California State University, Fresno has joined other organizations in the central San Joaquin Valley recognizing July 7-11 as Healthy Air Living Week and participating in the Commute Green in the San Joaquin Challenge.

Students, faculty, staff and administrators at Fresno State are being asked to join Team Bulldog and commute by walking, bicycling, carpooling, riding an electric scooter or taking the bus to help cut air pollution.

University President Dr. John D. Welty signed a proclamation pledging to take action to meet “unprecedented challenges in realizing clean air due to our perfect environment for pollution created by our national geography and topography.”

In joining the weeklong effort of the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, the university is helping showcase and encourage healthy-air choices Valleywide, the proclamation said.

The campus promotes improved air quality in many ways, including:

• Being a campus that is an arboretum with hundreds of air-scrubbing trees and the largest greenspace in the Fresno-Clovis urban area.

• Not operating lawncare and diesel equipment during afternoons and air ozone episodes.

• Planting drought-tolerant landscaping and shade trees.

• Operating on a 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. schedule during summer.

• Using solar photovoltaic panels to generate electricity. • Enhancing and accelerating tune ups and vehicle and equipment maintenance.

• Providing secure storage for bicycles to encourage bike use.

• Offering employees direct deposit of paychecks.

• Sponsoring lunchtime activities and providing on-campus food services.

• Providing alternative-transportation commute incentives.

An hourlong rally will begin at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 8, to add participants and to thank those already signed up by offering additional information and opportunities to win prizes. Campus community members who join Team Bulldog will be eligible to win a portable solar-power pack.

The Department of Environmental Health and Safety/Risk Management in the university’s Division of Risk Management and Sustainability is promoting participation by the campus community.