Breath Matters
The American Lung Association of California’s Monthly e-Newsletter
Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
To automatically connect with your nearest American Lung Association, or to speak with a nurse or respiratory therapist at our free HelpLine, call 800.LUNG.USA (800.586.4872).
May 30, 2008 Number 160
Content:
- Asthma and Sport Scuba Diving
- Rural And Small-Town Residents Favor Tobacco Retail Licensing
- Bay Area Air District Sets Fees on Global Warming Emissions
- Air Board Receives Additional Funding To Clean Up Trucks, Buses
- Association Endorses New Statewide Strategic Plan for Asthma
- Environment Now Honors Association In Top Achievements Report
- Riverside Teen Wins 2007 President’s Environmental Youth Award
- Breathe Easy Bicycle Rides Raise Funds; Participant Inspires
- First Smoke-Free U.S Open Golf Tournament Held in San Diego
- Researcher Studies Role of Stem Cells in Lung Repair
- Sacramento Open House: June 11
- Tell a Friend
MONTHLY HEALTH TIP
Asthma and Sport Scuba Diving People with asthma who are interested in scuba diving can learn more about the risks thanks to the California Thoracic Society’s position paper “Asthma and Sport SCUBA Diving” at http://www.thoracic.org
RURAL AND SMALL-TOWN RESIDENTS FAVOR TOBACCO RETAIL LICENSING
Three out of four voters who live in California’s rural communities and small towns would support local laws requiring store owners to get a license to sell cigarettes, according to a public opinion survey conducted for the American Lung Association of California’s Center for Tobacco Policy and Organizing.
Nine out of 10 voters agree that a store owner who repeatedly sells cigarettes to minors should lose the right to sell cigarettes and 72 percent want a "strong enforcement system" because "we can’t trust" store owners to police themselves.
These dramatic results challenge common assumptions that rural residents may be more tolerant of tobacco use and less willing to accept government regulation of store owners to prevent tobacco sales to minors.
To learn more, go to http://www.californialung.org
For more information, contact Vanessa Marvin at 916.554.5864 x232 or vmarvin [at] alac [dot] org
BAY AREA AIR DISTRICT SETS FEES ON GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS
Moving ahead of state and federal regulators, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District became the first in the nation on May 21 to impose fees on businesses that pump some of the highest levels of carbon dioxide into the air each year. The 15-1 vote by the air district sets the stage for 2,500 companies and agencies - from supermarkets to gas stations to power plants - to pay 4.4 cents for every metric ton of carbon dioxide they expel beginning July 1.
The American Lung Association of California garnered significant media coverage on this issue, with staffer Linda Weiner being quoted in articles and television news reports. One of her quotes appeared in a box on the front page of the April 20 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. For the complete article, go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin
To view her television interviews, go to http://abclocal.go.com/kgo
To learn more about the fees, go to http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin
For more information, contact Linda at 415.282.8871 or linwiner [at] earthlink [dot] net
AIR BOARD RECEIVES ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CLEAN UP TRUCKS, BUSES
The Governor's revised May budget has allocated an additional $48 million to the California Air Resources Board to help low-income truckers comply with regulations aimed at cleaning up diesel emissions from trucks and buses. The funds from AB 118 will combine with previously allocated Proposition 1B funding to help truckers pay for engine retrofits and replacements, which will be required beginning in 2010 after the air board approves in October the country's first regulation aimed at cleaning an estimated 420,000 trucks and buses registered in California as well as those coming in from other states.
American Lung Association of California staffer Bonnie Holmes-Gen was quoted in a related release from the air board as saying: "The American Lung Association of California is extremely concerned about the serious health risks posed by diesel trucks and buses and supports the Administration's proposal to allocate existing air quality funds for grants and loans to assist in modernizing these vehicles to reduce toxic emissions. Diesel trucks and buses are the largest source of cancer-causing soot in the state and we strongly support investing state funds to achieve early compliance with state pollution control regulations."
For more information, contact Bonnie at 916.554.5864, x222 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org
ASSOCIATION ENDORSES NEW STATEWIDE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ASTHMA
Bringing much-needed attention to a chronic disease that strikes one out of six kids in the state, the American Lung Association of California marked Asthma Awareness Month by endorsing the California Department of Public Health’s new five-year Strategic Plan for Asthma in California 2008-2012.
