Spare the Air Day Set for Friday

For the third time this summer, The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is issuing a Spare the Air Day. On Friday, the district encourages everyone to drive less and reduce their energy use. There is also a no-wood-burning ban in place.

“A brief spike in temperatures tomorrow is expected to contribute to unhealthy air quality in the Bay Area,” Jack Broadbent, executive officer of the air district, said Thursday. “Unhealthy air quality can be avoided if we reduce our driving by taking public transit, carpooling, biking or walking to work.”

Automobile exhaust is the single largest source of air pollution in the Bay Area, added the district's Kristine Roselius.

"There are usually between 3 million and 4 million cars per day on Bay Area roads," she said.  "There are 5.2 million cars registered in the nine-county Bay Area region."

Here is a list of simple things the district advises the public can do to make clean air choices:

• Bike to work or around town.             
• Take public transit.              
• Work at home or telecommute.            
• Carpool and link your errands to reduce driving.             
• Avoid using gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers. 
• Reduce household energy use.
• Don’t use lighter fluid on the barbecue.              
• Avoid using aerosol spray cleaners, paints and hairspray.

Visit the Apple App Store to download the free Spare the Air iPhone application for alert notifications, local air quality forecasts, podcasts and several tools to help reduce air pollution.

To monitor current air quality conditions, visit sparetheair.org.