The American Lung Association of Illinois worked with over 1300 grade school students from an 8 county area to explore their environment and learn how to protect it during Conservation Stewardship Week. In a recent hands-on workshop, students had the opportunity to take part in discussions regarding automobile use with regard to air pollution. Most children and teachers were surprised to learn that according to the EPA, driving an automobile is probably a person's most "polluting" daily activity. They were also surprised that the pollutant is caused by all internal combustion engines that are fueled by gas or diesel fuels.

A dozen children were chosen for each 32 20-minute sessions entitled, "Cooking with E85" to help demonstrate the process of making an alternative fuel made from corn called E85. As the interactive poster-boards detailed, the process began with a farmer growing corn and selling it to an ethanol production plant and ended with the oxygen and carbon dioxide being returned to the environment to be used once again by the corn plant.

Discussion centered on asthma and the need to breathe clean air. According to the American Lung Association, asthma is the sixth ranked chronic health condition in the United States and the leading chronic long-term illness of children. Kids with asthma spoke about how air pollution affects them. Student observations and personal stories were discussed regarding the production and use of alternative fuels and children’s health. This activity was useful in teaching students how to care for their health and do their part in reducing air pollution problems in their communities.

In 2003, approximately 20 million Americans had asthma and the condition accounted for an estimated 12.8 million lost school days in children and 24.5 million lost work days in adults. The American Lung Association encourages Americans to identify and reduce exposure to harmful environmental triggers that contribute to asthma.