EcoCamp in July and August featured a theme day, “ There’s Something in the Air”. This air-education day also involves talking about the importance of idle-free living and walking to school and shops for cleaner air.
– During the month of April, we set up an information table at the Quesnel Recreation Centre to reach children, youth and adults through colourful information displays, air quality colouring sheets and air quality brochures. Over a 2 week period we handed out 180 colouring sheets and over 100 brochures (this was our way to measure how many people we reached).
– From June 1-8 BCES ran the “Our Roads Our Health Challenge”. As part of this initiative, we collaborated with the Quesnel Economic Development Corporation and the Quesnel Downtown Business Association to display Anti-Idle signs in storefront windows. It has been brought to the attention of BCES that many people see idling in downtown Quesnel’s shopping district as a health concern and deterrent to walking and shopping (because of walking and breathing other people’s exhaust). To combat this and attempt to change idling behaviour, 10 businesses hung up the Idle-Free poster from June 1-8 (please see attached). Some participants had the posters hanging up longer than June 8. This gave Northern Health very good exposure in Quesnel as advocating positive behavior change with regards to clean air.
– As part of the “Our Roads Our Health Challenge” all schools in School District 28 were invited to participate in logging their kilometers saved during this week. The winning class saved 257 kms in total by biking, walking and walking to a fieldtrip! This class was awarded a pizza party.
– Coordinated free bussing on city buses on Clean Air Day (June 5).
Clean Air issues were featured on Shaw TV in May, 2013. Erin Robinson was interviewed and talked about the importance of walking, biking, or telecommuting to work.
– News Release in September to remind people of the importance of walking, biking, or carpooling to work and school. Encouraging people to walk and bike to work and to school, not only gets them more physical activity, but improves air quality by reducing the amount of particulate matter in the air from automobiles. All of these alternatives to driving in single person automobiles will decrease the particulate matter in the airshed of Quesnel; greatly impacting the health determinates affected by particulate matter.
4) West Fraser Timber Park Clean Air Outreach, September we set up information signs about clean air and an information table with short “did you know” facts about cycling, air quality, telecommuting, and other facts about healthy choices. BCES set up an information table from 2pm-6pm at West Fraser Timber Park. This is where people could collect the “Clean Air Passport” and fill it in based on the information they read on the signs. All participants had their name entered in a draw to win prizes. Prizes included: a limited edition art print valued at $250.00, a backpack from Rocky Peak Adventure (Valued at 111.00 and purchased with Imagine funds), a “Clean Air” pen, flashlight and tire pressure gage set (In kind- BCES), a digital moisture metre (In kind- BCES), and a woodstove thermometer (In kind- BCES), a ball cal (in kind Rocky Peak), a water bottle and bike mount (In kind Rocky Peak), smart wool socks (in kind Rocky Peak). Total In kind from Rocky Peak valued at $60.00.