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March 31, 2008 Number 158

Content:

  • Learn More About Pulmonary Function Testing
  • Association Report Quantifies Health Benefits of Zero Emission Vehicles
  • Association Calls on State to Fund TB Programs
  • Los Angeles, Long Beach Ports Adopt Clean Trucks Program
  • Oakland Kicks Asthma Featured in Journal of Urban Health
  • Association Presents Fresno Lecture on Global Warming
  • Los Angeles, Orange County, and Bay Area Issue Tobacco Reports
  • South Coast Air District Restricts Wood-Burning Fires
  • Researcher Studies Role of a Protein in Lung Repair
  • Climb California
  • Tell a Friend

MONTHLY HEALTH TIP

Learn More About Pulmonary Function Testing This important test helps you and your physician know how well your lungs are functioning and is an early indicator for many lung diseases. To learn more, check out our guide to pulmonary function testing at http://www.thoracic.org/sections/chapters/thoracic%2Dsociety%2Dchapters
/ca/publications/resources/pulmonary-function-and-exercise-testing/function.pdf

ASSOCIATION REPORT QUANTIFIES HEALTH BENEFITS OF ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES

The American Lung Association of California released a report on March 20 quantifying the global warming and health benefits of converting California’s vehicle fleet to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) – a week before the California Air Resources Board’s March 27 hearing on proposals that weakened the state’s ZEV program. Association representatives urged board members to reject the proposals and presented results of the study the association sponsored, which was conducted by a consulting firm specializing in transportation and alternative fuels research.

The study shows that $142 billion in human health and global warming reduction benefits would result from converting the entire California motor vehicle fleet from gasoline vehicles to ZEV technologies in the 2010-2030 timeframe, or $96 billion more than relying on the lowest emitting gasoline technologies. The $142 billion figure includes $38 billion in benefits to society from reduced global warming emissions.

For details about the report, visit http://www.californialung.org/press/080320ZEV.html

For more information, contact Bonnie Holmes-Gen at 916.554.5864 or bhgen [at] alac [dot] org or Linda Weiner at 415.282.8871 or linwiner [at] earthlink [dot] net

ASSOCIATION CALLS ON STATE TO FUND TB PROGRAMS

In recognition of World TB Day on March 24, the American Lung Association of California released troubling statewide tuberculosis (TB) statistics and called on the state to avert a resurgence of TB by funding prevention and control efforts. While TB cases dropped 1.9 percent in California (2007 compared to 2006), increases were experienced in 22 of California’s 61 local health jurisdictions.

California continues to report the highest number of TB cases in the United States. The TB case rate in California is 60 percent higher than the rest of the country.

The report garnered significant statewide news coverage. Spokespeople included Gwendolyn Young, association board chair; Barbara Cole, RN, MSN, PHN, a volunteer board member and chair of the Tuberculosis Technical Advisory Group; and Terry Remick, a staff member whose father had multi-drug resistant TB.

For details, visit http://californialung.org/press/080312WorldTBDay.html

For more information, contact Andy Weisser at 818.703.6444 or aweisser [at] alac [dot] org

LOS ANGELES, LONG BEACH PORTS ADOPT CLEAN TRUCKS PROGRAM

The American Lung Association of California celebrated a major public health and clean air victory at a March 20 news conference announcing the Port of Los Angeles Harbor Commissions’ recent approval of the Clean Trucks Program. The association joined the Coalition for Clean and Safe Ports to fight for a strong and sustainable program, which will cut port truck emissions by 80 percent, a major source of toxic air pollution at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The program requires trucking companies to act as employers and assume responsibility for upgrading dirty diesel trucks and maintaining low-emission trucks. Association Chair Gwendolyn Young spoke at the news conference, which included Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Harbor Commission President David Freeman and Councilwoman Janice Hahn.

To view a related Los Angeles Times article, visit http://www.latimes.com:80/business/careers/work/la-me-port21mar21,1,3526592.story

For more information, contact Colleen Callahan at 213.384.5864 or ccallahan [at] alac [dot] org

OAKLAND KICKS ASTHMA FEATURED IN JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH

A paper evaluating a program designed and implemented by the American Lung Association of California was published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Urban Health. The program is one component of the larger Oakland Kicks Asthma intervention.

