What You Can Do To Protect Yourself & The Air You Breathe

The American Lung Association encourages all Americans to get involved in the fight for cleaner air.  Here are some simple and effective ways you can help:

1. Walk, bike or carpool.  Combine trips and use buses, subways or other alternatives to driving.
2. Fill up your gas tank after dark.  Gasoline emissions evaporate as you fill up your gas tank and contribute to the formation of ozone, a component of smog.  Fill up after dark to keep the sun from turning those gases into air pollution.
3. Check daily air quality levels and air pollution forecasts in your area.  Sources include local radio and TV weather reports, newspapers and online at www.epa.gov/airnow/.
4. Don’t burn wood or trash.  Burning firewood and trash are among the major sources of particle pollution in many parts of the country.  If you must use a fireplace or stove for heat, convert your woodstoves to natural gas, which produces far fewer emissions.
5. Get involved in your community’s review of air pollution plans and support state and local efforts to clean up the air. Contact your local American Lung Association at 1-800-LUNGUSA to find out what is happening in your area and how to get involved.
6. Use hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment rather than gasoline-powered.  Two-stroke engines like lawnmowers and blowers often have no pollution control devices and can pollute the air even more than cars.
7. Tell your member of Congress to protect the Clean Air Act.  Let policymakers know that you want clean air. Send them an e-mail or fax.  Log on at www.lungusa.org to see how you can make a difference.
8. Avoid exercising outdoors when pollution levels are high.  Walk indoors in a shopping mall or gym or use an exercise machine. Always avoid exercising near high vehicle traffic areas.  Limit the amount of time your child spends playing outdoors if the air quality is unhealthy.
9. Encourage your child’s school to reduce school bus emissions.  Most buses use heavily polluting diesel engines; newer fuels and engines are cleaner.  Many school systems are using the EPA’s Clean School Bus Campaign to clean up these dirty emissions. Schools are also not allowing school buses to idle at the building, to keep exhaust levels down.
10. Contact your local American Lung Association for more information about air pollution, lung health and local air quality control at 1-800-LUNG-USA (1-800-586-4872), or visit www.lungusa.org.