Greening Austin Daily

Ozone Warnings

28th May, 2010 - Posted by carsi - No Comments

The Clean Air Force of Central Texas issues warnings when the levels of ground-level ozone in the air reach unhealthy levels. This has been happening lately, so it’s probably a good idea to keep an eye on the warnings each day. Unhealthy levels of ozone can be a lung irritant, which is especially bad for seniors, children, people with asthma, and people exercising outside.  Check their website for updates on daily ozone warnings. You can even sign up to get emails about the ozone warnings.  Although an ozone watch is in place, we haven’t yet reached unhealthy levels today. When the Orange Level is reached, it is recommended that “active children and adults as well as people with respiratory disease, such as asthma, limit prolonged outdoor exertion.”

Ozone is caused by human activities, and burning fossil fuels is the biggest contributor to ground-level ozone in Central Texas. The city has a website that gives all sorts of recommendations of things you can do to reduce ozone in our air, including green activities like driving less, carpooling, not letting your car idle, and taking the bus.

Also, on a related note, did you know that Austin Energy will give you a rebate if you purchase an all-electric vehicle? So awesome.