California Clean Air Day is recognized this year on Oct. 6 and the awareness campaign asks a simple question: do you like breathing? If so, perhaps you’d like to take some steps to keep the air clean.
Designed around individual actions, this statewide event allows millions of participants to take part via a simple, online pledge of at least one action that will help clean our air.
Organizers said the concept of clean air has taken on new significance for many residents who have experienced poor air quality from the record-breaking fire season but poor air quality is a permanent fixture in large parts of the state.
“For far too many, poor air quality is a fact of life they experience on a year-round basis,” explained Dr. Joseph Lyou, President & CEO, Coalition for Clean Air. “On Clean Air Day, businesses, government agencies, and individuals can all join in to make sure the benefits of breathing clean air can be shared by everyone.”
Clean Air Day is an opportunity that allows for virtual and in-person participation, as well as the ability for businesses, schools, government agencies, and others to sign up to engage their members, students, employees, and customers to encourage participation.
Samohi Senior Maggie Ineno is one of the young activists organizing around the day and she is excited to incorporate her love of bicycles into the day.
As an avid cyclist she said she was excited to bring her personal interests into the event.
“I really like the fact that I could bring in my own creative side to it,” she said. “I decided I wanted to bring in bikes and I’m super happy I could do that with the opportunity.”
Using a combination of grant funding from the Coalition and donations from local businesses, Ineno is organizing a community bike ride from Culver City to Venice.
On Sunday, Oct. 3 all are welcome to join Ineno in Culver City outside the Arclight Theater (9500 Culver Blvd) at 8 a.m. The ride will begin at 8:30 a.m. and travel to Groundworks Coffee on Rose Ave. in Venice.
Ineno said sponsors including Groundworks, the Los Angeles Bike Academy and Snapchat are enabling participants to have free refreshments and an automatic entry into a raffle for a pair of augmented reality Snapchat Spectacles. She has also secured several bicycles that will be given away to local students who participate in an essay competition.
Ineno has been working with a neighbor through their A Blue Sky Foundation to advocate for clean air for about a year. Their work so far has focused on small off-road engines like those used in leaf blowers, lawnmowers or hedge trimmers but their work has been predominantly on the advocacy side so the bike ride will be her first event.
“I love that a large portion of my generation is so concerned with protecting our planet,” she said. “I’m certain that this event will just be a small step towards fulfilling my mission of educating and spreading awareness about effective ways to approach climate change.”
The County is also participating by offering free transit on Metro on Oct. 6.
“I was proud to lead the motion for free transit on California Clean Air Day because transit is a safe, affordable and sustainable mode of transportation for all Angelenos,” said Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Hilda L. Solis, Supervisor to the First District. “We know that transportation is the number one contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, so I’m encouraging Angelenos from across the County to leave their car at home on October 6 as we take action for clean air.”
For more information about Clean Air Day and the community bike ride, visit https://www.cleanairday.org/events/2021/150-Cycling-for-Clean-Air/.
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