The Bureau participates in a wide variety of community relations events. From the annual Earth Day Celebration at Booker T. Washington to the Health Fair at UTC, we are continually looking for ways to connect and educate our community. Bureau employees are members on a variety of local boards including:

• American Lung Association
• Chattanooga Environmental Education Alliance
• Clean Air Campaign Committee
• EcoRescue

Clean Air Campaign Committee

The Chattanooga-Hamilton County Clean Air Campaign was started in October 2004 as a group of representatives from local government agencies, industry, the medical community, academia, and the public to make a difference in our air quality in Chattanooga-Hamilton County.  The primary goal of the Clean Air Campaign Committee is to develop a public outreach plan that promotes everyday activities that can result in both cleaner air and better health.

Art and Air Poster Competition

Air pollution is an environmental and human health problem in many areas across the United States. In Chattanooga, ozone and particulates are the predominant air pollutants and there are efforts underway by local government agencies to reduce those pollutants in the air that we breathe.

To promote public education about these pollutants, the Clean Air Campaign held a student art contest in May 2005 called "Art and Air," involving fourth, fifth and ninth grade science classes at the Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences. This unique program allowed the ninth grade students to teach their younger counterparts about air pollution. Science teachers Kristen Knight and Wendy Ross worked with representatives from the Health Department and the Air Pollution Control Bureau to design a program that consisted of lecture, video and discussion, including a component built around Dr. Seuss's book The Lorax.

After these sessions were completed, local artist Dennis Palmer worked with the fourth and fifth grade classes to turn their new knowledge into art. Their theme? "What my family and I can do to help keep the air clean."

All students who participated received a goody bag of donated items from sponsors (such as water bottles, notepads, etc). Of the entries, five winners were chosen and the first place prize was a bicycle, donated by ATTI and a helmet donated by Suck Creek Cycle. As an alternative form of transportation and a good form of exercise, the bicycle best represented the goals of the campaign. Other winners were awarded gift certificates and other small prizes.

The winning art was displayed on the side of CARTA buses!

Thanks to our community partners:

• Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga
• ATTI
• Ben & Jerry's
• CARTA
• CSAS
• Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department
• City of Chattanooga, Air Pollution Control Bureau
• City of Chattanooga, Regional Planning Agency
• City of Chattanooga, Tree Commission
• Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department
• David Andrews, professional photographer
• Dennis Palmer, professional artist
• East Ridge Cycle
• EPB
• Envirotest
• Marion Environmental
• McKee Foods
• Memorial Health Care, Health Place at Hamilton Place
• Suck Creek Cycle
• TVA Green Power Switch