Starting With You

There are a number of things you can do right now to reduce harmful pollutants. Take a look! Take control!

1. Drive less - only 25 miles of driving puts a full pound of pollution into the air!

• Walk, bike, or skate to school, work, etc.
• If you have some distance to cover, take a bus, a train, or hop on a light rail vehicle.

2. Carpool if you must take a vehicle.

3. Plan ahead! Combine trips (go to the store on the way home rather than going home and then leaving again to go to the store). It saves on gas money too!

4. Drive wisely

• Use clean fuels.
• Keep your car tuned up and get regular oil changes.
• Maintain your air conditioner.
• Don't let your car idle for more than one minute - turn it off if you're waiting for someone or if you run inside a building for a few minutes.
• Use radial tires, properly inflated.
• Travel light, removing unnecessary cargo weight.

5. Avoid using gas powered lawn and recreation equipment

• Choose a push or electric mulching mower
• Use hand trimmers
• Hike, row, or sail instead of using powerboats, all terrain vehicles and jetskis

6. Cautiously use chemicals

• Buy products that come in pump-spray bottles instead of aerosols.
• Buy low-solvent paints.
• Keep chemicals tightly sealed.

7. Careful burning

• Don't burn trash or yard waste. Recycle and compost.
• Only burn clean, dry wood in your fireplace or furnace.
• Start your barbecue grill with an electric probe or use a gas grill - lighter fluid vaporizes quickly and can cause air pollution.

8. Be a smart consumer

• Use efficient appliances that do not use ozone-depleting chemicals.
• Only buy what you need. Manufacturing and transporting of retail goods creates pollution and waste.

9. Don't smoke!

10. Educate yourself and others!