Drive Clean Across Texas
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Drive Clean Across Texas Presented by: Laura Higgins Drive Clean Across Texas Simple changes in our driving behavior can make a big difference. Mission of Drive Clean Across Texas Create an awareness of the air quality problem Motivate people to make clean air choices… and follow them with action Reduce mobile source emissions statewide By: Laura Higgins 1 Drive Clean Across Texas Drive Clean Across Texas is Sponsored by: Federal Highway Administration Supporters: Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Department of Health U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Statewide Clean Air Programs Supporting Agencies Today’s Objectives • • • • • Pollution and Air Quality Problem in Texas Vehicle Emissions Drive Clean Across Texas campaign K-12 Curriculum and classroom materials Resources and materials free of charge By: Laura Higgins 2 Drive Clean Across Texas Video and Quiz The problem is air pollution. Air Pollutants • • • • • Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) Ozone Carbon Monoxide (CO) Particulate Matter By: Laura Higgins 3 Drive Clean Across Texas A major contributor to air pollution is vehicle emissions. Ground-Level Ozone Ozone levels are highest in the summer months when temperatures soar and there is little wind. + (Vehicle emissions and other vapors) = SMOG (Sunlight and high temperatures) State of Texas Air: Ozone and Particulate Matter (PM) Ozone Nonattainment Areas Houston/Galveston Dallas/Fort Worth Beaumont/Port Arthur Ozone Early Action Compact Areas Austin San Antonio Tyler/Longview Ozone Near Nonattainment Areas Corpus Christi Victoria PM Nonattainment Areas El Paso By: Laura Higgins 4 Drive Clean Across Texas Air Pollution and Health Those with highest ozone exposure health risks include: The elderly Children People who work and exercise outdoors Air Pollution and Health Medical complications that can result from air pollution: By: Laura Higgins Coughing Throat irritation Pain when breathing Reduced lung function Damage to immune system Cancer 5 Drive Clean Across Texas Public Education Phase One – General Public • Campaign launch • Media campaign • Website– www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org • Exhibiting at clean air events • Brochure and Poster • Blue Skies of Texas Video Spreading the word— via the internet www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org Phase 2: Public Schools • Curricula (K – 12) • Educational tools • Classroom materials By: Laura Higgins 6 Drive Clean Across Texas The Curricula The DCAT curricula are arranged in units consisting of lessons. Grade levels: • K-5 • 6-8 • 9-12 http://www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org/for_teachers/ The DCAT curricula and education tools: Focus on vehicle emissions only Reinforce the DCAT messages Utilize the Texas Essential Knowledge & Skills Provide teaching material for K – 12 Supplement/support local air quality programs Spreading the word— Teachers and kids By: Laura Higgins 7 Drive Clean Across Texas Spreading the word— Teachers and kids Grades K-5 Air Quality Coloring and Activity Book Featuring the Clean Air Crew cover The Faces of Ollie Ozone OLLIE OZONE Low Ozone levels keep Ollie nice and green. But when bad ozone is up, he gets downright awful orange, wretched red, and painful purple-ouch! By: Laura Higgins 8 Drive Clean Across Texas Classroom Posters 6 – 8 Curricula Overview • • • • Emphasize health effects Fossil Fuels Physical Science angle Transportation Choices (trip logs) http://www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org/for_teachers/ Unit 1: What is Air Pollution • Lesson 1: Fossil Fuels and Climate Change: Our Cars and CO2 • Lesson 2: Transportation and the Environment: Impacts, Choices, Results • Lesson 3: Transportation and Air Pollution Glossary • Lesson 4: The Awful Eight Play By: Laura Higgins 9 Drive Clean Across Texas Unit 2: Transportation and Air Pollution: Impacts and Consequences • Lesson 1: Who’s Driving Change: The History of American Transportation and Designing for a Sustainable Future • Lesson 2: Air Pollution and Health Unit 3: Automania: Driving Clean Today • Lesson1: What is Ridesharing? • Lesson 2: Carpooling and the Environment Unit 4: We Have to Breathe This Air: Alternative Vehicles Can Make a Difference • Lesson 1: We Have to Breathe This Air? • Lesson 2: Reinventing Your Wheels By: Laura Higgins 10 Drive Clean Across Texas 9 – 12 Curricula • Emphasize impacts and consequences • Emphasize alternative fuels and hybrid vehicles http://www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org/for_teachers/ Challenges, 9 – 12 • • • • • Teenage skepticism Desire to drive Desire to drive “cool” cars Desire to drive fast Youth and ignorance of car maintenance Unit 1: What is Air Pollution and How Do Cars Contribute to it? • Lesson 1: Air Pollution Word Search • Lesson 2: Pounds of Pollution: What’s in the Air and How Bad is it? • Lesson 3: Easy Breathers Video http://www.easybreathers.org/ By: Laura Higgins 11 Drive Clean Across Texas Unit 2: Transportation and Air Pollution: Impacts and Consequences • Lesson 1: Health, Pollution, and Safety: Why Should We Care? Unit 3: Automania: Driving Clean Today • Lesson 1: The Automobile: History and Current Use • Lesson 2: The Cost of Driving • Lesson 3: Average Vehicle Occupancy (AVO) in Your Community Unit 4: Alternative Fuels and the Cars of Tomorrow • Lesson 1: Getting Oriented: The Move to Alternative Fuels • Lesson 2: Clean Fuels: Availability and Distribution • Lesson 3: Alternative Fuel Vehicles: Operation, Maintenance, and Refueling By: Laura Higgins 12 Drive Clean Across Texas Spreading the word— Teachers and kids Grades 9-12 Education Conference Exhibits Continuing Implementation Providing the curricula free of charge and available to all over the Internet. Collaborating with Texas Edu. Agency (TEA) Providing materials to key ISDs/curriculum specialists within districts Promoting the curricula at teacher workshops/conferences Forming a statewide review and feedback team of teachers who are using the curricula By: Laura Higgins 13 Drive Clean Across Texas DCAT Success to Date • Governor, long term TxDOT support • 6th season of paid TV, radio spots, billboards (9 areas) • PSAs on over 200 radio stations • Hundreds of thousands of K-12 materials distributed • 25% campaign recognition factor • 6% reported changed AQ actions Acknowledgements Primary Sources & Background Material: TxDOT’s “TEX and DOT” activity books TCEQ City of Fort Worth Northeast Sustainable Energy Association Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources National Safety Council California Air Resources Board College Station Independent School District Texas Education Agency Questions? Requests? Feedback? By: Laura Higgins 14 Drive Clean Across Texas www.drivecleanacrosstexas.org By: Laura Higgins 15
