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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 the emissions during the peak daylight hours when ozone formation is most likely. Don't "top off" the tank, that is stop adding gasoline, after the pump has automatically shut itself off. This will avoid spills of gasoline 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 emit less air pollutants. Get a tune up a once a year tune up. After all it makes good economical and environmental sense.
Leave your car.
Take the bus, car pool, van pool, walk or ride your bike to your destination.
Conserve electricity.
When at home, set your thermostat at the highest temperature at which you are comfortable (try 78 degrees). When everyone is away or asleep, set the thermostat at a warmer temperature. Use a ceiling fan to circulate the cool air. Turn off appliances when not in use.
Cut it out.
Try not to cut the grass. Use hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment whenever possible. If you must use gas-powered equipment, wait until after 6:00 pm.
Know the Code
For your health's sake and for good air quality, make sure you are aware of the air quality forecasts. Air quality forecast are available on the NCDAQ website for the each day at 3:05 pm the day before. For Today's Forecast
Don't Burn Trash or Yard Waste
Particulate Matter Pollution is becoming a real problem in North Carolina. Outdoor burning will be prohibited in major metropolitan areas across the state when air quality forecasts call for high levels of air pollution in those areas. Read the Lastest
If everyone did just one of these tips on an Air Quality Action Day, we could reduce the air pollution in our area!
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