In the News
May, 2006—The free, quality materials and positive messages behind It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air are "more important than ever" when it comes to finding effective, economical ways to inform the public about connections among transportation choices, traffic congestion, and air pollution.
That was the core message heard during a roundtable where 30 air quality and transportation professionals, representing communities in 20 states, assembled to talk about their experiences incorporating It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air into their public outreach and education campaigns.
The luncheon discussion, hosted by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), took place during the U.S. EPA/STAPPA-ALAPCO National Air Quality Conference in San Antonio in February. Roundtable attendees, who mostly were active It All Adds Up Community Partners, met face-to-face with their transportation and air quality colleagues and FHWA's It All Adds Up project managers to share ideas and opinions about the initiative and talk about future challenges and solutions.
"The roundtable provided us with a valuable opportunity not only to shake hands with our Community Partners, but also to hear firsthand what their needs are," said Kathy Daniel, an air quality specialist with FHWA and project manager of It All Adds Up.
Almost all agreed that, as they watch their budgets shrink, It All Adds Up is fast becoming a key resource for keeping their air quality public education and outreach programs afloat. Many credited their program success to the wide variety of free, seasonally-themed, commercial-quality marketing materials, messages, and support they get from It All Adds Up.
With It All Adds Up, "we can beg, borrow, and steal" at will, and create a strong air quality program that has national recognition, said Margee Chambers from Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority, Washington. "To get products, I always go to It All Adds Up first," she said, noting that she especially appreciates never having to think about the cost or hassle of getting reproduction rights, because all of the materials are free.
Chambers and others enjoy use of dozens of these free, commercial-quality items, including flyers, shelter ads, radio ad scripts, Flash animations, consumer fact sheets and quizzes, TV commercials, evaluation tools, and much more. A new assortment of Spanish language materials is also available. Click to access the It All Adds Up materials.
During the roundtable, Laura Artates from the Nashville Metro Health Department said she particularly appreciates the season-specific materials. "The seasonal approach is the most helpful part of It All Adds Up," Artates said. "It's refreshing and it's helpful to planning a good campaign and keeping our messages in front of people year round." Joni Brown from Air Victoria, Texas agreed, adding that when necessary, she can easily change a word or two to reflect the climate in her region.
The Partners also expressed keen appreciation for the diversity of materials that are available from It All Adds Up and requested that the selection remain the same—wide and varied. It also came out that, while some It All Adds Up products might not appeal to everyone, every item holds value and importance to someone. For example, when an attendee from Roanoke, Virginia expressed her indifference toward the It All Adds Up radio ad scripts, Susie Kapahee from Washoe County Health Department, Nevada, stressed an opposite point of view. "Don't you dare cut the radio ad scripts," said Kapahee who heads the Air Quality Management Division at her organization. "We use those scripts most of all." Similar discussions ensued about other It All Adds Up materials and services.
When it was time to offer suggestions for improvement, many participants said they wanted information and guidance on how to tap funding and earn transportation conformity credits for their outreach program. Others were anxious for more air quality fact sheets, and one requested just a link to the AirShare Web page.
"When we heard that people wanted to learn how they could earn conformity credits and get funding for their voluntary air quality education and outreach programs, we responded with a Q&A on the topic," Daniel said. "Now you can find out how one Community Partner is doing just that—getting conformity credits and Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program funds using It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air." Click to read the Community Partner interview.
Victoria Martinez, an environmental specialist with FHWA and It All Adds Up, said a new consumer fact sheet is also on the horizon. "In addition to the updated materials we will present this summer, we've decided to create a new transportation and air quality fact sheet." Martinez said the fact sheet will provide tips and statistics that Community Partners can use "as is" or incorporate into their collateral materials. "We know summer is one of the busiest seasons for those charged with developing air quality outreach and education programs. That's why we're here—to make the job a little easier."
