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Leave your car.
Take the bus, car pool, van pool, walk or ride your bike to your destination.
Take your lunch.
Or walk to a nearby restaurant - this reduces the number of vehicles on the road during the daylight hours.
Drive it right.
When you do drive your car, use cruise control whenever practical and stay within the speed limit. Avoid sudden stops and starts, and avoid idling for long periods of time. Plan your trips so that you combine short trips whenever possible.
Do it at dusk.
Postpone refueling your car until after 6 pm. This reduces emissions during peak daylight hours when ozone formation is most likely. Don't "top off" the tank after the pump automatically shuts itself off. This will avoid gasoline spills and unnecessary VOC emissions.
Stay tuned.
Keep your car, boat, and lawn equipment tuned up. Engines that are well-maintained are more fuel efficient and pollute less. Get a tune up a once a year. After all it makes good economic and environmental sense.
Conserve electricity.
During warmer months, Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable temperature (try 78 degrees). When everyone is away or asleep, set the thermostat at a warmer temperature. Use ceiling fans to circulate the cool air. Turn off appliances when not in use. Install compact-flourescent bulbs and energy-efficient appliances.
Cut it out.
Wait until after 6:00 p.m. to cut the grass on Air Quality Action Days. Better yet, try not to mow (using gas-powered equipment) at all on Air Quality Action Days. Use hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment whenever possible. Consider establishing landscaped/natural areas, so you don't have to mow as much.
Know the Code
For your health's sake and for good air quality, make sure you are aware of the daily air quality forecasts. Air quality forecasts are available at the NCDAQ forecast center. Sign up to receive the forecast by email.
Don't Burn Trash or Yard Waste
Open Burning is becoming a real problem in North Carolina. Burning manmade materials, including trash is illegal and dangerous. Burning trash exposes you, your family and your neighbors to toxic air pollution. Open burning also contributes to ozone and particle pollution. Outdoor burning is prohibited in air quality forecast areas on Air Quality Action Days (forecast codes orange, red, or purple). See the NCDAQ Open Burning Site for more information.
If all of us do a little, together we can do a lot to reduce air pollution
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