DEPARTMENT: Office of Sustainability and Metro Health
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Douglas R. Melnick, AICP, CNU-A; Dr. Colleen Bridger
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: All
SUBJECT:
United Nations “BreatheLife” Campaign
SUMMARY:
Consideration for the City of San Antonio to be a participant in the United Nations “BreatheLife” Campaign
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On October 1, 2016, City Council allocated funding to complete an air quality regional public education campaign. The “Breathe Today. SA Tomorrow” campaign launched on May 17, 2017 to create community awareness and educate neighborhoods and the business community about the need for clean air, the impact of not having clean air, and how to help San Antonio to continue to be the largest “Clean Air City” in the nation. The campaign will run through October 30, 2017.
The City of San Antonio’s air quality mission is based on two predominant values: the health of our residents and a thriving economy.
• Healthy Residents- Ozone can inflame airways, causing symptoms such as chest pain, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath - even in healthy people. These effects can be more serious in people with lung diseases, such as asthma, and are being exacerbated by current and projected changes in our climate. The groups considered most at risk from ozone are children, people with asthma and other lung diseases, older adults, and adults who are active or work outside.
• Thriving Economy - It is essential that San Antonio continues to have a growing economy that benefits the entire community while not negatively impacting public health.
To date, City staff has disbursed air quality messaging to residents and businesses via television, radio, print, social media and online blogs yielding over 967,000 impressions.
As a result of CoSA’s work in communicating air quality issues, the City of San Antonio was invited to join the United Nations “BreatheLife” campaign to become a “BreathLife” City.
ISSUE:
“BreatheLife” is a joint international campaign led by the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Environment, and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to raise awareness of the threat air pollution poses to our health and climate, and to mobilize cities and individuals to protect our health and planet from the effects of air pollution.
Benefits include:
• Increased national and international exposure of our air quality initiatives.
• Potential to participate in international assemblies to share best practices.
There are no requirements for participants, however participants can voluntarily report on emissions, progress, and success stories.
Upon approval, City staff will submit a letter of intent, and completed questionnaire, to join the network of cities to demonstrate support for air quality solutions with the goal to meeting the WHO air quality guidelines by 2030.
The City of San Antonio will join a network of thirty-three cities that includes: Santiago, Chile; Greater Manchester, UK; Jalisco State, Mexico. San Antonio and Washington DC’s membership will be announced in September 2017, as the first US cities to join the BreatheLife campaign.
OS and SAMHD would serve as department liaisons for this initiative.
Participation in the “BreatheLife” campaign is consistent with the goals of the SA Tomorrow Sustainability Plan and the Metro Health Strategic Plan. Both plans outline numerous strategies to improve air quality, and educate the community on how poor air quality impacts public health and the local economy.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Community Health and Equity City Council Committee could approve the City of San Antonio’s participation in the United Nations “BreatheLife” Campaign, postpone, or deny approval. Postponement or disallowed participation will not directly impact City operations.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is no direct fiscal impact to operations.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Committee approve City of San Antonio’s participation in the United Nation’s “BreatheLife” campaign.