Clean air action day announced for Aug. 2

As Dane County gears up for a Clean Air Action Day on Thursday, Aug. 2, UW–Madison is taking an active role to help safeguard local air quality. 

To help reduce ground-level ozone levels, the university takes a number of actions, such as avoiding fueling and travel, if possible. And there are other ways that the campus community can reduce ozone-causing emissions.

On Clean Air Action Days, Madison Metro provides free bus service to encourage people to leave their cars at home.

Clean Air Action Days also provide an opportunity to promote awareness of a number of existing campus programs which encourage use of more environmentally friendly means of transportation.

For example, all UW–Madison faculty, staff and students are eligible for passes that allow them free, unlimited bus rides throughout the year. The university also provides a park-and-ride program, car and van pools, a free on-campus bus, flex parking, a bicycle program and a partnership with Community Car for a car-sharing program.

The university is a founding partner in the Dane County Clean Air Coalition, which called the alert. The coalition is a group of government agencies, businesses and citizens working to voluntarily reduce air pollution and ensure that Dane County continues to meet state and federal air quality standards.

During a Clean Air Action Day, university employees are instructed to postpone travel, keep tight seals on solvents, turn off delivery vehicles at every stop, and avoid "jack-rabbit" starts. Signs will be posted on fuel pumps, urging postponement of fill-ups, if possible.

In addition, grounds crews will refrain from chipping mulch and running chain saws, delay hedge-trimming or use hand tools, and limit mowing and using power equipment with two-stroke, gasoline-powered engines. Floor stripping, waxing and painting with solvent-based paints also will be delayed.

Schedules of ground crews are also changed to ensure that mowing is done with equipment with better emissions ratings.

According to the coalition, individuals can also help reduce ozone formation by taking some simple steps in their personal lives, such as delaying lawn mowing with gas-powered equipment and refueling of vehicles until after 6 p.m., avoiding overfilling gas tanks and reducing the use of air conditioning and lighting.

For more information about the coalition and Clean Air Action Days, visit: http://www.cleanairdane.org/.