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You Can Help Keep the Air Cleaner -- Every Day!
Air pollution can affect your health and the environment. There are actions every one of us can take to reduce air pollution and keep the air cleaner, and precautionary measures you can take to protect your health.
These guides will help you determine ways to protect your family's health when ozone or particle pollution levels reach the unhealthy range, and ways you can help reduce air pollution.
Transportation Tips |
Househhold Tips |
Lawn/Garden Tips |
Action Day Tips
![Transportation Tips](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090812224916im_/http://airnow.gov/images/transtips.gif) |
- Choose a cleaner commute — car pool, use public transportation, bike
or walk when possible.
- Combine errands to reduce "cold starts" of your car and avoid
extended idling.
- Be sure your tires are properly inflated.
- Keep car, boat and other engines properly tuned, and avoid engines
that smoke.
- Follow gasoline refueling instructions for efficient vapor recovery.
Be careful not to spill fuel and always tighten your gas cap securely.
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![Household Tips](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090812224916im_/http://airnow.gov/images/housetips.gif) |
- Use environmentally safe paints and cleaning products whenever
possible.
- Some products that you use at your home or office are made with
smog-forming chemicals that can evaporate into the air when you use
them. Follow manufacturers' recommendations for use and properly seal
cleaners, paints, and other chemicals to prevent evaporation into the
air.
- Conserve electricity. Consider setting your thermostat a little
higher in the summer and lower in winter. Participate in local energy
conservation programs. Look for the ENERGY STAR
label when buying home
or office equipment.
- Consider using gas logs instead of wood. If you use a wood-burning
stove or fireplace insert, make sure it meets EPA design specifications.
Burn only dry, seasoned wood.
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![Lawn and Garden Tips](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090812224916im_/http://airnow.gov/images/lawntips.gif) |
- Mulch or compost leaves and yard waste.
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![Action Day Tips](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20090812224916im_/http://airnow.gov/images/actiondaytips.gif) |
Days when ozone is expected to be
high: |
- Conserve electricity and set your air conditioner at a higher
temperature.
- Choose a cleaner commute—share a ride to work or use public
transportation. Bicycle or walk to errands when possible.
- Refuel cars and trucks after dusk.
- Combine errands and reduce trips.
- Limit engine idling.
- Use household, workshop,and garden chemicals in ways that keep
evaporation to a minimum, or try to delay using them when poor air
quality is forecast.
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Days when particle pollution is expected to
be high: |
- Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use.
- Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment.
- Avoid burning leaves, trash and other materials.
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This page was last updated on
Tuesday, July 14, 2009.
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