From the Desk of Linda Civitello-Joy, CEO
Breathe California
Golden Gate Public Health Partnership

Today I began an exciting journey! Thanks to our partners at Zip Car, I started on the LOW CAR DIET this morning. Along with about 20 others, I turned in my keys to ZIP CAR and will not be driving my personal car for one month.

I decided to personally join this effort because lung disease remains the 3rd leading and fastest rising cause of death in the USA, and because the health of our lungs is definitely impacted by air quality.

So as I go on this journey, I will keep you posted of what it is like. I have had all the excuses for not using public transportation:

• I live 4 blocks from a Sam Trans Bus Stop.
• Though I live and work in Daly City, I have places to go (often in SF) after work.
• I often get home after the bus lines have stopped.
• I visit my family in Concord / Benicia / Berkeley on the weekend.
• My hair will get messed up if I am standing out in the wind and fog.
• I have asthma and shouldn’t be exercising outdoors on spare the air days.
• After 30+ years of an office job, I am not in great shape.

Need I say more??? I am sure that in the past I have thought up at least another 20 excuses!

So how did my first morning go? I had to get to Justin Herman Plaza for a press conference, had to be there by 9:00 a.m. and had to look dressed up and camera-ready.

I left the house at 7:30 – the fog was very thick – so I went back to get an umbrella, which was good since it actually began to rain as I walked to the bus stop.

I almost got on the wrong bus. A quick call to 511 while waiting (to make sure I was going the right way) informed me that the bus would actually go east for a few blocks, though my destination was west. So I crossed the street and waited at the correct stop for about 6 minutes.

Soon I was dropped off right at the toll gate at the Colma BART station, with plenty of time to get a ticket, get downstairs and even get a comfy seat on the train. I made it to my final destination at about 8:40. It took me about 70 minutes. I think that with better planning and a bit faster pace walking, I’ll be able to cut that down significantly. Though there have been times when I drove in to the financial district in less time, when you add time for parking and then walking to the destination, I’d say it was about equal – but, hey, I enjoyed reading on the way in and had a very pleasant experience. Even though it was very damp, I arrived looking as neat and tidy as I would have if I had driven.

So give it a try yourself; I’ll let you know how I maneuver those visits with family, weekend shopping, etc.

By the way, did you have any symptoms over the last few weeks when our air was so polluted from the fires and hot weather? I did. It reminded me of why we must continue our efforts to promote clean air. I kept thinking that if our predecessors hadn’t fought so hard in the 1970s to get clean air laws in place, our air might be that bad all the time today. We have to be ever diligent to keep improving our air quality until we know it is acceptable for lung health. I survived the smoky air last week, but only with a course of heavy steroids – and many folks I know had to do the same.

If you’d like to get involved in our air quality advocacy or join me in giving up your car, give us a call or send me an email lindacj@ggbreathe.org. Zip Car makes it easy for you to rent a car for those times when you need to get somewhere challenging or carry more things than is practical on public transportation. In fact, if you sign up for Zip Car at www.zipcar.com using this promotions code: SPRING50, you will get a deduction on your membership!

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