CleanAIRE NC was founded in 2002 when a group of Mecklenburg County volunteers banded together to improve North Carolina’s air quality. First known as Carolinas Clean Air Coalition and then as Clean Air Carolina, creating community partnerships and engaging the public have always been cornerstones of our advocacy.

Over the years, the link between air quality, climate change, and public health became more and more apparent. Despite being invisible, air pollution intensifies the health outcomes of those already at risk and causes new health risks to appear. Marginalized and overlooked communities, typically low-income and minority, are especially vulnerable.

As our advocacy work expanded into climate change, we wanted to reflect this greater focus. So in 2021 we rebranded as CleanAIRE NC (Action and Innovation to Restore the Environment), redefined our mission and vision, expanded our footprint, and crafted a more unified story. 

Today, we focus on three powerful determinants of public health in North Carolina: climate change, air quality, and environmental justice. Through advocacy, education, and community-driven research, we are working to protect North Carolina’s air quality and ensure that people have clean air to live healthier, happier lives.