Tips To Improve Air Quality
Good Habits Every Day
Ozone Action Tips
Ozone Action days are a great time to practice habits you can use every day to improve air quality and help discourage the formation of ground-level ozone. Also listed are tips to focus on during an Ozone Action day. Here are ways you can reduce the emissions that are culprits in ozone formation.
What to do on an Ozone Action day
- Refuel responsibly. Try not to refuel your vehicle on an Ozone Action day. If you need to refuel on an Ozone Action day, fill up in the evening when the weather is cooler and don't "top off" the tank.
- Reduce automobile use on Ozone Action days. Plan to carpool, use public transit, bike, walk, or work at home.
- Relax on Ozone Action days. Choose the lawn chair over the lawn mower.
Things you can do everyday to keep the air clean
On and Off the Road
- Take the bus or carpool. You'll reduce traffic congestion and pollution and save money. The average driver spends about 54 cents per mile including ownership and maintenance.
For more information, contact:
o Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) 313-933-1300
o Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) 866-962-5515
o Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) 734-973-6500
o RideShare 866-510-POOL
- Call 1-800-AAA-MICH or check AAA online for travel updates before you leave home so you won't get stuck in a traffic jam. Regular maintenance and tune-ups, changing the oil, and checking tire inflation can improve gas mileage, extend your car's life and increase its resale value. It can also reduce traffic congestion due to preventable breakdowns and cut your car's emissions by more than half.
- Try to refuel in the evening when the weather is cooler and don’t “top off” the tank.
- Don't drive with a loose or missing gas cap. A faulty cap can leak one gallon of gasoline into the air every two weeks. Drive your newest car. This vehicle probably has better emission controls than an older model.
- Park in the shade. Avoid evaporative emissions from your sun-heated gas tank while parked. Trip chain more often. Combining your errands into one trip helps you get things done efficiently and reduces traffic congestion and air pollution. When you first start a car after it has been sitting for more than an hour, it pollutes up to five times more than when the engine's warm.
- Ride your bike. It's a great way to travel and it can help you and the air get in better shape. Vehicles on the road create more than 25 percent of all air pollution nationwide. Walk or in-line skate instead of driving. They're easy ways to get exercise and they're easy on the air.
- Avoid idling. If you're going to be stopped for more than 10 seconds (except in traffic) turn off the engine. Every 15 minutes of idling costs you up to ¼ of a gallon in wasted fuel.
On the Homefront
- Conserve energy. It helps reduce the emissions associated with energy production.
- Keep the fumes down. Avoid using oil/solvent based paints, degreasers, or lighter fluids. Use water-based cleaning and painting products. Apply paint with rollers and brushes instead of sprays to cut down on fumes. Maintain personal watercraft and other leisure items; avoid idling. Mow the lawn with a manual mower. If you use a gas-powered mower, try to mow in the early evening when the weather is cooler.
On the Job
- Brown bag it at work instead of driving to a restaurant for lunch. Encourage your employer to buy and maintain fleets of energy-efficient cars and trucks.
- Spread the word. If everyone took just a few of these simple, easy steps, it could make a big difference because it all adds up to cleaner air. Order Ozone Action promotional materials to make announcements at work easy and awareness certain. Telecommute.Work at home sometimes. You'll save time and money, and reduce emissions and traffic congestion.
- Use teleconferencing technologies instead of driving to meetings. Ask your employer to install a bike rack for employees.