CAPCOG kicked off its air quality awareness campaign, Air Central Texas (ACT), for the sixth year to help people understand how to reduce air pollutants, limit health risks caused by poor air quality, and take action when air quality is at its worst, as the Central Texas Ozone Season started on March 1. Local jurisdictions and residents can participate in the campaign by following ACT on Facebook and Twitter and subscribing to the ACT e-newsletter as well as encouraging others to follow and share messaging all season long.
Ozone season is when ozone levels can become high enough to be unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children, seniors, adults with respiratory issues, and adults who are active outdoors. Such high ozone days are called Ozone Action Days and are when residents are encouraged to change their behavior to prevent unnecessary ozone generation, such as driving less, avoiding idling and conserving energy. These days can occur with less than a day’s notice, so spreading the word of Ozone Action Days is important to limiting harmful ozone generation and protecting the health of those in the sensitive groups. During the season, CAPCOG will update the ACT accounts with air quality information and post Ozone Action Day alerts. It also will run educational ACT radio, social media, and website advertisements and update AirCentralTexas.org regularly with new and relevant information.
Follow the campaign at facebook.com/AirCentralTexas, twitter.com/AirCentralTexas, or subscribe to the newsletter at aircentraltexas.org/en/about/act-newsletter. Another tool to be air aware during the season includes checking AirNow.gov daily, which provides real-time air quality index levels to communicate the amount of air pollution.
