The Bay Area Air Quality Management District has issued a belated Spare the Air Alert for Wednesday after increased ocean breezes and a fog layer that were forecast to bring improved air quality have not yet shown up.
The alert is the fourth issued so far for excessive smog accumulation during the air district’s summer Spare the Air season that started in April, with the prior three coming on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday as the Bay Area experienced triple-digit temperatures and light winds.
The lack of a strong ocean breeze and fog layer prompted the district to issue the same-day alert to encourage people to limit strenuous outdoor activities and reduce solo driving.
Smog, or ozone, pollution can cause throat and chest problems and is particularly harmful for young children, seniors and those with respiratory or heart conditions, according to the air district.
To find out when an alert has been issued, residents can visit www.sparetheair.org, call (800) HELP-AIR, download the Spare the Air app or find Spare the Air on Facebook or Twitter.
I was out walking at 5:30 this morning… can’t say I felt any relief in the air… Maybe tomorrow.
So did anyone stay home from work or forego doing business if they needed their cars for transportation? There was plenty of traffic yesterday. My neighbor’s law service used the gas powered leaf blowers. They arrived in a pickup truck. I had errands to run. I drove. Did airplanes stop flying to spare the air? Did people stop using their appliances? I used my gas grill last night to cook dinner, and did a load of laundry, and ran the AC. I guess I’m a bad person.
Oops, I drove my big gas guzzling V8 car to work. I guess I will have to walk home…