Fairfield

While it is easy to envision contaminants spewed by wildfire smoke or plumes emanating from industrial smokestacks polluting our air, many everyday threats to air quality go mostly unnoticed. Rush hour traffic along the I-80 and SR-12 pose a great risk for pollutants, such as ground-level ozone and particulate matter, to reach the lungs of families living or working near the motorway. Testing by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District has found that the ozone and particulate matter concentrations in the Bay Area are higher than the state concentration standards. Both the visible and invisible air contaminants in Fairfield have played a role in residents being considerably more vulnerable to lifelong illnesses such as asthma and cardiovascular disease. Air pollution can make it dangerous for children to play outside, increases likelihood of developing chronic illnesses, and makes it harder to enjoy all that Fairfield has to offer. 

In January 2024, residents and high school students came together to envision a more sustainable and healthy path forward for Fairfield. During this meeting, participants discussed their experiences with air pollution, voiced their highest priority concerns, and decided on a list of actions the city should take to clean the air and beautify Fairfield. We encourage all Fairfield residents to read through the plan draft and provide feedback.

Rio Vista

Rio Vista has been relatively neglected regarding air quality monitoring and education. Despite relatively low ozone and particulate matter (PM 2.5) burdens as reported compared to other California cities, community members still face disproportionately high levels of asthma, cardiovascular disease, and low birth weights – all of which are correlated with poor air quality. One of the principal goals of the Rio Vista Youth Air Protectors is to work with residents to identify sources of air pollution in their neighborhoods and increase the air monitoring network, which had only one active Purple Air monitor at the end of 2024.

While the city has a relatively walkable downtown, the vast majority of Rio Vista is vehicle-dependent with very little public transportation. The average Rio Vista resident’s commute time is 42% longer than the national average (37.9 min compared to 26.7 min). The city is also heavily impacted by pesticide use and multiple types of waste disposal – each may play a role in Rio Vista’s public health and air quality outcomes.

The Rio Vista Youth Air Protectors will play a vital role in spreading awareness of and planting the seeds to address air quality concerns in their city. Through a combination of internships, Purple Air Monitor distributions, educational workshops, tree plantings, and community meetings, we hope to empower high school youth and adult residents to create a more breathable and equitable Rio Vista for all.