Jamie Korab
Curling -

1. HSBC Clean Air Achievers

This a classroom based, multi-media curriculum connected program provided free of charge to registered schools. The program has two main goals:

1. To reduce personal greenhouse gas emissions through decreased reliance on the automobile.
2. To increase physical activity levels through an increase in active modes of transportation.

HSBC/CAA targets youth in grades 6 to 9 (ages 10 -15) and includes a sophisticated website that allows participants to record their travel trips and find out how much greenhouse gas emissions (Carbon Dioxide) they have prevented by choosing more sustainable modes of travel. Our Champions launch HSBC/CAA in the classrooms with an inspirational orientation session, and wrap up the program with a congratulatory event. To view the CAA website, or to register as a teacher in the program please click this link: HSBC Clean Air Achievers.

This program is made possible through the generosity of our title sponsor HSBC Bank Canada and others including Honda Canada (silver level), the Ontario Government (Communities in Action Fund), and the Ontario Trillium Foundation (Ontario). We greatly appreciate these sponsors’ support and commitment to the program.

CAA will be implemented in major urban centres across Canada on a limited basis. The HSBC/CAA program will be available in French starting January 2008. For more information please contact the Program Manager at: allison@cleanairchampions.ca .

Our ultimate goal is to inspire youth to become Clean Air Achievers for life!

2. Stepping Ahead

Stepping Ahead (SA) compliments HSBC/CAA and is also a curriculum based, physical activity focused program for grades 6 to 9. SA is offered free of charge to schools in Ontario.

We encourage teachers to implement SA as part of their HSBC/CAA program as together they provide a fully integrated learning experience for students. SA focuses primarily on the physical activity skills associated with walking, running and biking; three of the most basic physical activities of Canadian youth. The goals of the program are to inspire youth to use these skills more often for active modes of travel in their everyday lives, as well as in their athletic pursuits. The program's main objectives are to:

1. Educate youth about active transportation, sport, nutrition and the environment and how individual choices have a direct impact on air quality and health.
2. Produce quantifiable results in increased levels of physical activity levels of participants.
3. Produce tangible reductions in green house gas emissions (measured via the HSBC/CAA website Trip Tracker).
4. Inspire students to participate in local multi-sport events (i.e. duathlon, triathlon, walking for charity, or a running race etc.) in their community as part of a personal goal.

Students registered in the HSBC/CAA program can record their active transportation trips on the online Trip Tracker calculator to see the total kilometers they have traveled, and the total reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that resulted through their active modes of transportation.

SA materials include a Coaches' Manual with a comprehensive 6 week physical education training program offered in 1 hour and 20 minute training blocks. Students are provided a pocket-size SA Log book to record their training and personal thoughts related to the main themes of the HSBC/CAA and SA programs. Included in these two books is information on nutrition, sports and green tips, and messages that draw the link between health and the associated environmental impacts related to air pollution.

Teachers who register for the HSBC/CAA program in Ontario are offered the SA program materials at no cost, on a first-come first-served basis. Others may order the manual and log books for a fee by sending a request to info@cleanairchampions.ca. For a sample of the Coaches' Manual and the Student Log Book please click here.

SA is made possible through the generous support of the Ontario Government (Communities in Action Fund) and the Ontario Trillium Foundation. For more information on the program please contact the Program Manager at: info@cleanairchampions.ca.

High School Climate Challenge (HSCC) launched in in 2008-2009 in Ontario and British Columbia. HSCC targets youth in grades 9 - 12 and its main goal is to educate, inspire and engage students to lead energy audits on their school buildings. In turn, these students will lead the challenge to significantly reduce institutional greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by implementing GHG reduction action plans.

• Youth teams who are trained in all aspects of conducting GHG audits at their school;
• Educational seminars delivered by our Champions on the key issues related to climate change;
• An online, automated GHG audit tool calculator that is central to the program. This tool produces quantifiable data on GHG reductions and 'what if' data projections on GHG reductions and cost savings;
• Opportunities for youth teams to take their experience outside the classroom by involving community leaders, school board staff and others; and
• Contests, national linkages, data sharing, and long term sustainability.

