More than a dozen concerned Buena Park residents showed up at George Bellis Park on Saturday to do their part in keeping the community clean. Buena Park Councilwoman Dr. Elizabeth Swift were among those who walked through the park picking up litter, cigarette butts, soda cans and other items that can quickly make a park look like an eyesore.
More than a dozen concerned Buena Park residents showed up at George Bellis Park on Saturday to do their part in keeping the community clean. Buena Park Councilwoman Dr. Elizabeth Swift were among those who walked through the park picking up litter, cigarette butts, soda cans and other items that can quickly make a park look like an eyesore.
Students from Buena Park High School and other education facilities made their way across the playground and dog park to scoop up trash. The purpose is part of an effort by the American Lung Association in California and Community Action Partnership to keep the community clean.
The American Lung Association in California and Community Action Partnership joined forces with Buena Park residents on Saturday, Jan. 25, to clean up all cigarette debris and other trash throughout George Bellis Park in support of smoke free parks.
“When we are out in the field cleaning parks, we see substantial amounts of trash from cigarettes and tobacco wrappers,” Chuck Whitfield, Buena Park resident and Community Services Staff. “It would be nice to have smokefree and clean parks for Buena Park families to enjoy.”
The Buena Park City Council first discussed a smokefree parks ordinance last June, where they favored the idea with inclusion of designated smoking areas. The City Council will revisit this discussion during a study session scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11.
“The Buena Park ordinance should be 100 percent smokefree with no designated smoking areas,” Amanda Knitter, Advocacy Manager, American Lung Association in California. “This is the only way to ensure residents are protected from deadly secondhand smoke. Smokefree policies in parks, beaches and other outdoor recreational areas ensure children, families and all patrons are protected from the hazards of secondhand smoke and cigarette litter.”
Trash the Ashcomes on the heels of the release of the Lung Association’s State of Tobacco Control 2014 – California Local Grades report which issues grades for all 482 cities and 58 counties in California on local tobacco control policies. Locally, Laguna Hills, Laguna Woods and Santa Ana received the top grades in the region with an overall tobacco control grade of C. Buena Park received an F for its tobacco control policies.
“The State of Tobacco Control 2014 – California Local Grades report is designed to provide encouragement to local leaders to raise their grades,” said Knitter. “The Lung Association and Community Action Partnership are committed to helping cities by providing resources and access to healthy environments, and Trash the Ash is one way for us to engage the community to become healthy, active and smokefree.” To read the report and grades for cities in Orange County, visit www.lung.org/california
For information, the media should contact Amanda Knitter at 714-933-1011, or amanda.knitter@lung.org.
