More than 150 students from Biology and Chemistry classes at San Diego High School conducted air monitoring and counts of truck traffic in the San Diego neighborhoods of Barrio Logan and Logan Heights on Feb. 28 and March 1.

During their truck counting exercises, students tallied an average of 100 trucks an hour passing at the corner of Crosby and Main streets and observed the levels of ultrafine particles in the air increase dramatically as each truck passed by. Diesel particulate is considered a Toxic Air Contaminant by the State of California. Crosby Street is a primary truck route, and parents at the 144-unit Mercado Apartments already worry when their children cross Crosby Street to go to school.

These field exercises were part of a special one-week course in which SDHS students investigated air pollution and air toxics and their impacts on the heath of children and families in San Diego neighborhoods. Environmental Health Coalition developed the course in conjunction with the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center, a center with scientists from the University of Southern California and University of California Los Angeles.

	Maria Moya, Co-Diretor of EHC's Toxic Free Neighborhoods Campaign, discusses the negative health impacts of air pollution during the classroom portion of the one-week program on air pollution and air toxics.
Paula Forbis, Co-Director of EHC's Toxic Free Neighborhoods Campaign discusses the imapcts of operations at San Diego shipyards on air quality during a student tour of Barrio Logan.

The course is supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). The Institute funds the EHC-University program to educate students and community residents about environmental health and environmental justice—the rights of all residents to live, work, play, and learn in a safe and healthful environment.

Andrea Hricko, Director of the Community Outreach and Education Program of the Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center, shows students how to record data gathered from the air particulate monitor.

Representatives of the California Air Resources Board share information about ARB's programs and field questions from students. During the next few months, ARB will conduct its own counts of traffic in Barrio Logan and Logan Heights.