Champions' Role:
The Champions will be HSCC ambassadors and incorporate the project themes into a powerful message that includes personal stories and issues related to air quality, climate change and health. They will also play roles in the school audits and any events related to HSCC such as school board's or school events.

Building on Lessons Learned via our HSBC Clean Air Achievers program:
HSCC was developed in part to compliment our successful HSBC Clean Air Achievers program (HSBC/ CAA). It does this by building upon the knowledge the Achievers gained by tracking personal travel habits and in turn learning how to reduce their travel related GHGs, and increase their physical activity levels. We hope to see the HSBC CAA students progress by participating in the HSCC program and in turn learn about the built environment in which they live every school day. We will also be employing the HSBC/ CAA Public Trip Tracker tool for tracking transportation as this is one of the GHG indicators we will be recording under the HSCC program.

HSCC is a program of Clean Air Champions (CAC) and its Gold level sponsor is Honda Canada Foundation (2010-2013). HSCC is also funded by the Government of Canada, EcoAction as well as the Ontario Trillium Foundation.

For more information please visit www.climatechallenge.ca or e-mail Tricia Rande, National Program Manager tricia@climatechallenge.ca.

4. Air Aware

Air Aware is a national, curriculum connected program which aims to educate youth (grades 6-12) and adult audiences about the importance of adopting practices which enhance both personal and environmental health. It is offered at no cost to registered teachers across Canada. The Air Aware program features multi-media presentations by our Champion athletes who address themes related to air quality, asthma, and active living. Champions share personal stories and inspire Canadians to commit to easy-to-achieve behaviours, leading to positive reinforcement for sustainable and healthier lifestyles.

An important feature of Air Aware is the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). AQHI is the world's first index of its kind and was developed by the Government of Canada to help Canadians learn how poor air quality impacts health and how the index can be used to protect one's health.

The goals of the Air Aware program are to:

1. Educate → Connection between air quality and health issues, especially asthma
2. Promote → the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and teach Canadians how to use it to protect their health
3. Inspire → Active, more sustainable living and easy-to-achieve lifestyle changes

Air Aware offers a web 2.0 site, curriculum connected activities, online games, resources and includes an educational presentation about air quality, asthma, and active living by a Clean Air Champion. Curriculum Activities are provided in many subject areas including health & physical education, sciences and social studies.

For more information please visit www.airaware.net or contact our Air Aware Program Managers:

Angela Bernier (grades 6-9) → angela@cleanairchampions.ca 613-695-0920
Allison Cleary (grades 10+) → allison@cleanairchampions.ca 613-226-6786

5. Clean Air Champions' Presentations

Our Clean Air Champions are available throughout most cities and regions of Canada to be part of your school's activities or organization's events, as they relate to our mission. Our Champions are excellent at presenting the risks associated with air pollution and climate change, and the environmental and health benefits of an active lifestyle. They do this in an educational and entertaining way that combines fact with personal and inspirational sport stories. Who better to be role models for healthy living then one of Canada's top athletes?

The Champions' message offers simple solutions and easy actions everyone can take to reduce personal contributions to air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They emphasize active transportation (walking, biking or rolling) in place of driving the car as automobiles are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, and promoting physical activity is fundamental to our mission.

It is not unusual to hear one of our Olympians speak about their asthma and the serious challenges they face having to train and compete in polluted air, be it in their home towns, or in the cities they travel to around the globe.

To find out more about our athletes please click on Champions.

To book one of our dynamic Clean Air Champions click here.

6. David Suzuki's Play It Cool

7. Zero Energy Dinners

There are many ways to address climate change ranging from changing light bulbs to driving hybrid vehicles. We introduce one of the most entertaining, delicious, and relaxing ways yet ...

Zero Energy Dinners

What are Zero Energy Dinners (ZEDS)?

