Ozone Alert issued for Wednesday, July 28
SkyCast forecasts poor air quality tomorrow
The Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Air Quality Program has issued an orange Ozone Alert for Wednesday, July 28. This alert indicates that an unhealthy level of ozone pollution, also known as smog, is expected tomorrow in the Kansas City region.
More than half of all emissions that lead to ozone pollution are caused by residents’ everyday activities, such as driving. Here are five simple actions everyone can take to help reduce pollution from driving on Ozone Alert days:
- Carpool
Contact friends or co-workers and share a ride to work, to the store or other appointments. MARC’s RideShare program provides free carpool matching through its RideShare Connection service. Through Aug. 6, employers across the region can sign up for the Green Commute Challenge, a fun contest that challenges employees of participating organizations to reduce their driving. Currently more than 42 organizations and 1,000 employees participate. Visit www.marc.org/rideshare/challenge to learn more and sign up.
- Take the bus
Bus fares on all regular routes are only 75 cents on Ozone Alert days. Use Google Transit, www.google.com/transit, to plan your trip; check www.kcata.org or www.thejo.com to view routes and schedules; or call the Regional Call Center at (816) 221-0660 for transit information.
- Bike or walk
Take a no-emissions approach to travel. Try to schedule walking and biking trips before 10 a.m. or after 7 p.m., and avoid prolonged exposure to outdoor air. Ozone pollution may cause chest pains, coughing, nausea, throat irritation and difficulty breathing even in healthy adults.
- Postpone errands that require driving
If the errand can wait, postpone a trip that requires driving until the next green SkyCast
- Postpone refueling your vehicle
Refueling vehicles can release harmful fumes into the air. If you must fill up your car, do so after 7 p.m. and stop when you hear the click. Overfilling the tank releases more harmful chemicals into the air, can result in spills, and can harm your vehicle.
MARC issues the SkyCast, the region’s daily ozone season air quality forecast, through its website (www.marc.org), and via Twitter (www.twitter.com/airQKC) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/MARCKCMetro). SkyCast information is also available through the air quality information line, (913) 383-7557, and many area media outlets.