The plan provides strategies to improve the health and quality of life of the more than 5 million Californians affected by asthma, and outlines steps to reduce the disease’s health care costs. In 2005 alone, California hospitalizations due to asthma totaled more than $763 million.
For the association’s related news release, go to http://www.californialung.org
ENVIRONMENT NOW HONORS ASSOCIATION IN TOP ACHIEVEMENTS REPORT
The American Lung Association of California was honored for its efforts to secure strong off-road diesel equipment regulations in California in Environment Now’s Top Achievements Report, which highlights outstanding efforts to improve the environment.
The Off-Road Diesel Equipment Rule was adopted by the California Air Resources Board in July 2007. The report states that, “The American Lung Association of California, Environmental Defense, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Union of Concerned Scientists were involved in every step of this achievement.”
View the entire report at http://www.environmentnow.org
For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.554.5864, x222 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org or Linda Weiner at 415.282.8871 or linwiner [at] earthlink [dot] net
RIVERSIDE TEEN WINS 2007 PRESIDENT’S ENVIRONMENTAL YOUTH AWARD
A teen volunteer for the American Lung Association of California’s Riverside office was recently awarded an Environmental Youth Award for her project titled “Indoor Air Pollution: The Pulmonary Effects of Ozone-Generating Air pollution. Otana Jakpor traveled to Washington D.C to receive her award during a Rose Garden ceremony with President Bush. While there, she visited the American Lung Association’s Washington D.C. office.
She was also honored at an event at her high school in Riverside, where EPA Region 9 Regional Administrator Wayne Nastri presented her with a certificate of recognition.
For more information, contact Terry M. Roberts at 909.884.5864 or troberts [at] alac [dot] org
BREATHE EASY BICYCLE RIDES RAISE FUNDS; PARTICIPANT INSPIRES
The American Lung Association of California’s Breathe Easy Rides not only raise funds, they often inspire us to reach for the stars. Arin Resnicke, who has asthma, has been participating in the Lung Ride along California’s central coast for 17 years despite suffering debilitating injuries in a 1999 bicycle accident. To read his story, go to http://www.bakersfield.com
The Breathe Easy Rides provide full support, including meals and entertainment, and beautiful scenery. The following rides are scheduled.
- June 27-29, 2008 Breathe Easy Ride, Santa Barbara Bicyclists can choose between a one-day ride on June 28 or a three-day ride from June 27-29. Both routes take riders through scenic wine country in the Santa Ynez Valley. Call 805.963.1426 or go to www.BreatheEasyRide.org
- June 28, 2008, Breathe Easy Ride, Sonoma Mountain Village Bicyclist can ride a 10-, 35- or 65-mile route through Sonoma and Marin Counties. Call 707.527.5864 or go to www.BreatheEasyRide.org
If you are unable to participate in these events and want to make a donation to honor a special person on Father's Day, go to http://californialung.org
FIRST SMOKE-FREE U.S OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT HELD IN SAN DIEGO
For the first time, the U.S. Open Golf Tournament will be smoke-free when it plays in San Diego next month because Torrey Pines Golf Course where it will be held is a smoke-free course. The American Lung Association of California’s San Diego office helped secure a ban on smoking at San Diego beaches and parks in 2006, which includes municipal golf courses. While the Golf Association had leased the city-owned Torrey Pines Golf Course before the smoking ban, tournament officials agreed to uphold it.
For more information, contact Ross Porter at 619.683.8655 or rporter [at] alac [dot] org, or Debra Kelley at 619.683.7519 or dkelley [at] alac [dot] org
RESEARCHER STUDIES ROLE OF STEM CELLS IN LUNG REPAIR
Joseph Lin, MD, one of 12 researchers funded by the American Lung Association of California’s research program in fiscal year 2006-2007, is trying to determine how alveolar stem cells repair lung tissue and why some lungs do a good job of repairing themselves while others don’t. For the full story, go to http://californialung.org
SACRAMENTO OPEN HOUSE: JUNE 11
Join the American Lung Association of California, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, June 11 at its Sacramento Open House, 1029 J St., Ste. 450 at the combined State Government Relations and Sacramento Metro offices and The Center for Tobacco Policy & Organizing.
RSVP to 916.554.5864, x221 or rsvp [at] alac [dot] org
TELL A FRIEND Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at http://www.californialung.org. Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address at the upper left corner of the Web site homepage below the logo.
