery-powered equipment, including lawn mowers, trimmers, chain saws, leaf blowers or push mowers. Using electric or battery-powered equipment helps to prevent accumulation of ground-level ozone, which has serious adverse health effects.

 

“Residents have an opportunity to help mow down air pollution by replacing gasoline-powered lawn equipment with an electric or battery-powered or hand-powered version that doesn’t create volatile organic compounds that bake in the summer sunlight to produce ground-level ozone,” says Betsy Mallison, program coordinator. “We’ve expanded our program this year to include chainsaws and leaf blowers. We have plenty of rebates available, so it’s time to take action on this opportunity.”

 

The Clean Mower Exchange program runs from April 1 through June 1. The SW PA Air Quality Partnership is offering 400 rebates, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. One rebate is available per household, with $100 available toward an electric-powered or push mower; $150 toward a battery-powered mower; $30 toward an electric or battery leaf blower or trimmer; and $50 toward an electric or battery-powered chainsaw.

 

Click here for more details and a full list of participating stores.

Thank you to our coalition partners–Highmark and Green Building Alliance–for featuring the Breathe Project on their websites in recent weeks. Click on the images below to take a look!
 

 

 

Group Against Smog and Pollution’s Athletes United for Healthy Air campaign is excited to announce the inaugural Clean Air Dash and Festival, brought to Pittsburgh with the support of the Breathe Project.

 

This 5K race event will be held October 19 at the South Side Riverfront Park along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. Click here to see the approximate start/stop and festival location.

 

The race will be a flat, fast course suitable for all ages and skill levels. Runners will enjoy a scenic, fun and competitive race through one of the city’s many dedicated, historic greenways. Take your time and enjoy the course–or race for a PR on the mostly level route. Click here to register for the race.

 

Not interested in wearing your running shoes? Fear not, because the race is only half the fun. There will be a clean air festival in the park, too. There is no fee to attend the festival, so come and enjoy fun activities, good food and learn about Pittsburgh’s air quality and other important environmental issues facing the region.

 

Come for the race, come for the festival, come out to show your support for clean air. For more information about race sponsorships or participation, contact Sam Thomas.

 

We look forward to seeing you on October 19! Stay tuned in the meantime for more announcements about the exciting partners, guests and activities lined up for race day.