10 Things YOU Can Do to Improve Air Quality
Vehicles are the greatest polluter along the Wasatch Front, making up 50% of the emissions problem. While our vehicles are burning cleaner, the number of vehicles on the road continues to increase. But vehicles are only part of the problem. Below are 10 things that individuals and households can do to improve the air quality in Utah.
Change your vehicle use. Carpool, use mass transit, walk or ride your bike.
Travel less. Work from home, condense multiple errands into a single, thoughtful trip, or do without the item that would take you to the store.
Avoid idling. If your car is going to be stopped for 10 seconds or more—at a light, in a drive-thru or waiting to pick up your rider, turn off your vehicle. Not only will this cut down on emission expulsion, but you will burn more gasoline by idling more than 10 seconds than by turning off and restarting your vehicle.
If it is time for a new vehicle, consider clean-burning options.
Choose only appliances that are energy efficient when you are ready to remodel your home.
Demand that your local government time lights to reduce idling.
Move from a two-stoke engine to a four-stoke engine on snow blowers, lawn mowers and other small yard tools. Or move to electric options.
Replace old fuel containers if they were manufactured before 2009.
Swap out wood burning stoves with natural gas options.
Make air quality a part of the election conversation. This prioritizes the subject for the elected officials.
There is so much about living in Utah that is great. Together we can take the things that need improvement and make the changes needed. We must all do our part.