Fresh Air Chico
Our Mission:
The city of Chico has an impressive park system, with local residents flocking to both community parks and Bidwell Park. The Chico City Council has already established the Downtown Plaza Park as a smoke-free zone, following a successful campaign by the American Lung Association in California. The Fresh Air Chico project is now focused on encouraging Chico's community parks to become the next recreational area to adopt a smoke-free policy to protect visitors from drifting secondhand smoke.
Click here to find out why drifting secondhand smoke is more than merely a nuisance and learn why it poses a health threat outdoors.
The idea of a smoke-free park is not to make people who smoke feel unwelcome. Smoke-free policies are designed to merely limit the area in which smoking is permitted and provide cleaner air for everyone. Another perk is that smoke-free park policies reduce unsightly cigarette butt litter.
Click here to read a letter to the editor from a Chico Junior High School student about why he believes local parks should be smoke-free.
Are you interested in joining the fight for a smoke-free Chico? Join the campaign today!
Learn More:
*NEW* CARD Smoke-Free Parks and Facilities
List of Municipalities that Restrict Smoking in Recreation Areas
Smoke-Free Parks Fact Sheet
Outdoor Tobacco Smoke Fact Sheet
Smoke-Free Outdoor Areas Fact Sheet
Click here to check out all of the cigarette butts the coalition collected at a recent park cleanup!
Fresh Air Chico in the News:
*NEW* Puff puff proposition: Vote makes all CARD parks smoke-free
CARD Board Adopts Smoke-Free Parks Policy
A Breath of Fresh Air
Chico Air Quality Given a 'D'
What You Can Do:
1) The CARD Board of Directors will meet in April to consider proposed new rules and regulations for community parks and neighborhood parks in Chico, including a “no smoking” rule. The meeting is on April 21, 2011 at 7 PM at the CARD Center.
2) Contact the Chico Area Recreation and Park District (CARD) at (530) 895-4711 and ask for smoke-free community parks.
3) Attend a CARD Board of Directors meeting and show your support for smoke-free parks. The Board of Directors meeting is held on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at the CARD Community Center.
You can also email the Board Members:
Fred Brooks: fbrooks@chicorec.com
Mark Sweany: msweany@chicorec.com
Ed Seagle: eseagle@chicorec.com
Jan Sneed: jsneed@chicorec.com
Jerry Hughes: jhughes@chicorec.com
3) Stop by the American Lung Association in California booth during local community events and add your name to our list of petition supporters who would like to see a smoke-free park system.
Chico City Council Updates:
Coming soon!
Contact Us:
Contact Christina at the American Lung Association in California for more information: croberts@alac.org or 530-897-4140