ZEDS are gourmet multi-course dinners that celebrate local and organic food and drink in an environment that consumes zero greenhouse gas emissions at all stages of execution. ZEDS are hosted in the finest establishments with award winning chefs. ZEDS are an opportunity to celebrate Clean Air Champions, our Champion athletes, programs and the team behind the charity, raise funds and thank our sponsors and supporters. 100% of proceeds go to Clean Air Champions' school programs.

• 6 course, candle-light, gourmet meal sourced local/organic and all smoked or raw
• Complimentary biological/organic wine from our sponsor Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery
• Our Champions - Olympians, Paralympians and National Team Athletes: ZEDS ambassadors who circulate throughout evening to each table of guests with each new course
• Auction of unique items including Champions' donations such as sport training days with Olympians

The Champions play a key role as the evening's ambassadors circulating tables to share their tales of travel and competition, and discuss current issues related to sport, air quality, health and the environment.

We are grateful to our ZEDS sponsors including Cono Sur Vineyards & Winery; the first winery in the world to be certified CarbonNeutral. This complimentary Cono Sur wine is produced using organic grapes and grown according to sustainable agriculture practices. We also thank The Metropolitan Hotels and HSBC Bank Canada for their generous support.

ZEDS is delivered in partnership with GreenNexxus.

For more details, please visit www.zeroenergydinners.com

8. Research & Development

Clean Air Champions often receives requests to provide expertise and representation on research and/or projects in development. The board of directors and staff are selective in choosing projects that align with our values and mission. Presently, the two main projects we are involved with include:

Kids Phase 3 - Transportation and its Impact on Children
Planning communities that consider the needs and aspirations of children and youth can foster active living and healthy environments. The Centre for Sustainable Transportation has developed Guidelines for municipalities to consider when they are planning new communities or redeveloping existing communities. Clean Air Champions' staff is part of an advisory committee working with researchers to provide direction and resources to the project.

As part of this research information booklets regarding the adverse impact of motorized transportation on children's health and opportunities to improve the situation for children are available on the Centre's web site. These booklets have been geared toward Educators, Health and Recreation Professionals, Municipal Staff and Politicians, Parents and Youth. The Booklets and Guidelines are available at http://cst.uwinnipeg.ca/completed.html (See Kids on the Move: Phase 2)

The Canadian Lung Health Framework

Did you know that lung disease affects one in five Canadians (six million) and causes one Canadian to die every 20 minutes?

Shocking isn't it?

Clean Air Champions (CAC) not only works at the community level to promote healthy lifestyle choices and reduce air pollution but we also are playing a role behind the scenes in research and development. Since 2006, our Executive Director has represented CAC as a member of a Steering Committee tasked with developing a National Lung Framework; a monumental task involving hundreds of stakeholders from across the country. The Framework is being spearheaded by the Canadian Lung Association. To find out more about the Framework and the progress made to date, please go to: www.lung.ca/framework. To link to the Lung Acton Centre, click on the logo.

9. Educational Kits – 'Getting Active for Cleaner Air'

This Kit, sponsored by Health Canada, is targeted at the 10-13 year age group but can be adapted for a wide range of ages. It offers educators and participants simple, fun, physical activity based games focused on themes of air pollution and health. The Kit's main objectives are to:

• Integrate the disciplines of physical fitness, health, and environmental education (specific to air quality issues) in a fun, active way;
• Instill in the participants an understanding and a sense of responsibility for both their health and the well-being of the environment in which they live; and
• Provide educators with a range of teaching tools, physical activity games, and resources related to air quality, transportation, and health and physical activity.

The Kit includes a dynamic, bilingual, colour poster featuring our Champions, an information booklet, 'I'm a Clean Air Champion' stickers, and five physical activity games with themes related to air quality.

NOTE: As of September 2007 we are out of stock of the hardcopy version of the Educational Kits. We hope to produce a second version once funding is secured. However, we encourage you to contact us at info@cleanairchampions.ca to place a backorder. We will do our best to meet your request.

CLEAN AIR GAMES

To view and print any of the Clean Air Games described in the Kit, please click here.