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Clean-air efforts lauded
By Audrey Cooper, Record Staff Writer, Stockton Record (Published Thursday, April 17, 2003 )
A new business-oriented clean-air group has honored a Stockton business and the city government for efforts to clear the air.
Health Plan of San Joaquin and the city of Stockton are among 19 businesses, organizations and agencies around the San Joaquin Valley to be recognized by Valley Clean Air Now.
Both the city and the health organization promote programs to encourage carpooling and a reduction in the number of vehicle trips. Cars and trucks are the leading cause of air pollution in the Valley.
Valley CAN plans to recognize the Valley businesses and agencies with a publicity campaign, including newspaper advertisements that herald the clean-air efforts.
"We also want to encourage other businesses to think about ways they can clean the air," said Tom Knox, a Valley CAN spokesman.
The 19 companies and organizations honored by the group did things like encouraging carpools and buying low-emission equipment.
Health Plan of San Joaquin, a health-maintenance organization, participates in the Valley's Spare the Air Program, which encourages people to carpool and avoid pollution-causing activities on days with exceptionally bad air quality.
The HMO has offered preferred parking to employees who carpool, notifies employees via e-mail of Spare the Air alerts and owns a company van to shuttle employees to meetings.
"It's not just environmental good will," spokesman David Hurst said. "We really feel as a health-care organization, with the level of acute asthma in the Valley and the number of children we serve with asthma, this is a step forward in having some effect on asthma issues."
Stockton's city government since 1996 has promoted a voluntary trip-reduction program. City officials estimate that the program has meant the elimination of at least 1,200 vehicle trips per year.
Valley CAN was launched in November with the help of money from ChevronTexaco. Its board of directors, which include farmers and businesspeople, want to encourage voluntary actions to improve air quality.
The advocacy group plans to honor more Valley businesses in the future. For more information, go to www.valley-can.org.
* To reach reporter, Audrey Cooper phone 546-8298 or e-mail acooper@recordnet.com
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