You may have heard of Knozone Action Days in Central Indiana, but you might be less familiar with what exactly ozone is or what you’re supposed to do when it hits peak levels. A Knozone Action Day means the air quality may become unhealthy for everyone, but certain groups including children and the elderly should avoid spending a lot of time outside. People with concerns about how air pollution affects their health should contact their doctor.
See below for things you can do on Action Days to help!
When you pump gasoline into your car tank or a gas can, some escapes as fumes. On hot summer days, these emissions can react with sunlight and heat to form ground level ozone. Refueling after 7pm prevents emissions from escaping during the hottest hours of the day when they’re most likely to form ozone.
Someday, hopefully soon, we may see our energy grid powered completely by renewable energies like wind and solar. Until then, anything that runs on power — gas, electricity, etc. — runs on fossil fuels at some level and releases emissions when used.
Letting your car idle for longer 10 seconds releases more emissions than simply restarting. Avoid heavy traffic times, drive-thru lanes, and any other idling on Action Days.
Walk, ride a bike, take public transit or hitch a ride with a carpool to prevent or minimize emissions from driving.
You’ll save emissions and time. It’s a win-win.
Some contain volatile organic compounds(VOCs) that may react with sunlight and heat to form ozone.
Central Indiana is our home. It belongs to all of us, and preserving the quality of our air is our shared responsibility. Pass this information along to your friends and family, and tell them about ways they, too, can make a positive impact.