Cars and Air Pollution

In the Bay Area, the summer air pollution season normally runs from June through October. During this period, the Bay Area often experiences several days with high concentrations of ozone when it can be unhealthy for children, seniors, athletes, and people with respiratory problems to be engaged in outdoor exercise.

The good news is that ozone is a preventable pollutant. On high pollution days, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District issues Spare the Air notices to the public, asking them to refrain from polluting activities.

LOSE A POUND A DAY...

The majority of the Bay Area’s summertime pollution is caused by motor vehicles. The most effective way to prevent unhealthy ozone levels is to LEAVE YOUR CAR AT HOME! In fact, you can eliminate up to a pound of pollution per day just by not driving! Try other ways of getting around instead.

Transit — take the bus, train, BART or ferry to work. Call 511 for information about all local transit carriers. You may also call <Company Program Coordinator> at <Phone Number>.

Carpooling — join a carpool or vanpool and get to work faster in the HOV lane. Visit 511.org or call Solano Commuter Information at 1-800-53KMUTE to learn more.

Bicycling or Walking — walk or bike to your destination and lose more than just a pound of pollution! Check out the RIDES web site for helpful bicycle tips at www.rides.org.

Telecommute — work from home and spend those extra commute hours doing something fun!

OTHER THINGS YOU CAN DO...

Only one quarter of all automobile trips are commute trips, and many of the remainder are taken for nonessential reasons. Because a cold engine (one that’s been sitting for an hour or more) pollutes five times as much as a warm engine, a short trip to the corner store can cause half as much pollution as a ten-mile trip. If you must use your car, “trip-link” your errands to avoid multiple cold starts.

Finally, when and how you refuel your car can affect ozone, too! Ozone concentrations are usually at their highest in the mid to late afternoon. The daily emissions that result from pumping gasoline in the Bay Area totals approximately five tons of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) each day. During the summer months, refuel your car after dusk when it's cooler and ozone production has tapered off.

“Topping off” your fuel tank is never a good idea. Spillage adds about two tons of VOCs a day to our air.