• PAG employees practice what they preach

In April, the region celebrated Clean Air Days, a  multi-jurisdictional effort to highlight and encourage the use of alternative modes of transportation. This year PAG staff not only helped organize and promote the Clean Air events, many made a commitment to use an alternative mode during the month. Throughout April, half of PAG employees used an alternative mode to get to or from work.

PAG Executive Director Gary Hayes joined in and enjoyed riding one of the new Sun Tran Express buses from Old Vail Road near Houghton and continues to occasionally catch the bus.

“The new Express route provides a great way to relax for 30 minutes on my morning and evening commutes to work or I can make a few business calls without the hassles of driving,” Hayes said. “I’m also proud of the participation of PAG staff in the move toward using more alternative modes in their day-to-day commute.”

Andy Gunning, Director of Planning, used a combination of bike and bus for his commute on Bike to Work Day on April 17. In reflecting on his bike commute experience, Gunning said, “I hadn’t dusted off my bike in a year or so, so it was good to get it out of storage. And it turns out that biking to work was easier than I thought it would be. It was fun. I’ll definitely do it again.”

In conjunction with Clean Air Days, the region also hosts Bike Fest to celebrate and encourage bike commuting. This year Bike Fest included a Bike Commuter Challenge where co-workers encouraged each other to bike and log the number of bicycle trips made during the month.

PAG already has many bike commuting employees, so creating a bike team, Pedaling Against Gridlock (PAG), was a great way to participate in events that PAG promotes. PAG had 15 staff members bike to work for a total of 244 trips throughout the month, earning itself a bicycle-friendly organization designation through the Commuter Challenge. On Bike to Work Day, PAG staff commuted into downtown together, showing their enthusiasm for bike commuting and camaraderie among bike commuting staff.

In total for the month of April, it is estimated that by using an alternative mode, PAG staff helped save over 1335.37 pounds of greenhouse gas pollution. As you can see, PAG is practicing what it preaches!

• PAG begins Live Breathe Clean Air campaign

If you make fewer trips, reduce idling, refuel after 5 p.m. and maintain your vehicle, you are one smart driver.

By driving smart, people will help keep the region’s air cleaner. In order to encourage people to take steps that support clean air during the summer months, Pima Association of Governments is promoting Live Breathe Clean Air as part of a regional message to help bring awareness toward maintaining healthy ozone levels.

In March 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency tightened the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone to be more protective of public health.

Currently, Tucson experiences good air quality and meets the ozone standards. However, several days of high ozone this summer could put Pima County into noncompliance, also known as nonattainment.

Nonattainment status often results in several costly consequences for businesses and residents. The region would be required to analyze emissions and identify and enforce measures to reduce pollutant levels. Residents may be required to change the fuel they use, industries may face additional regulations and this may negatively influence tourism and economic development.

Our region prides itself on its commitment to the environment and having clean air to breathe. This summer, we encourage area employers and residents to learn about and participate in keeping our air clean. Visit LiveBreatheCleanAir.com for more information.

• 2040 RTP Task Force recommends vision and goals

• Monsoon season puts focus on stormwater pollution prevention

Starting in late June, the stormwater campaign of “Clean Water Starts With Me” will get under way with television commercials, billboards, posters and a new informational brochure.

The annual campaign is developed by Pima Association of Governments in conjunction with its Stormwater Management Working Group, which helps plan and manage outreach activities to encourage prevention of stormwater pollution in the Tucson region during the monsoon season.

Rainwater washes pet waste, debris, and trash from streets and lawns and deposits them in our fragile desert washes. From the time rainwater touches the ground until it ends up in a wash, it gets contaminated by different kinds of pollutants.

The “Clean Water Starts With Me” campaign is designed to help people understand stormwater pollution and how they can dispose of trash and other pollutants in a responsible manner.

The new brochure will provide in-depth, practical information on measures to reduce pollution from vehicles, safely dispose of household products such as paints and cleaning chemicals, and appropriately dispose of yard waste.

Specific outreach activities for 2009 will include:

• Screening of stormwater billboard and bus shelter artwork before every movie in the AMC Foothills Theatres during July and August.

• Screening of a 30-second television commercial KOLD-13 during July and August.

• Displaying artwork on seven billboards in Tucson during July and August

• Displaying brochures in Pima County Public Libraries

• Displaying posters in the bus interiors of the Sun Tran buses

• Providing information on PAG’s stormwater Web site at www.PAGstorm.com