Cathedral City to Observe California Clean Air Day

CATHEDRAL CITY —  As the Golden State prepares to observe the Second Annual California Clean Air Day on Oct. 2, the Cathedral City City Council is studying ways in which it might best observe the day.

California Clean Air Day is built on the idea that shared experiences unite people to action to improve our community health. By joining together for a unified day of action we can create new habits to clear the air for all members of California’s diverse communities, according to its website.

California Clean Air Day is a project of the Coalition for Clean Air.

Some of the suggestions the organization has made to Cathedral City include:

• issue a proclamation
• promote the day and its objectives on social media
• hold a tree-planting event

City Manager Charles McClendon, in a staff report to City Council, says these activities could likely be completed at a fairly low cost.

“A tree-planting event in one of more of our parks could also align with the Council’s goals of continuing the 1,000 tree initiative and holding small neighborhood events in parks” McClendon said.

The cost to purchase and plant a 36-inch box tree, including site preparation would be about $1,000, according to McClendon’s staff report.

Former Mayor Gregory S. Pettis announced the 1,000 tree initiative the night he was sworn in as mayor in December 2018. After his death, the City Council agreed to fulfill his goal.

The Coalition for Clean Air has made strides to push California to improve air quality since its inception in 1971, according to Dr. Joseph K. Lyon in a letter to Mayor Mark Carnevale. However, Lyon said, there is still more work to be done. Here’s why, according to California Clean Air Day:

• 7 of 10 of the most ozone-polluted U.S. cities are in California.
• 1 million annual school absences by California students are related to air pollution.
• Californians are four times more likely to experience serious air pollution-related problems.
• Depending on the location, Californians may lose nearly a year in life expectancy due to air pollution.

As of today, 75 businesses and organizations have taken the 2019 Clean Air Pledge. Individuals and organizations can take the pledge by clicking here. 

The City Council is scheduled to discuss what it will do to recognize California Clean Air Day at its study session at 4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28.