Top Ten Ways to Get Square
There are many simple things that Central Oklahomans can do every day to "Get Square" and help reduce air pollution in the region.
Top 10 Ways to "Get Square" in Central Oklahoma:
- Gas up your vehicle at night. Ground level ozone - or smog - is formed when chemicals from car exhaust mix with sunlight. If you gas up when there’s no sunlight, you lessen the chance to create smog.
- Keep your automobile maintained. Cars that are tuned, with properly inflated tires and new air filters, not only use less gasoline, but they also run cleaner.
- “Trip-chain,” by organizing and combining several errands into one outing. Try to organize your honey-do’s and multiple stops all into one trip. It will save wear and tear on the car and keep the car from experiencing cold starts.
- Avoid lawn mowing on Clean Air Alert Days, unless you have an electric mower. Some gasoline-powered lawn mowers run for one hour emit as much pollution as a car driven from Central Oklahoma to Albuquerque, New Mexico!
- Ride the bus to work or school. On Clean Air Alert Days, the fare is free. Call Metro Transit at 235-RIDE for route information.
- Try not to “top-off” the tank when gassing up a vehicle. Gasoline spillage evaporates into the air. Topping off occurs when people want to squeeze an “extra few cents” of gasoline into a tank that’s already full.
- Carpool. Sharing a ride takes one car off of the road for every rider. It eases congestion and makes for new friends. For information on the Rideshare carpool matching service, call 235-RIDE.
- “Take a walk,” or ride a bicycle when possible. It’s good exercise and it can keep extra motor vehicles off of the roadways.
- Avoid drive-through windows at restaurants, banks, cleaners, etc. An idling engine can emit pollution into the air. Besides, most of the times, it’s faster to walk in and get personal service!
- Limit charcoal grill usage on Alert Days. Charcoal lighter fluid evaporates when it burns, causing chemicals to rise into the air.