Jack Shields Christensen

A Brief History Of Our Accomplishments

THE CLEAN AIR TEAM began as a self-sustaining group of volunteers who at first called themselves The Nonsmokers’ Rights Council Of Hawaiʻi.  An opening rally was well attended on November 15, 1975 at the Waikiki-Kapahulu Public Library.  Thereafter, meetings were conducted every Saturday for twenty-five consecutive weeks until May, 1976, during which time our objectives were defined and public service projects launched.

THE GROUP’S FIRST EFFORTS included the design, manufacture and distribution of badges saying Mahalo for not smoking and the printing of glossy red and white placards displaying the bold statement, FOUL AIR IS BAD FOR HUMANS. Next local merchants received free two sided, red, white and blue signs for their windows and glass doors, bearing the reminder, Thank you for not smoking while shopping.

IN MARCH OF 1976 we completed a supermarket survey on Oʻahu and The Big Island.  During this personal opinion poll 4,437 people waiting in checkout lines were asked, “Are you for or against smoking in food stores?” The final tally told the public, through the media, that over two thirds of the responding shoppers would prefer a total ban on smoking in food stores.

A FULL COLOR PHOTO-POSTER was printed in 1977 to help youngsters avoid the air pollution of ETS (Environmental Tobacco Smoke) forced on them by inconsiderate smokers.  This poster featured an appealing picture of attractive elementary school kids, all wearing colorful Hawaiian lei.  Above them were the words PLEASE DON’T SMOKE AROUND CHILDREN, and below the photo we placed a health alert: “Researchers have discovered breathing problems and acute respiratory illness are more frequent among children whose parents smoke in the home.”

DURING THE SPRING OF 1978 we announced our first statewide essay contest for students writing 200-250 words on the subject, “What I Think About The Child Protection Poster.”  Awards of $100 each went to winners in three age groups.  Later in the year another contest was open to everyone throughout the state, offering a $100 prize for the best slogan to foster courtesy on the part of smokers.  Among the 4,047 entries received, the winning slogan became a blue and white placard we distributed: Don’t put your cloud of smoke between us. This popular contest was repeated annually in December for twenty years.

AN EXTRA CONTEST was conducted in 1979 when we gave $100 for an original one line answer to the question, “Do you mind if I smoke?” Over a thousand entries were received during that thirty day competition, and our judges selected the quip: “Do you mind waiting until I finish breathing?”

AT THE BEGINNING OF 1980 The Nonsmokers’ Rights Council Of Hawaiʻi started the decade by changing its name to The Clean Air Team. As the 50th State’s most outspoken “clean air addicts” we produced Public Service Announcements for local radio stations.  These brief messages depicted smoking as the most common form of air pollution in the world — but also the most easily controlled in public places, through legislative measures.

IN THE OPENING MONTHS OF 1981 we produced our first 30-second television spot, followed by two 10-second spots in 1982, plus two more 30-second spots in 1983.  And for the next five years we continued broadcasting our TV and radio messages throughout the Hawaiian Islands.

FOR EIGHTEEN MONTHS DURING 1988-89 The Clean Air Team produced another series of 30-second TV Public Service Announcements for broadcasting as paid spots every Monday on Good Morning America over KITV-Channel 4, the ABC Network’s affiliate station in Honolulu.  Near the end of this long run of weekly spots, we sponsored a contest through the daily newspapers for an original 30-second antismoking script.  Over eighty entries were received, and the winner was awarded a $100 prize.  Soon this additional script was produced and broadcast.

WITH THE ADVENT OF THE 1990s we launched a weekly “Clever Ways To Quit Smoking” program on January 7, 1990.  Two volunteer Autosuggestion Coaches presented a free self-help method of personal behavior modification for individuals ready to kick the tobacco habit for good, without any will power.  This lecture is still offered as a single session presented afternoons by special arrangement.

DURING 1992 we distributed free copies of our Gross Greeting Card imprinted, “Please go outside to smoke and pass all that poison gas!”  Distribution of this humorous item continued through the last decade of the 20th Century until we brought out a give away Child Protection Post Card with its frank reminder, DON’T SMOKE AROUND KIDS — IT’S CHILD ABUSE. On the reverse side of the card we listed statistics about the harmful effects of drifting tobacco smoke on innocent kids who suffer sickness and even death from ETS-induced respiratory infection, breathing impairment and reduced lung function.

THE NEW MILLENNIUM found The Clean Air Team on the brink of extinction as our loyal volunteer workers needed to withdraw their valued services due to personal circumstances.  These few individuals have met and influenced many thousands of people while advancing our environmental protection objectives.  Outstanding efforts were rendered by co-founder Robert Boom, Alice Fraser, Larry Barth, Kevin Marshall, Janice Wilkerson, Captain Jim Ables (USAF), and Lieutenant Colonel Glenn Sammins (USArmy).

TODAY The Clean Air Team does not conduct membership campaigns or recruit new volunteer workers or solicit contributions toward the accumulation of a large general fund.  Funding is obtained exclusively from private tours and lectures presented by co-founder “Uncle Jack” Christensen to cover the cost of placing paid antipollution ads in newspapers with statewide circulation and to print informative handouts given away at free events offered to the general public.