Spare the Air smog season begins

Millions of cars on our roadways each day remain the largest source of smog pollution and greenhouse gas emissions in the Bay Area. The Spare the Air campaign encourages Bay Area residents to drive less and look for ways to share, shorten, or change their commutes to help reduce smog, traffic, and gridlock in the region. The Air District already issued its first Spare the Air Alert of the year on April 27.

The launch of the Spare the Air smog season coincides with the start of the 2023 Air Quality Awareness Week, a nationwide campaign to increase air quality awareness and inspire people to take steps to reduce their contribution to air pollution. This year’s campaign highlights resources that spread awareness of air quality issues, encourages people to take action and incorporate air quality knowledge into their daily lives. 

Spare the Air Alerts are issued when smog, or ozone pollution, is forecast to reach unhealthy levels. Ozone can cause throat irritation, congestion and chest pain. It can trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs, and worsen bronchitis and emphysema. Ozone pollution is particularly harmful for young children, seniors, and those with respiratory and heart conditions. When a Spare the Air Alert is called, limit outdoor exercise in the late afternoon when temperatures and ozone concentrations are highest.

To find out when a Spare the Air Alert is in effect, residents can register for email AirAlerts at www.sparetheair.org, call 1(800) HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air App or connect with Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.

View press release(118 Kb PDF, 2 pgs, posted 5/8/2023)( English | 中文 | Español | tiếng Việt ).