The three Arizona District Governors from districts 5500, 5510 and 5490 have announced their unqualified endorsement of a major project initiated by the Rotary Club of Phoenix (Club 100) entitled Pollution Free Planet. This innovative project is designed to unite all Rotary Clubs throughout the world in a movement to clean our air and is consistent with Rotary International's ten-year project, Preserve Planet Earth. 

"Air quality is a major issue in Phoenix," stated R. Craig Wilson, President of the club in Phoenix, "and, it is appropriate that an initiative emanate from here which will eventually spur the world to a cleaner environment." 

The vision of the group is "to provide all a pollution free planet through worldwide use of hydrogen and other renewable energy sources," said Bill Chase, chairman of the committee for the Phoenix club. He said, "Rotary has proven time and time again that it is large enough to make a difference in the world. We will do this too." 

Why Hydrogen? It's a question that should be on everyone's mind and "the answer is simple," said Ray Smucker, a past president of the club and one of the club's most vocal proponents of the concept. "I drove a hydrogen-powered car in 1943 in Dallas, and I know it works. Hydrogen is a non-polluting resource found everywhere and virtually in everything. When it burns the result is water, pure and simple." So, according to Smucker, the technology has been around for more than 50 years, yet we don't have many vehicles, other than space ships, powered by hydrogen." 

Why? Part of the reason is because the public does not know that the alternative exists, let alone is feasible. Another reason is that those who have heard of hydrogen associate it with disasters. But, is it really that dangerous? 

Roy McAlister, director of the American Hydrogen Association and advisor to Club 100, says "It is less dangerous than gasoline or diesel fuel when properly managed and if an accident should occur it burns faster and cleaner than either fuel. It does not pollute but dissipates quickly into the atmosphere never harming the environment like any petroleum product has, and will do again and again." 

"It is our mission," Wilson said, "to provide leadership to create widespread public awareness of hydrogen as a superior and feasible alternative to hydrocarbon-based fuels." He went on to say, "This is a grass roots initiative to awaken the public to the fact that an alternative does exist to the way we are doing things which is economically viable and has the potential of creating real wealth and considerable public good." 

Presently the club is organizing to provide speakers, articles, education and classes on all aspects of this exciting project. It even has its Interact Club working with MetroTech in Phoenix to certify professors to teach young mechanics the methodology necessary to convert cars, trucks, busses and even lawn mowers to operate efficiently and cleanly on hydrogen today, They believe that if they are successful in creating demand in the public, the supply will follow. 

The club is ready to provide Rotarians the materials necessary to become part of this movement. "We did it with Polio Plus and we will do this too," Wilson said.