The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) declared an ozone Air Quality Action Day in Southern Indiana for July 17.
Who might this affect?
- Kids
- Older adults
- Those with respiratory diseases
Take precautions, such as limiting physical exertion outdoors.
Follow these simple pollution prevention tips to reduce emissions from daily activities:
- Carpool, walk, bike, or use public transportation when possible.
- Refuel vehicles after dusk.
- Avoid excess idling and drive-through windows.
- Consolidate trips and avoid fast-starts.
- Postpone using gasoline-powered garden equipment or mowing the lawn until late evening, when temperatures are cooler.
- Work from home to reduce vehicle emissions, if your employer provides the option.
- Use energy efficient lighting and appliances recommended by the Energy Star Program.
- Turn off appliances and lights when not in use to reduce emissions from energy production.
- Adjust your thermostat by turning it up in the summer and down in the winter to reduce emissions from energy production.
- Recycle to reduce emissions related to producing paper, plastic, glass bottles, aluminum cans, and cardboard.
- Use “low VOC†or “zero VOC†paint and cleaning products.
- Consider burning gas logs instead of wood to reduce smoke.
- Avoid burning clean wood waste such as leaves and brush. If possible, recycle yard waste by shredding or chipping it at home or use a registered collection site. Never burn trash.