The paper details the effective school-based, public health model to identify, prioritize, and recruit children in middle and high schools into asthma services, and describes efforts to institutionalize these systems in the Oakland Unified School District. The paper focuses on the often overlooked process of finding the right children and getting services to them. It concludes that the program provides a model for successful collaboration between a school district and community organization; and may be an effective public health strategy for addressing asthma at the public level.

For more information, contact Adam at 510.893.5474 or adavis [at] alac [dot] org

ASSOCIATION PRESENTS FRESNO LECTURE ON GLOBAL WARMING

The American Lung Association of California is partnering with the Fresno-Madera Medical Society, Fresno County Department of Public Health, Fresno Metro Ministry, and the Central Valley Health Policy Institute to present a Continuing Medical Education Lecture and Discussion on Global Warming, Air Quality and Public Health Impacts on April 9.

The event evolved from a recent briefing in Sacramento by scientists at the California Air Resources Board for the American Lung Association California’s Health Network for Clean Air. The event will be held at the University of California, San Francisco Fresno Center for Medical Education and Research. The association’s Linda Weiner will speak about the role of health professionals in passing AB 32, landmark legislation that sets a cap on global warming emissions.

For details, visit aweisser [at] alac [dot] org

For more information, contact Linda Weiner at 415.282.8871 or linwiner [at] earthlink [dot] net or Susie Rico at 559.222.4800 or srico [at] alc [dot] org.

LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY, AND BAY AREA ISSUE TOBACCO REPORTS

The American Lung Association of California issued failing grades to 40 Los Angeles County cities and 29 Orange County cities for their efforts to protect residents from secondhand smoke in various outdoor air categories and multi-unit housing. The association issued failing grades to 73 cities and two counties in the Bay Area.

The annual American Lung Association of California State of Tobacco Control local report cards were presented at news conferences in Los Angeles and Oakland. Cities were graded based on smoke-free local ordinances or policies in five categories (recreation areas, outdoor dining, entryways, outdoor service areas, multi-unit housing) and tobacco retail licensing ordinances aimed at reducing illegal sales of tobacco to minors.

For details, visit http://californialung.org/press/080109SOTA.html

SOUTH COAST AIR DISTRICT RESTRICTS WOOD-BURNING FIRES

Due to the serious health risks posed by particle pollution, the South Coast Air Quality Management District passed new regulations restricting the use of wood-burning fireplaces on bad air days in the heavily polluted Los Angeles Basin. The American Lung Association of California urged air board members to adopt the new rules and staffers Colleen Callahan and Terry Roberts testified at the hearing.

Residents who burn wood on high-pollution days will face fines. In addition, new homes cannot be built with wood-burning fireplaces and it will be illegal to install a new one when remodeling a home.

To view a related Los Angeles Times article, visit http://www.latimes.com:80/news/local/la-me-fireplace8mar08,0,4485269.story

For more information, contact Colleen Callahan at 213.384.5864 or ccallahan [at] alac [dot] org.

RESEARCHER STUDIES ROLE OF A PROTEIN IN LUNG REPAIR

Acute lung injury is a common response to many types of assaults on the lungs. Some patients recover quickly, while others see their health spiral down. A researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, is examining the role of a protein in the death of certain cells, which occurs when the lung is injured.

Kamran Atabai, MD, is trying to determine whether mice that lack this protein develop more lung scarring after injury. He is one of 10 researchers funded by the American Lung Association of California in 2007-2008. For more information about the research program and other funded projects, visit http://www.californialung.org/press/071024Research.html

CLIMB CALIFORNIA Enjoy breathtaking views from a Los Angeles skyscraper at the American Lung Association of California’s Climb California event on April 26. Find out more at www.climbcalifornia.org

TELL A FRIEND Forward this e-newsletter to friends, family and business contacts. Encourage them to subscribe for free at http://www.californialung.org. Signing up is easy. Just enter your e-mail address at the upper left corner of the Web site homepage below the logo.