How Can I help Clean the Air?

Knowing what you do that contributes to ground-level ozone and adjusting your daily routine takes us all a giant step closer to cleaner air.

At Home

Mow in the evening. Lawn mowers are major pollutant producers and mowing in the heat of the day just adds more.
- Clean Air & Lawn Care
Don’t paint in the heat of the day. Avoid using oil-based paints, solvents and varnishes. Don’t use them at all on Ozone Alert! Days.
Go Native. You know rain gardens help water quality, but did you know native landscaping also helps clear the air?
- Native landscaping flyer

Drive less. Multiple trips multiply emissions. Carpooling, mass transit, biking and combining errands make for cleaner air. Driving less not only helps save the air, it also saves you money!
- Emmissions calculator (pdf) — discover just how much driving a car costs.
Don't idle your car. Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to air pollution. Studies have linked various types of vehicle emissions to asthma symptoms, cardiopulmonary disease, lung cancer and other causes of death.

Fuel in the evening. Filling your gas tank during the day adds to the buildup of pollutants. If you fuel after work — or better yet — in the evening, the fumes are dissipated much faster. Don’t gas up at all on Ozone Alert! Days.
Stop topping off your fuel tank. If you "stop at the click" you eliminate the possibility of spills and reduce the ozone- creating fumes that escape into the air at the same time. When you top off, you’re canceling the effect of the anti-pollution devices installed on gas pumps.
- Clean air and gas pumps flyer
Keep vehicles, lawn mowers, ATVs, outboard motors and jet-skis running efficiently. Regular maintenance and oil changes can reduce emissions by 50 percent.

Spread the word. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors about air quality. If everyone takes small steps and changes just a few habits, Kansas City can be on its way to cleaner air.