CAPCOG is joining the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Weather Services in recognizing May 6 through 10 as National Air Quality Awareness Week and is encouraging local organizations including schools to participate by drawing attention to the region’s ground level ozone and particulate matter levels. It also will focus on bringing active, hyperlocal air quality awareness to more people.
“The national campaign this year is called ‘Know Your Air,’ and there is no better way to do that than to become actively involved in learning about the air quality at a place you commonly visit,” said Anton Cox, CAPCOG Air Quality Program manager. “Our Be Air Smart and Purple Community Project programs do just that.” The programs provide organizations such as schools, libraries, and social clubs with a simple, real-time air quality monitor that tracks particulate matter levels and uploads their data to a website for review. It also supplies participants with lesson plans and activities that help people understand their air quality. Organizations interested in participating can get more information at aircentraltexas.org.
CAPCOG will be sharing information about the national awareness campaign’s daily topics on social media; the topics are Monday – wildland fires and smoke, Tuesday – asthma and your health, Wednesday – air quality and climate, Thursday – air quality and environmental justice, Friday – air, animals and plants. Local organizations can participate by following @AirCenterTexas on X, Facebook and Instagram, or they can build their own campaigns with help from information at epa.gov/air-quality/2024-air-quality-awareness-week-toolkit.
Additional educational and outreach information about the region’s air quality can be found at AirCentralTexas.org.
