Air Quality Awareness Week, Friday: What Can You Do to Help Make the Air Cleaner?

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON SC
500 AM EDT FRI MAY 4 2007

...THIS IS AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK...

THIS WEEK MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE OZONE SEASON FOR MANY AREAS IN THE UNITED STATES.

TODAY WE HIGHLIGHT WHAT YOU CAN DO TO MAKE THE AIR CLEANER...

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WORK CONSTANTLY TO MAKE THE AIR CLEANER ACROSS THE COUNTRY THROUGH AIR QUALITY STANDARDS AND RULES TO REDUCE POLLUTION FROM POWER PLANTS... INDUSTRIES... CARS... DIESEL TRUCKS... BUSES AND CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. BUT YOU HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY TOO. ANY TIME YOU USE ENERGY... WHETHER IT IS GASOLINE... DIESEL... ELECTRICITY OR WOOD... YOU CONTRIBUTE TO AIR POLLUTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND COMMUNITIES DOWNWIND.

SAVING ENERGY REDUCES POLLUTION...AND IT CAN SAVE MONEY. USE THE FOLLOWING GUIDELINES TO HELP KEEP AIR CLEANER IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

YOU CAN HELP REDUCE POLLUTION IN YOUR COMMUNITY BY FOLLOWING THESE GUIDELINES. THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT WHEN OZONE IS EXPECTED TO BE UNHEALTHY...

- CHOOSE A CLEANER COMMUTE...SHARE A RIDE TO WORK OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. COMBINE ERRANDS AND REDUCE TRIPS.
- DELAY USING GASOLINE POWERED LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT UNTIL LATER IN THE DAY OR UNTIL DAYS WHEN THE AIR QUALITY IS BETTER.
- LIMIT ENGINE IDLING.
- GET REGULAR ENGINE TUNE UPS AND CAR MAINTENANCE CHECKS... ESPECIALLY THE SPARK PLUGS.

YOU CAN HELP PREVENT OR REDUCE UNHEALTHY LEVELS OF PARTICLE POLLUTION WITH THESE ACTIONS...

- REDUCE OR ELIMINATE FIREPLACE AND WOOD STOVE USE.
- AVOID USING GAS-POWERED LAWN AND GARDEN EQUIPMENT.
- AVOID BURNING LEAVES...TRASH AND OTHER MATERIALS.
- REPLACE YOUR CAR/S AIR FILTER AND OIL REGULARLY.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON AIR QUALITY AWARENESS WEEK...VISIT US ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT HTTP://WWW.AIRQUALITY.NOAA.GOV.

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