As we start to get warmer spring weather and the ozone season approaches, many local and regional organizations step up their efforts to highlight activities that reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. And for this reason, spring is a popular season for a wide variety of national environmental, clean air and transportation observances, including:

• National Car Care Month in April
• Earth Day on April 22
• Clean Air Month in May
• Tour de Sol from May 10-14
• National Transportation Week from May 11-17
• Bike to Work Week from May 12-16

The It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air team is pleased to offer the spring season of resources to support your efforts to capitalize on these events and observances. The It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air spring messages are focused on the importance of car maintenance and exercise, and the materials we've developed make the link between these activities and improved air quality and reduced traffic congestion. The spring messages are: Care for your car, Care for yourself and Spread the word. The expanded list of initiative materials includes:

• A spring flash e-mail to promote the messages online
• A flyer to promote the messages at events and in mailings
• Seven print ads to support advertising campaigns
• Three radio scripts to use in a PSA campaign
• An online quiz to post on your Web site and/or on partner sites
• A press release template to use in your public relations program
• A list of event/activity suggestions
• Four outdoor transit ads for transit agency partners
• A sample newsletter article to promote your involvement in the initiative

And this spring, DOT and EPA will be busier than ever promoting the messages of the It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air initiative. Among the activities we're already engaged in around the country:

• Working with national organizations (including the Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations, National Association of Regional Councils, League of American Bicyclists, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Car Care Council and American Lung Association) to promote the spring messages and share their resources with Community Partners

• Providing information on the initiative and spring theme program at the American Planning Association spring meeting

• Highlighting the materials on the Web site and contacting each Community Partner to solicit comments and feedback on the initiative

• Offering technical assistance to Community Partners and national organizations, such as customizing the flash email

• Providing new research and evaluation tools to help Community Partners measure the results of this and other transportation and air quality public education programs

Spring, before you begin your ozone season activities, is the perfect time to set the objectives for your outreach program for the year and to get baseline information. The It All Adds Up To Cleaner Air Web site has new measurement and evaluation tools that will help you simply and easily measure your progress.

We look forward to hearing from you about the ways you adapt these materials for your community and about your successes in reaching your target audience(s). Please let us know if you have ideas for the future - we rely on you for feedback as we continually look for ways to improve the initiative. Please send us a note to let us know what you're thinking!