On February 28th, Actress and Activist Daryl Hannah and singer Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary) will be in town to show their support of Tim DeChristopher (Bidder #70) during his trial for disrupting an oil and gas auction in December 2008. In an effort to help local groups, such as Peaceful Uprising (founded by Tim), Utah Moms for Clean Air, and Utah Physician’s for Clean Air raise funds to continue our work, Daryl Hannah and Peter Yarrow will each host an intimate gathering.

DON”T MISS THIS AMAZING OPPORTUNITY!! THIS MONDAY, FEB. 28th.

Stand in solidarity with Peaceful Uprinsing, Tim DeChristopher, Utah Moms for Clean Air & the docs of UPHE and help support the growing movement for CLIMATE JUSTICE and CLEAN AIR.

There are many opportunities to contribute:

* March with Us! begins at 7:00/7:30 am at Pioneer Park. We will be singing in the streets of Salt Lake City for climate justice. Bring positive banners, colorful props and join the fun. The march will wind around to the Court House where Tim’s trial will take place starting at 9am.

* Meet Actress and Activist, Daryl Hannah. Hannah will host an intimate fundraiser close to the courthouse on Monday, Feb. 28th, where guests will enjoy sangria, tapas and inspiring conversation with the actress-activist. In honor of Tim’s action, guest will also have an opportunity to make bids of their own…and will leave with some Bidder #70 memorabilia signed by Daryl Hannah. $100 per person. Only 30 tickets are available!!

*Enjoy an intimate dinner and music with Peter Yarrow (Peter, Paul and Mary). On Monday evening, Feb. 28th, following the first day of Tim DeChristopher’s trial, Yarrow will host dinner for 15 in a private room at Faustina’s from 7:30-9:00 pm. Tickets are being offered from $1,000-$200. Please give generously what you can to help support our local efforts to improve our air and effect global changes for climate justice. On this historic day of the climate change movement, let Peter Yarrow’s music fill your soul as it has millions of others.

Details about location will be provided upon reservation. To reserve your space contact:

Steven Wood (Peaceful Uprising): 801-707-0688/steven.w.wood@gmail.com
Cherise Udell (Utah Moms for Clean Air): 510-306-6963/nomadicmuse@yahoo.com

If you cannot make any of these events but want to sponsor a ticket for a starving activist please contact Cherise Udell.

About Tim DeChristopher and Peaceful Uprising

www.peacefuluprising.org/climate-trial/frequently-asked-questions-bidder-70-trial
www.peacefuluprising.org/climate-trial#story

About Utah Moms for Clean Air

www.utahmomsforcleanair.org

http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_3db7825e-afe9-50dd-9924-2ff3fc96aacb.html

About Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment

www.uphe.org

http://www.countercurrents.org/moench200810.htm

Press Advisory
For Immediate Release
Feb 22, 2011

It’s high noon for the cause of clean air for the next three decades: Utah Moms for Clean Air calls upon DAQ to Serve and Protect the Public rather than Kennecott

Contact:
Cherise Udell, President, Utah Moms for Clean Air: nomadicmuse@yahoo.com

When: February 22, 2011 at 3:30 PM

Where: Board Room (Room 1015) of the DEQ Building, 195 North 1950 West, Salt Lake City, Utah

What: Today is the public hearing on Rio Tinto’s proposed alteration of the SIP (State Implementation Plan) to allow them to expand their mining operations. The clean air activist community, including Utah Moms for Clean Air, the Utah Clean Air Alliance and the Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment, will be out in force calling upon DAQ to deny the proposed modification to the Salt Lake County PM10 SIP.

Why: Utah Moms for Clean Air believes Kennecott/Rio Tinto is too cozy with DAQ and thus we can no longer trust this public process, which appears to be fixed in advance. DAQ’s declared mission is to “safeguard human health and quality of life by protecting and enhancing the environment.” Nowhere does DEQ’s mission state “and safeguard the needs of Utah’s industrial polluters” and yet that appears to be their priority. Utah’s air pollution is at times the worst in the nation – and every year between 1,000 and 2,000 Utahns die prematurely due to chronic air pollution exposure. Clearly, not enough is being done to clean-up Utah’s air and safeguard public health. We call upon DAQ today to prove through their actions that protecting public health is their number one priority.

