Sustainability Plan for University City - Revised 01-08-12

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Sustainability Strategic Plan for the City of University City, Missouri September 12, 2011/ REVISED JANUARY 8, 2012 Page 16 Air Quality/ Transportation Committee Members: Petree Eastman Donna Leach-Heimos There is direct linkage between air quality and the triple bottom line. Reduced vehicle use decreases energy needs, improves our economy (through savings in operation of vehicles and road construction) and improves our health and therefore social well-being. And, while air quality is not confined to the boundaries of University City, in order to improve Air Quality collectively, the City and Community must act locally. Approximately 30% of the CO2 equivalent emissions emitted within the confines of University City boundaries are created through vehicle use. Use of vehicles contribute to ozone which is a gas found in the air we breathe. In forms near the ground when pollutants (nitrogen oxides and Volatile Organize Compounds “VOC”) react chemically to heat and sunlight. Ozone pollution is more likely to form during warmer months, especially in St. Louis summers. Sources of VOCs come from four (4) main categories: Point Sources (large stationary sources(Power plants, chemical and major manufacturing sites); Area Sources (sources that when viewed individually do not have large enough emissions to warrant individual tracking, such as small business, gas stations, lighter fluid, painting); Mobile Sources (vehicles traveling on public roads) and Off-road or non- road mobile sources (aircraft, rail, marine vessel, construction equipment, lawn and garden equipment). For purposes of this subject area, only mobile and some non-road mobile sources (equipment use) will be addressed. Effect of electricity use in buildings will be discussed in the Energy Subject Area. The effect of bad ozone can not only cause global warming, but is a dangerous health hazard. When inhaled, even at very low levels, ozone can cause acute respiratory problems, aggravate asthma, cause a 14 to 20% decrease in lung capacity for healthy adults, cause inflammation of lung tissue, and impair the body’s immune system, making people susceptible to respiratory illnesses, including bronchitis and pneumonia. It is estimated that the health costs of air pollution is $50 billion each year with asthma costing more than $75 million in lost school time, work time, medicine and emergency visits in Eastern Missouri alone. Asthma prevalence has increased by more than 75% in the last 12 years and is the leading chronic illness among children. One of every 11 children under the age of 18 is living with asthma. St. Louis City and County have the highest rate of asthma hospitalizations and emergency room visits in Missouri. According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, there are 140,000 adults with asthma in the St. Louis Metro area. Some areas of St. Louis are estimated to have 15-20% of children who suffer from asthma, and up to 50% of children experience some type of asthma – like wheezing and coughing. St. Louisans make more than 6 million vehicle trips each day. Of these trips, 5 million are single-occupancy vehicles. In the Government Sector, based on our Employee Commute Survey in 2005, insert results here – Average Annual Commute,