"Spare the Air" Day Announced for Third Straight Day

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has expanded the Spare the Air Alert to Thursday, July 12. This marks the fourth alert this summer.

The district officials are encouraging Bay Area and nearby residents to cut back on things that create additional pollution in the air. These activities include driving, using gas-powered lawn care equipment, using household aerosol products, or oil based paints.

Ways to reduce pollution would be to walk or bike to work. Also carpooling or using public transportation helps eliminate excess car pollution.

People who are overly sensitive to unhealthy air or who have breathing related health problems should avoid outdoor time due to air quality, especially in the afternoon hours. The hottest part of the day is when air quality will be at its worst. Smog can trigger asthma as well as cause throat irritation.

These unhealthy instances are a combination of hot weather, light winds, and clear skies that work together to create ozone concentrations that go above the federal health-based standards for clean air. For more information on Spare the Air, visit their website.

While Sonoma County does not have the same smog issues as the nearby Bay Area, helping increase the quality of our air is always a good idea.

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