Do Your Share for Cleaner Air

The region of Greater Cincinnati has implemented an episode day program to deal with the problem of smog and air quality. When the smog levels are particularly high, citizens are notified and encouraged to change their behaviours to less polluting ones. The focus is primarily on commuting, but includes other polluting activities as well. The campaign is known as Do your share for cleaner air.

Background

This program was developed for the Greater Cincinnati area. This airshed includes Hamilton, Clermont, Butler and Warren Counties in Ohio and Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Kentucky. In 1991, the Clean Air Act Amendments defined levels of ozone that were considered acceptable for different types of areas. The seven counties in the study area were classified as moderate non-attainment areas. To be considered an attainment area, the region must not have exceeded the air standard for ozone more than three times at any one of the 10 ozone monitoring sites in the area in the most recent three year period. Several voluntary organizations formed the Regional Ozone Coalition in July, 1994, to deal with the continuing high readings at several of the monitoring sites. This group created a public information campaign to educate the public on ozones consequences and actions they could take to reduce the smog problem.

Setting Objectives

There were three primary objectives for this program. The first objective was for the airshed to attain air quality (AQ) status. In order to accomplish this, they required public participation in ozone reduction practices, which became, in itself, a second objective. The third objective, which follows from the second, was to realize health benefits as a result of reducing ground-level ozone in the air. In 1999, after the program had been in place for 5 years, the objectives were redefined as follows: The primary goal of the public outreach campaign is to improve the quality of the air in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky through the year 2001 by continuing to educate the general public about smog and their contributions to it. A. Continue to raise awareness of the ground-level ozone problem, educating the public and the media about the new ozone standard. B. Increase participation in ozone-reducing activities. C. Form 18 new vanpools to reduce SOV work trips while retaining the 17 operating vanpools. D. Increase the use of alternatively fueled vehicles.

Getting Informed

In 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency found that Greater Cincinnati had a smog problem that made the air unhealthy to breathe. Because a large part of the air pollution is generated by vehicle use, it was decided that reduction in driving and similar activities would be targeted. The program was the first in the region, and even nationally, there were not many similar programs. This was not built on an existing model, but rather it now serves as a model to other communities that wish to pursue the same objectives. The major barrier that they anticipated was actually gaining public support and involvement. There were two steps in this. One was to first educate the public about smog, but the bigger challenge proved to be getting the public to actually take some sort of action on smog alert days. These were addressed through years of public education. With that education, people gained the understanding that every person in the area had a reason to do their share for cleaner air because they started to realize that everyone is affected by smog.

Delivering the Program

The Do Your Share For Cleaner Air campaign targeted residents, media, local governments, and businesses. The program was in effect from June 1 to Labor Day each year. During that time, on a daily basis, a conference call was held between the County Department of Environmental Services, the National Weather Service, and several news stations. Based on the weather forecast and ozone readings, they determined whether or not the next day would be a Smog Alert day. If they declared a Smog Alert, OKI was notified. They immediately faxed out the alert, along with tips and information to approximately 800 businesses (using a fax service that allows simultaneous sending). This was done by 2:30pm of the day before the alert in order to allow people to pass along the message to employees. The information was also regularly broadcast in the news (TV, radio, papers). As well, the web site was updated. On the news, general ozone information was often broadcast along with the status. The following activities were promoted: Avoid driving at lunch time (take lunch to school or work). Use alternative modes of transportation (car/vanpools, transit, etc) instead of driving alone. Keep vehicle tuned-up. Combine multiple auto trips throughout the day. Work from home (telecommute). Change work schedules to avoid the commute. Avoid using gasoline-powered garden equipment (lawnmowers, blowers, etc). Avoid household maintenance activities that produce emissions. Postpone fleet refueling until the evening (i.e. after 6 pm). Avoid maintenance activities such as painting, degreasing, tank cleaning (Stationary Sources). Postpone landscaping activities such as lawn mowing (Stationary Sources). Switch to cleaner burning fuels (Stationary Sources) Tool: Financial Incentives. In order to encourage people to ride the bus, the two local transit systems (Metro and TANK) offered Clean Air Fare during the summer months. It cost only $.50 to ride anywhere. In the original design of the program, fares were only reduced on Smog Alert Days (to $.25) and kept at regular rates on all other days. Tool: Mass Media. The media relations strategy included media education, the creation and distribution of news kits and backgrounders, editorial board meetings, work with local media meteorologists, business media relations and Smog Alert media notification. The media were closely involved with the program. Each year, there was a media kick-off, and they were reintroduced to the procedures for Smog Alerts. Having this participation almost guaranteed coverage in the weather reports. As well, News Directors and Editors received media kits. When there was a Smog Alert or an exceedence of the standard, the media were notified immediately, and this was then broadcast to the public during the drive-time news. In 1998, they started to also use the Artimis message boards on the interstate to send out the message. In 1998, the ROC began posting the information on the World Wide Web. This included an animated, computerized map showing the accumulation and movement of smog throughout the region. These maps were in a format suitable for presentation on TV. Tool: Word of Mouth. More than 800 businesses and local governments participated in the Smog Alert program. Once they received the faxes, they would notify their employees of the alert through voice mail, electronic notices, or bulletin boards. Some companies went beyond this and introduced voluntary measures to change operations to reduce smog. Tool: Work Programs that Influence the Home. CINERGY, the local utility company, pays up to $60 per employee (per month) for commute costs associated with transit or vanpool fees and takes advantage of the IRS tax incentive. They have challenged other companies to do the same. The ROC has also made numerous presentations to local businesses stressing the economic impacts of non-attainment. Both the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce have made the smog issue a regular feature in their publications. Tool: School Programs. Since 1995, the ROC has worked with Newspapers in Education (NIE) to educate children on the issue of smog. In 1998, educational games and contests promoting voluntary actions for children were introduced. As well, a Clean Air teachers guide was distributed to 370 Tri-State schools. At any time, clean air coloring books, bookmarks, fans and other educational material was available through the ROC for free.

