Council Joins Members in Making Clean Air Day Pledge
The Bay area Council is proud to announce its participation in the California Clean Air Day 2020! Clean Air Day is a statewide challenge to raise awareness of local sources of pollution and teach participants how to mitigate their contributions to air pollution. We are joining member companies like Blue Shield and Dignity Health in accepting the challenge. On October 7, over 250 businesses and organizations will come together to celebrate and share resources to improve the overall air quality in the state. The goals of Clean Air Day align with the Council’s longstanding policy work to increase higher-density infill housing that can reduce long commutes and grow ridership on mass transit.
“The Bay Area Council is excited to be a part of this important effort to reduce air pollution in our community. We are taking the pledge as an opportunity to continue to engage our employees in regional sustainability efforts while addressing air quality concerns. Both efforts are needed now more than ever,” said Jim Wunderman, President and CEO of the Bay Area Council.
Clean Air Day is designed to be accessible to all Californians, allowing individuals and organizations to commit to do their part to clear the air, through actions big and small. Clean Air Day provides participants with educational tools as well as grant funding for local activities focused on environmental justice.
“California Clean Air Day is built on the idea that shared experiences unite people to action to improve our community health. By joining for a unified day of action, we can create new habits to clear the air for all members of California’s diverse communities,” explained Brian Sheridan, Development Director at Coalition for Clean Air.
“At Blue Shield of California, we recognize the health of people and our environment are inextricably linked. California is home to many of the most polluted cities in the country where environmental hazards have affected us all and unduly burdened generations of low-income individuals and people of color,” said Kimberley Goode, Senior Vice President of External Affairs at Blue Shield of California. “Through the California Clean Air pledge, we are joining forces with others to do our part to improve air quality and health equity for all Californians.”
“The California Clean Air Day pledge is a natural extension of Dignity Health’s values and our work to improve the health of our planet,” said Sister Mary Ellen Leciejewski, system vice president of environmental sustainability for CommonSpirit Health and Dignity Health. “As a health system, we understand the connection between clean air and health, and we see the health consequences of pollution. Living in Santa Cruz, the effects of climate change are certainly evident to me as our communities have been bracing against wildfires. The issue is daunting but not insurmountable. The California Clean Air Day project is terrific because it promotes the simple, practical things we can all do to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions.”
California Clean Air Day pledges are ongoing until the day of the event. For more information on how to get involved, please contact Policy Associate Anna Sciaruto.
California Clean Air Day is a project of the Coalition for Clean Air.
