Clean Air ‘Looking Up’ for Region

Ozone levels began to rise slowly in May, indicating that air pollution in the region should be taken into consideration. Since 1992, with the emergence of the Clean Air Alert Day program, the Central Oklahoma region has implemented a voluntary air pollution prevention program that has helped the metro remain in full compliance of all federal air quality policies.

Over 90 percent of Alert Days called in the past decade have occurred between July 1 and mid-September. Occasional high-pressure systems that linger over the Southern Plains sometimes intensify the situation and create multiple and consecutive Alert Days.

Recognition of air pollution issues in the state and region is fairly high. An annual survey conducted by ACOG over the past three years, indicates that over 70 percent of people recognize Clean Air Alert Days and take some form of action.

Among the more popular discretionary prevention activity includes:

·Over 54 percent of people surveyed, filled their vehicles with gas during the evening. Ozone is formed partially by sunlight, so by taking sunlight out of the equation, there is less of a chance to create pollution.

·When asked if they postponed mowing the lawn, 57.6 percent or people surveyed said “yes.”

·When asked if they avoided outdoor grilling with lighter fluid, 48.7 percent said yes.

·Over 43 percent or respondents said that they quit “topping” off the tank. Topping off the tank is a bad habit that people get into when they try to squeeze in the last few drops of gasoline to round out to the nearest dollar. It usually results in spillage and smelly shoes!

·When asked if they utilized public transportation, 13 percent of respondents said that they did.

Since the implementation of MetroTransit’s free bus rides on Alert Days, ridership generally goes up when compared to non-Alert Days. Throughout five years of ridership data, there is a general rise in ridership on Alert Days. Ridership increases on Alert Days is a positive indication that the program is having an effect.

A public education committee has been busy implementing a social marketing program for the region. The committee is comprised of a variety of partners including ACOG, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Chesapeake Energy, Devon Energy, OGE Energy Corp., the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, MetroTransit and ACOG member entities.

Currently, the public education program is involved with an ongoing electric lawnmower promotion with OGE. The promotion is being held in conjunction with Black and Decker and all seven stations in the Central Oklahoma Citadel Radio group. Traditional, gasoline-powered lawnmowers and lawn equipment (referred by the Environmental Protection Agency as non-road mobile sources) contribute up to 30 percent of total air pollution. Details on this promotion can be found at www.letcleartheair.org.

The committee’s buffalo will also come out of winter hibernation this month. Started last year, the Spirit of the Buffalo public art project involves over a hundred buffalo in various forms displayed throughout the region. Downtown Oklahoma City Inc. and the Bricktown Association are now administering the program, and the hope is that the buffaloes will emerge every summer through the state’s Centennial in 2007.

There will be more air quality programming throughout the summer. Communities and organizations needing information should contact Jerry Church, ACOG