Financing the Program

Funding came primarily from CMAQ (Congestion Mitigation Air Quality). The following outlines the funding request for the three year period of Fiscal 2000 Fiscal 2003, covering marketing and staff: ADVERTISING Print placement $66,000 Radio production and buy $125,000 Television production $75,000 Television buy $180,000 Two painted buses $28,000 Billboards $135,000 COLLATERAL MATERIALS Printing $60,000 EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS Business Education $60,000 Youth Education $60,000 Video Production $26,000 VANPOOL INCENTIVE PROGRAM Vanpool incentive $356,436 Recruitment incentive $18,000 ALTERNATIVE FUEL VEHICLE INCENTIVE PROGRAM $500,000 STORAGE SPACE $5,000 EVALUATION $75,000 FREELANCE SERVICES $180,000 SMOG ALERT COMMUNICATION $30,000 Contingency (15% excluding incentive programs) $147,000 SUBTOTAL $1,770,750 Staff $229,760 Fringe $109,985 Overhead $236,836 TOTAL $2,703,017 Note: all values expressed in US Dollars.

Measuring Achievements

Survey A survey was conducted within each county at the end of each season. It assessed the public's awareness and understanding of smog and questioned them on actions they had taken to reduce the problem. Sarah is mailing me a copy of this. Measuring pollution There were several locations for which air quality readings were taken. The health limit established by the U.S. EPA is the Pollutant Standard Index of 124 parts per billion (ppb), measured as an average over a one hour period. Any day that measures over 100 ppb is considered a Smog Alert day. Any day that measures over 200 ppb is considered an Ozone Alert day (which has not occurred since the 1970s). The air quality in the 7 County area around Cincinnati is monitored by the local agencies at ten different locations for ozone pollution. The ozone concentrations in the air are recorded instantaneously and hourly averages are sent to the national air quality database after being checked by the local and State air agencies for accuracy. Moderate ozone nonattainment areas had until November 15, 1996 to attain the 0.12 parts per million (ppm) ozone health standard. Any day with hourly ozone concentrations higher than 0.12 is called an exceedance of the ozone standard. If more than 3 exceedance days over the most recent three year time period, are measured at any one monitor, this constitutes a violation of the ozone standard. Although the monitor at the Lebanon site recorded no exceedances during 1996, 2 exceedance days were recorded in both 1994 and 1995, resulting in a violation of the standard and a failure to attain the standard by 1996. Since that time, the Cincinnati area has received two extensions of the attainment date. Now the area has until November 15, 1998, to attain the standard. If the area averages no more than 1 expected exceedance per year for each monitoring site, during the three year period of 1996-1998, then it will be attaining the 1 hour, 0.12 ppm public health standard for ozone. The maximum acceptable level for ozone is 0.12 parts per million, which is equal to an air quality index of 100. Here are the national air quality index criteria: 0-50 Good 51-100 Moderate 101-200 Unhealthful. To be considered an attainment area, the region must not exceed the air standard for ozone more than three times at any one of the 10 ozone monitoring sites in our area in the most recent three year period.

Feedback

There was no formal feedback process in this program. Citizens did, however, receive a constant update through the news as to the levels of pollution and the impacts of their actions.

Contacts

Sarah Woller Public Relations Coordinator OKI Regional Council of Governments 801-B W. Eighth St., Suite 400 Cincinnati, OH 45203 phone: (513) 621-6300 fax: (513) 621-9325 swoller@oki.org www.oki.org