Inversion season is nearly over and we can all soon breathe easier — at least thru spring. Summer heat, unfortunately, ushers in ozone season, but for now enjoy the blue sky and take some long deep breaths!

BUFFALO, N.Y. — University at Buffalo researchers are creating a new and unusual “app” for the smart phone: tracking air pollution.

Carole Rudra, PhD, UB assistant professor of social and preventive medicine, has received a grant to assess a person’s exposure over time to pollutants in an urban area — in this case, the City of Buffalo.

The study is funded by a two-year $440,247 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

A city’s air pollution varies from downtown to playground to kitchen table, making it essential to be able to track study participants’ location and collect data throughout the day. Smart phones equipped with GPS can do this very well.

“There are many ways to estimate air pollution exposures among humans,” says Rudra. “Many current methods are based on participants’ home addresses. These methods don’t take into account the fact that people don’t spend all day inside their homes. In an urban area, exposure changes significantly as people go about their daily activities.

“To overcome this limitation in a way that is convenient for study participants and feasible for future large studies, we will use smart phones to track study participants’ locations over 24 hours. Their location registers automatically, so they don’t have to call in or do anything else.”

The 40 participants in the two-year study will use their own GPS-equipped smart phones, such as iPhones or Androids, which will record their location several times a day during a three-month study period. Volunteers from Buffalo and surrounding areas will be recruited in two waves — summer 2011 and winter 2011-12.

Location will be defined by geographical coordinates, a system that enables every location on earth to be specified by a set of numbers. The researchers will check air pollution monitoring sites in various locations to determine participants’ exposure to a number of pollutants.

“Air pollution is associated with a variety of health problems, such as asthma, heart disease, lung cancer, COPD and other conditions,” notes Rudra.

“This project will develop a method that will improve our ability to estimate human exposures to air pollutants, and will improve public health by allowing researchers to more accurately measure human exposures and relate these exposures to health outcomes.”

The Department of Social and Preventive Medicine is part of UB’s School of Public Health and Health Professions

http://www.buffalo.edu/news/12240

Contact
Lois Baker
ljbaker@buffalo.edu
716-645-4606

White House Blog
So What Does the Clean Air Act Do?
Posted by Heather Zichal on February 09, 2011

Today, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In her testimony the Administrator highlighted the agency’s ongoing efforts to develop sensible standards that update the Clean Air Act, while ensuring that the landmark law continues to provide Americans the protections from dangerous pollution that they deserve. These reasonable steps will ensure that the air our children breathe and the water they drink is safe, while also providing certainty to American businesses.

Despite these pragmatic steps to implement long overdue updates, big polluters are trying to gut the Clean Air Act by asking Congress to carve out special loopholes from air pollution standards.

The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the necessary tools to protect our families from a number of harmful pullutants that can cause asthma and lung disease – especially in children. Weakening these standards would allow more pollution in the air we breathe and threaten our children’s health. We thought it might be helpful to refresh everyone on how this landmark law affects our country and protects our health.

160,00 Lives Saved
In the year 2010 alone, clean air regulations are estimated to have saved over 160,000 lives.

More than 100,000 Hospital Visits Avoided Last Year
In 2010, clean air standards prevented millions of cases of respiratory problems, including bronchitis and asthma. It enhanced productivity by preventing millions of lost workdays, and kept kids healthy and in school, avoiding millions of lost school days due to respiratory illness and other diseases caused or exacerbated by air pollution.

60% Less Pollution in Our Air, Strong Economic Growth and Lower Electricity Prices
Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has reduced key air pollutants that cause smog and particulate pollution by more than 60%. At the same time the economy more than tripled. And Since the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990, electricity production is up and prices are down. In 2009, electric utilities delivered 33 percent more electricity to U.S. households and businesses than in 1990, while nationwide electricity prices were 10 percent lower.

Benefits Far Out Weigh Costs
Over its forty-year span, the benefits of the Clean Air Act – in the form of longer lives, healthier kids, greater workforce productivity, and ecosystem protections – outweigh the costs by more than 30 to 1.

Benefits Far Out Weigh Costs
Over its forty-year span, the benefits of the Clean Air Act – in the form of longer lives, healthier kids, greater workforce productivity, and ecosystem protections – outweigh the costs by more than 30 to 1.

Heather Zichal is Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change