Six 'Clean Air Champions' named

Breathe California of Sacramento-Emigrant Trails recognized six Clean Air Champions Tuesday for their work toward cleaner air in the region.

Reducing his carbon footprint, Folsom resident Tony Powers, 45, has biked about 10 miles a day to and from work for 16 years. A professional engineer and dedicated bicycle commuter, Powers worked with city officials and neighbors to make his community more bicycle friendly.

"I wanted to make the street just as safe and convenient as the bike trial," he said.

In May -- Bike Month - Power said he tries to get friends and colleagues to pedal to work. Of all the reasons to do it - getting healthier, saving money - it's just fun, he said.

Other winners include:

• Sacramento Country Day School junior Keelan Shaw-Connelly, who serves on Breathe California's Youth Advisory Board. She worked with a University of California, Davis researcher to monitor levels of fine particulate matter at a traffic-heavy downtown area and in a tree-lined suburban neighborhood.

• 9onF, an infill housing project, which promotes walking and bicycling by locating housing near transit, shops, restaurants and other amenities. Homes in the development reduce energy use through features such as solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling and power-pinching appliances.

• The Natomas Unified School District, recognized for innovative energy-efficiency programs, such as the use of bio-diesel school buses and buses with particulate traps to reduce emissions. The school's Safe Routes to School program encourages families and students to walk and bike to school. The school uses synthetic turf to conserve water and eliminate the use of polluting lawn mowers. Its green school features include low-emission paints and adhesives and an abundance of natural light.

• The Sacramento Area Council of Government, whose annual Million Mile May Program recruited more than 4,700 cyclists throughout the region and last year logged 926,683 miles. The program saved 17,653 pounds of fuel, and kept from the skies 5,216 pounds of air pollution and 343,022 pounds of carbon dioxide.

• Gary Federico, owner of Federico Beauty Institute, partnered with the Sacramento Municipal Utility District to build a solar-power system for his carports, and a recycling program for paper and plastics. His use of solar power will reduce CO2 emissions by 165,643 pounds, the equivalent of removing 14 cars from the road every year.

Call The Bee's Ngoc Nguyen, (916) 321-1041.