Back to Breath Matters
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).
November 30, 2006 Number 142
Content:
MONTHLY HEALTH TIP
Find your nearest Flu Shot Clinic through the American Lung Association’s free flu clinic locator at www.californialung.org and enter your ZIP code on the right side of the homepage under the words: “Enter your ZIP code to find a flu clinic near you.”
TAKE OZONE-EMITTING AIR CLEANERS OFF YOUR GIFT LIST
The American Lung Association of California launched a public information campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of ozone-emitting air “cleaning” devices and issued a holiday gift alert warning consumers to avoid ozone-emitting air cleaning devices and air fresheners this holiday season. A growing number of Californians are purchasing air cleaning devices due to concerns about indoor air quality. Unfortunately, some people are unknowingly buying devices that generate harmful levels of the air pollutant ozone.
Visit http://www.californialung.org/press/061114AirCleaningDevices.html to view the related news release.
For more on air cleaning devices and to download a free ad/poster warning about the dangers, visit http://www.californialung.org/spotlight/06fw_OzoneAirCleaners.html
For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444, aweisser [at] alac [dot] org, or Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.442.4446, bhgen [at] alac [dot] org
BIG OIL AND BIG TOBACCO DEFEAT IMPORTANT LUNG HEALTH INITIATIVES
California voters missed two key opportunities to protect lung health when they rejected Propositions 86 and 87 on the November 7 ballot, which were both supported by the American Lung Association of California. Prop. 86 would have raised the tobacco tax by $2.60 per pack of cigarettes and Prop. 87 would have charged oil companies drilling fees similar to those charged in other states to fund greater alternative energy options.
There was unprecedented campaign spending on these two initiatives, with big tobacco and oil companies spending more than $165 million in TV and radio ads, direct mail pieces and slate mailers designed to confuse and mislead the public about the benefits of Prop. 86 and Prop. 87.
While the results were disappointing considering the significant need to reduce tobacco use and improve air quality in California, the association conducted impressive campaigns to promote the health initiatives and worked as an effective team, both internally and with campaign partners. Californians from Arcata to San Diego saw television ads and news reports featuring the American Lung Association of California brand and our efforts energized offices, volunteers and new partners toward our mission. There was significant support for the initiatives, as 3.5 million Californians voted for Prop. 86 and 3.4 million voted for Prop. 87.
For more information, contact Paul Knepprath at 916.442.4446 or pknepprath [at] alac [dot] org
REPORT FOCUSES ON NEGATIVE HEALTH IMPACT OF PORT POLLUTION
The American Lung Association of California participated in a news conference in Oakland to release an alarming report that highlights the need to reduce air pollution at our ports. “Paying With Our Health: The Real Cost of Freight Transport in California,” which analyzes the impacts of freight transport on environmental health and the billion-dollar industry that refuses to clean up, was issued by the Ditching Dirty Diesel Collaborative and authored by the Pacific Institute.
More than 40 percent of this country’s imports that arrive by container enter through the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Oakland, often on ships using polluting diesel bunker fuel. These good are often moved by dirty cargo handling vehicles to be stored at the port, or driven relatively long distances on dirty diesel trucks to distribution centers.
To view the report, visit http://www.pacinst.org/reports/freight_transport/media/index.htm
For more information, contact Linda Weiner at 415.282.8871 or linwiner [at] earthlink [dot] net, or Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.442.4446 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org
KERN COUNTY ADOPTS TOBACCO LICENSING ORDINANCE
The Kern County Board of Supervisors recently adopted an ordinance requiring tobacco retailers to be licensed. The American Lung Association of California worked with the Kern County Tobacco Coalition, county Health Department, American Cancer Society and others to encourage policymakers to require tobacco licenses.
The next goal is to require all tobacco retailers in the city of Bakersfield to be licensed. Supervisors are forwarding the county ordinance to Bakersfield city officials for their review.
For more information, contact Sharon Borradori at 661.847.4700 or sharon [at] kernlung [dot] org
ASSOCIATION COSPONSORS SMART GROWTH CONFERENCE
The American Lung Association of California is cosponsoring the 6th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth Conference: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities, February 8-10, in Los Angeles. The conference has grown significantly since it began several years ago - increasing in scope, attendance, and prestige - and is now considered to be the premier smart growth conference held each year.
The 2007 program will feature cutting-edge smart growth issues, the latest research, implementation tools and strategies, successful case studies, interactive learning experiences, new partners, new projects and new policies.
For conference details, visit www.NewPartners.org
For more information, contact Colleen Callahan at 323.839.8116 or ccallahan [at] oclung [dot] org
CITIES MOVING TO DECLARE SECONDHAND SMOKE A PUBLIC NUISANCE
More and more cities in California, particularly in the Bay Area, are moving toward comprehensive smoke-free ordinances that include declaring secondhand smoke a public nuisance, giving residents who are bothered by it legal recourse, thanks to efforts by the American Lung Association of California and others who want to protect people from the deadly effects of toxic secondhand smoke.
The city of Calabasas was the first to pass such an ordinance followed by Dublin. Now Bay Area cities like Belmont, Emeryville and Oakland are considering similar moves. Emeryville’s ordinance could close many of the loopholes in California’s statewide smoke-free workplace law, including banning smoking in tobacco shops, smoking lounges, hotel lobbies, family child care homes, businesses with fewer than five employees, and hookah establishments.
Much of the impetus for stricter secondhand smoke laws has come from those living next to smokers in multi-unit complexes. The American Lung Association’s East Bay office regularly receives calls from property managers and tenants who need help resolving the issue of secondhand smoke.
For more information, contact Serena Chen at 510.893.5474 or schen [at] alaebay [dot] org
SACRAMENTO EVENT HONORS ASTHMA VICTIM
The American Lung Association of California was one of the beneficiaries of a massage-a-thon fundraising event that honored a giving volunteer who died of an asthma attack at age 43. The event was held in Citrus Heights in honor of Dana Holm, a massage therapist with a big heart.
The fundraiser was also designed to raise awareness of asthma, which can be life-threatening, as well as air pollution, a major contributor to lung diseases like asthma. An estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people died of asthma each year between 1993 and 2003.
To read the entire front page Sacramento Bee Metro Section article, visit http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/82695.html
For more information, contact Paul Knepprath at 916.442.4446 or pknepprath [at] alac [dot] org
RESEARCHER STUDIES LUNG IRRITANTS LIKE AIR POLLUTION
Karen L. Oslund, DVM, Ph.D., is studying how the lungs react to irritants like air pollution and the role of a protein that protects the lining of the airways from such irritants. The University of California, Davis, researcher is trying to determine whether people who produce excess amounts of the protein are more resistant to injury.
Her project is one of 12 funded by the American Lung Association of California, which granted nearly $700,000 to lung disease research in fiscal year 2006-2007.
For more information about funded projects, visit http://californialung.org/research/research.html
HOLIDAY GIVING Send a special holiday gift to those close to you with a donation to the American Lung Association. It’s a meaningful and easy way to celebrate the season. To donate, visit http://californialung.org/donate/donate.html
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.
Back to Breath Matters
