California Clean Air Day 2020 Comes to San Diego, Focuses on Health Impacts of Air Pollution

All Californians are invited to participate in the third annual California Clean Air Day on October 7, 2020. Today, Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, Councilmember Chris Ward along with SDG&E and local community  leaders announced a series of activities that will be occurring in San Diego to improve air quality, educate people about its importance and advocate for changes to policy to create cleaner air.  All San Diegans are being asked to take The Clean Air Day Pledge. 

San Diego has the sixth worst air quality in the country which has significant impacts on public health, according to the American Lung Association.  Improving our air quality matters now more than ever because poor air quality exacerbates the impact COVID-19 is having on San Diegans. 

Hosted by the Coalition for Clean Air with partners across the state, Clean Air Day has a local coordinating committee that is co-chaired by Supervisor Fletcher, who also serves on the California Air Resources Board.

“Nothing is more foundational to life than ensuring clean air for all, but living in areas with poor air quality exacerbates the risk of getting incredibly sick and dying of COVID-19,” said Supervisor Fletcher. “To tackle climate change and improve air quality more action is needed from everyone, but if you do not know where to get started, California Clean Air Day is a great entry point to creating a healthier future for us all.”

Clean Air Day allows for virtual participation and the ability for businesses, schools, government agencies, and other organizations to sign up as a way to engage their members, students, employees, and customers to encourage participation. 

Some of the activities planned for San Diego include a poster contest and electric vehicle motorcade, seminars about reducing your carbon footprint, tree plantings and environmental leadership training (see a more comprehensive list below).    

“Clean Air Day is a reminder that we all play a role in improving the air quality in our region,” said Estela de Llanos, Coalition for Clean Air board member and vice president of clean transportation, sustainability and chief environmental officer at San Diego Gas & Electric. “At SDG&E, we believe one of the most impactful ways to reduce both air pollution and carbon emissions is to reimagine the transportation sector by accelerating the transition to zero-emission vehicles.”

California Clean Air Day, launched by the Coalition for Clean Air, is in its third year. The effort saw more than 650,000 direct participants taking more 1 million actions in 2019.

Brian Sheridan, Coalition for Clean Air said, “People across California are coming together to take action for clean air. In such a challenging year for air quality, it’s critical that we all do our part to protect public health, improve air quality and prevent climate change.”

"The unprecedented wildfire season we are experiencing has demonstrated the devastating impacts of climate change on our air quality and human health," said San Diego City Councilmember Chris Ward. "Clean Air Day is a reminder that our individual actions to reduce our carbon footprint are an integral part in moving San Diego towards a cleaner future."

Visit www.CleanAirDay.org to find an activity in San Diego nearest you. 

Clean Air Day 2020 Events in San Diego:

SALTA Leadership Training: September 30, 5:20-6:30pm
Hosted by Environmental Health Coalition
About: Barrio Logan residents are invited to join EHC to learn about how community planning impacts air quality and how you can improve your community's air quality by participating in the upcoming Community Plan Update process. Barrio Logan has the same community plan since 1978 which allows residential homes to exist side by side with industry. This year Barrio Logan finally has a chance to pass a community plan that protects public health and air quality and we need the input of residents! Spanish interpretation will be provided.
Event website: https://www.facebook.com/EHCSanDiego

Southeast San Diego Clean Air Day Virtual Sip & Paint: October 3, 1-3pm
Hosted by I Am Green
About: Clean Air Day in Southeast San Diego has gone virtual. Join Us! I Am Green Southeast Art Team The Write Juice For this Free Event as we Sip on Fresh Live Juice and Paint a beautiful Vista of Southeast San Diego! We have beautiful views in our community that are obstructed due to poor air quality! Let's learn how we can change that while we enjoy each other's company, tap into our artistic side, and support Black Women Business! Southeast San Diego Clean Air Day Sip & Paint!
Event website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southeast-san-diego-clean-air-day-tickets-121565031281

Escondido Clean Air Day - Poster Contest and Electric Vehicle Motorcade: October 3, 5-7pm
Hosted by Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego
About: The Electric Vehicle Association of San Diego is hosting a Clean Air Day Poster Contest for students in Escondido, California. Students can submit entries of Art or Slogans from Sept 23 - 30 to show the connection between Electric Vehicles and Clean Air. Prizes will be awarded on October 3rd. We will also host an electric vehicle motorcade through downtown Escondido on Saturday, October 3rd to highlight just a few of the benefits of driving electric - they are quiet and have no tailpipe emissions!

Linda Vista Community Clean Up: October 4, 10am - 12pm
Hosted by Bayside Community Center
About: Bayside Community Center will host a week of Linda Vista Community Clean Ups in the week of October 1st through October 7th, the build up to Clean Air Day. Throughout the week, Bayside will encourage members of the Linda Vista community to host virtual clean ups of their street, their block, a local park, etc. in their respective part of the neighborhood. The clean up can be held at any time throughout the week. Bayside will provide gloves, trash picker-uppers, garbage bags, and other PPE equipment needed upon request. Bayside will host one sponsored clean up on Sunday, October 4 from 10am-12pm starting at the Linda Vista Library. That way, if people would rather join a larger group in doing the cleanup, they have the option. If they feel more comfortable participating in their own separate clean up because of the pandemic, then they have that option, too. In this way, Bayside will ensure safety for all.

Francis Parker School Clean Air Week: October 5, 8am
Hosted by Francis Parker School
About: Francis Parker Clean Air Week is a student-led, school-wide, K-12 campaign. Events include a week-long lottery competition that promotes clean transportation, grade-wide art projects in the Lower School (grades K-5), and a presentation by Maleeka Marsden, Co-Director of Policy at the Climate Action Campaign, for the Middle and Upper School (6-12).

Air Pollution: How it Affects Us and How to Get Involved: October 5, 5-6pm
Hosted by Casa Familiar
About: Come join us to learn about the work that Casa Familiar has been spearheading in regards to air pollution in San Ysidro. In this workshop you will learn how air pollution impacts our community and you will be introduced to our Indoor & Outdoor study where you can sign up to participate. We will also be discussing different ways we can each individually reduce our own carbon footprint and reduce pollution in our own community.

Grow A Native Tree from Home: October 7, 2-5pm
Hosted by The San Diego River Park Foundation
About: Native trees and plants protect the air we breathe by creating oxygen and sequestering carbon. They also provide many other benefits... they provide habitat and food for wildlife, they provide shade, their roots help hold together the soil, preventing erosion and protecting water quality. The list goes on!

You and your family can help grow native trees and plants from home with the help of the San Diego River Park Foundation! Swing by our Contact-Less Pick-Up Event to pick up everything you need to grow a native tree from seed. You will be provided with a container, soil, acorn and a video tutorial about the importance of tree, seed preparation, and caring for your seedling. You will also receive materials to make Seed Balls... balls of soil filled with native seeds. You'll have everything you need to grow a native tree and prepare seed balls for restoring natural areas along the San Diego River, plus an invitation to either join us for an event this winter (gathering dependent on COVID guidelines... stay tuned) or return your seedling for us to plant your tree seedling along the San Diego River. Growing a tree from a seed is educational and rewarding, especially while we're all spending a lot more time at home. This is a great way to bring nature home, learn about native plants, and help improve our air and environment at the same time!