Spare the Air

Participation and parternship were key approaches integrated in Spare the Air planning and launch. To begin, BAAQMD and its partners undertook public opinion surveys to assess people's awareness of local air pollution issues and to examine commuters' travel choices. Then, focus groups were carried out in Spanish and Chinese, as well as English, to examine how people perceived public transit, the BAAQMD, and the programme's messaging, and to find out if they would take the issue of high ozone concentrations seriously. Organisers included children, whom they believed were effective at relaying information to their parents and influencing their behaviour. Particularly at the beginning of the programme, a great deal of effort was spent working with employers, other partners and the media, coordinating promotional events and developing incentives.

Factual information about air quality - communicated through various channels by meteorologists from the BAAQMD - is meant to educate the public and inform them when the predicted ozone concentration is in excess of the federal health standard of 84 parts per billion, or an Air Quality Index over 100. Such days are declared "Spare the Air" days. Spare the Air advisories are announced by the BAAQMD shortly after 1:00 pm on the day they are forecast. Television and radio stations, newspapers, participating employers, and individuals registered with the network are notified by phone, fax or email. These stations and media outlets then announce Spare the Air days in their news and weather reports, include advisories in Air Quality Index reports, publish articles about the programme, and display the Spare the Air Day slogan on their mastheads. The idea is that, as people prepare to leave for work, these announcements remind them to avoid contributing to the ozone problem. Updated forecasts are posted on the Spare the Air website. A registration form is available online for individuals who wish to receive email notification of Spare the Air days. At one time, the City of San Francisco placed a large "Spare the Air this Summer" banner along the Bay Bridge, where those traveling into the city could not help but read it.

To motivate people to participate, the programme's messaging informs people that ground-level ozone is harmful to human health because it damages lung tissue, especially in children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems. The message is that ground-level ozone is a local, real-life problem that people can take simple, discrete actions to help prevent. One key action is leaving one's car at home and trying a commute alternative. To overcome possible barriers to behaviour change, RIDES for Bay Area Commuters, Inc. (a private, nonprofit corporation funded by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the BAAQMD) offers free commute services for Bay Area residents, such as consultations to determine a commuter's best alternative, carpool and vanpool referrals from its database of over 12,000 commuters, bicycle information and referrals, assistance in taking public transit or forming carpools and vanpools, and the like. Its messages include "We can help you get there faster, cheaper and easier", and "Use a commute alternative to driving alone, and you'll save money, time, and stress." Residents are also asked to consider their non-work activities, and to monitor them for possible environmental impacts - perhaps by not using gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers, avoiding using hairspray and household cleaners, igniting barbecues with an electric or chimney starter only (no lighter fluids), and forgoing household maintenance activities that produce emissions of volatile organic compounds (e.g., painting).

Entertaining strategies are used to engage children and young people in efforts to Spare the Air. An educational section on the Spare the Air website features links to interactive resources for teachers and students, including the Smog City pollution simulation game, and the colourful and informative Clean Air Primer. Kids can sign up, or call the 1800 HELP AIR line, to receive a free packet of materials featuring a cartoon character named Kaila the Clean Air Champion that includes comic activity books, bookmarks, rulers, membership cards, and temporary tattoos. The comic books feature clean air tips and explain why children should care about the air. Commercials about Spare the Air have been run on television and radio stations popular with children, such as Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Channel, and Disney Radio. BAAQMD staff will also visit schools to speak about air pollution.

Financial incentives and recognition are strategies used to motivate people to take action to protect the environment. Individuals who register for the email advisory service are eligible to win prizes in a year-end draw. At one time in the programme's history, people were given an opportunity to nominate someone who is improving air quality and inspiring others in the process. The winning "Clean Air Champion" was honoured at a presentation during the BAAQMD Board of Directors' meeting. In addition, to promote alternatives to commuting alone by car, the cities and counties in the Bay Area have provided incentives and services for commuters and employers. The incentives consist of reduced and complimentary transit fares, funding for bike parking, free carpool parking, and prizes. Those who use commute alternatives are also guaranteed rides home in an emergency.

Incentives are also central to the employer participation component of Spare the Air. With the help of the Bay Area Clean Air Partnership (BayCAP) - a public/private partnership initiated in 1996 to promote voluntary actions to improve air quality in the Bay Area - local businesses and public agencies have promoted the programme to the public and their employees. BayCAP has helped developed outreach materials during monthly workshops; these workshops led to the formation of resource teams that provide additional promotional support and incentives, including public transit discounts, free transit, auto repair, and tune-up discounts, and monetary rewards. Employers register online to participate in Spare the Air, and are added to a list that can be seen by visitors to the website. Companies participate because of this type of positive publicity, because they are partly responsible for their employees' long commutes due to their locations, and because if they do not help the Bay Area comply with federal air quality standards, enforceable regulations will have to be introduced. On Spare the Air days, businesses are asked to reduce or avoid high-emitting production, maintenance, and landscaping activities, and truck idling. Through their newsletters, intranet, email and other internal communications, employers inform their employees of impending Spare the Air days and educate them about how to improve air quality. Participating employers are offered free support materials and information on running a workplace Spare the Air programme, as well as a toolbox with newsletter articles and graphics that can be adapted for use in each partner's promotional materials. They are encouraged to offer their employees financial and other incentives to comply with environmental conservation objectives.

Environment, Health, Children, Youth.

Between June and October each year, ground-level ozone in the San Francisco Bay Area occasionally reaches unhealthy levels. The area's 6.1 million residents, with 5 million registered vehicles, and large numbers of commuters from surrounding regions who work in the Bay Area, contribute to the air pollution.

Surveys on programme awareness and participation have been conducted on selected Spare the Air days. Among the findings:

• In 1999, 258,656 trips were reduced
• As a result of trip reductions, ozone-forming emissions per Spare the Air episode were reduced by 3.36 tons in 1999
• Between 29.7 and 49.2% of participants (depending on survey method) and 11.3% of random samples of the public drove less on Spare the Air days in 2000
• Between 19.4% and 29.7% (depending on survey method) and 5.9% of random samples of the public used consumer spray products (e.g., hairspray and cleaners) less on Spare the Air days in 1998
• Between 15% and 22.3% (depending on survey method) and 6.5% of random samples of the public reduced their use of gas-powered garden equipment as a result on Spare the Air days in 1998
• The percentage of people who were aware that it was a Spare the Air day has increased over time; in 2000, 82% of the general public were aware of the programme.