Locomotive pollution worsens Chicago's
already unhealthy air quality
Railroads built Chicago, and over 130 years later few are aware that Chicago is still the rail hub of the nation. Over a third of all freight rail traffic cuts through the Chicago area and demand is expected to nearly double over the next 20 years. That huge presence and rapid growth of rail activity exacerbates Chicago's already unhealthy air quality.
Train exhaust contributes to both ozone smog and fine particle soot pollution problems at a time when the Chicago area fails to meet minimal air quality standards. These emissions increase cancer risk and are a particular concern for communities adjacent to busy rail yards. Particulate soot produced by diesel engines is also tied to increases in asthma attacks, heart attacks, strokes, and premature deaths.
Currently there are a few ways rail companies can curb their pollution including using cleaner engines, installing pollution controls and installing anti-idling technology. A company in Illinois manufactures "Gen-Set" or hybrid switcher engines that yield significant emission reductions. Installing diesel exhaust control technologies, such as diesel particulate filters, can achieve immediate and significant pollution reductions. Also, installing automatic controls can limit idling, reduce pollution and save fuel.
"Waiting to clean up rail pollution is unacceptable when these solutions are available today," said Brian Urbaszewski, Director of Environmental Health Programs at RHAMC.
Over the last year, RHAMC, in collaboration with the Illinois Campaign to Clean Up Diesel Pollution, has been building support for proposals to clean up Chicago area rail yard switchers. The projects are now competing for millions in federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funds, to be awarded by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning later this year.
Recently, Urbaszewski worked with the Clean Air Task Force to measure air quality in and around Union Station as well as alongside rail tracks. These measurements were chronicled by Chicago Tonight in their series, Chicago Matters, highlighting environmental issues in Chicago. View a clip of the show here.
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Women Inspired to Catch Their Breath
On May 1, RHAMC hosted the second annual Inspiration: A Benefit for Women's Lung Health at The Metropolitan Club in the Sears Tower. The event honored the lives of women and families affected by lung disease, and sought to raise awareness about the disproportionate affects of lung disease upon women.
Individuals honored at the event included Chicago journalist Mary Ann Childers, COPD patient advocate Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, State Representative Karen May, and Dr. Mark Talamonti.
Click here for more award recipients.
Almost 200 guests enjoyed a cocktail reception with entertainment by Spriorad Damhsa Irish Dancers from the Irish American Heritage Center. The event also featured a raffle and silent auction featuring items such as a round of golf at Medina Country Club, a weekend getaway to Michigan, and tickets to a Cubs game.
"Our generous contributors raised over $35,000 for the Catch Your Breath initiative," said Audrey Eisenberg, RHAMC's Director of Development. "These generous contributions enable us to continue our outreach efforts to educate women about their risks of lung disease, and help sustain research efforts to improve treatment options."
Proceeds from the reception support the Association's Catch Your Breath® Women and Lung Health initiative. More women die from lung cancer than any other type of cancer and more women than men are living with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S.
For more information about women's lung health issues, visit http://www.catchyourbreath.org/.
**Photo (left to right): Joel Africk, RHAMC President and CEO; Mary Ann Childers, Chicago journalist; Representative Karen May; Grace Anne Dorney Koppel, National Spokesperson for NHLBI's Learn More, Breathe Better campaign; Dr. Mark Talamonti, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine and Chairman of Surgery at Evanston-Northwestern Healthcare.
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State Plan Tackles the 4th Leading Cause of Death
On May 1 Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, in conjunction with the Illinois COPD Coalition, released the State Plan for Addressing COPD in Illinois at a press conference. The first of its kind in Illinois and second in the nation, the Plan outlines a statewide strategy to raise awareness and improve the quality of life for people with COPD.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), also referred to as chronic bronchitis and emphysema, affects over half a million Illinois residents, and is the fourth leading cause of death in our State. Nationally, it is also the fourth leading cause of death and is projected to be the third by 2020.
"Our goal is to increase public awareness and do more to combat COPD in Illinois," said RHAMC Senior Director of Programs and Professional Services, Stacy Ignoffo.
A number of medical experts and public health advocates spoke in support of the plan including: Dr. James P. Kiley, Director of the Division of Lung Diseases at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), Dr. Jeffery Glassroth, State Plan Chair, Dr.
Terry Mason, Commissioner of Chicago Department of Public Health and Dr. David Goldberg of the Cook County Bureau of Health Services.
Special Guest Grace Anne Dorney Koppel (left), wife of Ted Koppel, COPD patient advocate and national spokeswoman for the NHLBI's COPD Learn More, Breathe Better Campaign also shared her personal story.
For more information and to view the State Plan for Addressing COPD in Illinois visit http://www.copdillinois.org/.
Click here to view the Illinois COPD State Plan. (may take a few moments to download)
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Asthma Action Plan for Chicago launches campaign to
Take Measure, Gain Control
In observance of World Asthma Day 2008, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago is launching a new asthma campaign to curb the growing number of asthma related emergency department visits and hospitalizations in the Chicago area.
Our campaign, Take Measure, Gain Control, gives health care providers and patients the tools they need to properly assess and thereby control asthma. Because over 62% of children and 37% of adults with asthma had two or more emergency department visits or hospitalizations in the past 12 months, this is an important issue for 430,000 people living with asthma in Cook County alone.
To promote better management, asthma education materials and validated asthma control tools to evaluate asthma control will be delivered to healthcare providers in Metropolitan Chicago. The assessment tools are filled out by the patient or caregiver and consist of a few simple questions that let the healthcare providers know the status of asthma control in their patient. These tools easily establish a protocol for assessing control in patients which is put in their medical record for referral.
"Health care providers play an important role in establishing and maintaining asthma control and these validated tools give them a quick and accurate measure of their patients' asthma control," said Maureen Damitz, Senior Director of Programs at RHAMC.
The tools available are simple enough for patients or caregivers to fill out in the waiting room and will take the health providers only a few seconds to know if the patients' asthma is in control. While these tools are readily available to health providers, they are greatly underutilized.
To download the assessment tools and to learn more about the campaign, please visit our Take Measure, Gain Control web page.
