CAPCOG, regional partners recognize Air Quality Awareness Week

CAPCOG and regional Air Central Texas partners are celebrating national Air Quality Awareness Week — May 2 through 6. The national awareness campaign reminds residents to check their local Air Quality Index (AQI), know when to take health precautions, and know how to help reduce pollution.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and National Weather Service lead the annual campaign and themed this year’s week — Be Air Aware and Prepared. Residents can follow the mantra by understanding that air quality can change daily, so it’s important to be aware of the real-time and forecasted AQI. Being air aware is even more valuable to sensitive groups which include children and teenagers, older adults, adults with cardiovascular or respiratory illnesses, and adults who are active outdoors.  Air pollution risks increase during the summer months because ground-level ozone forms in warmer temperatures and fine particulate matter levels can be high due to Saharan Dust.

The EPA and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) offer public resources to view local air quality levels known as the AQI, and the TCEQ also announces Ozone Action Day alerts when a region’s ozone levels are predicted to be “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”  Residents can register for air quality alerts at https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/monops/ozone_email.html or follow Air Central Texas on Facebook, facebook.com/AirCentralTexas, or Twitter, @AirCentralTexas, to be notified.

On poor air quality days, Air Central Texas recommends people limit strenuous outdoor activity and assist in reducing their air pollution to protect the public’s health. Reduction actions include:

• Setting air conditioners to a higher temperature and turning off lights, TVs, and computers when they are not being used.
• Avoiding the use of small gasoline-powered engines, such as lawn mowers, string trimmers, chain saws, power washers, air compressors, and leaf blowers.
• Biking, walking, or taking public transportation whenever possible.
• Combining errands and carpooling to reduce drive time and mileage.

Learn more about the air quality in Central Texas at www.AirCentralTexas.org.