City of Glendale - News

Air Apparent

A list of things you can do to help clean up our air

Our air is precious, and we need take action together to ensure we preserve and improve air quality for future generations. It All Adds Up is a program made possible through a partnership with the city of Glendale, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency geared toward making Glendale citizens aware of the things they can do to help make the air we breath cleaner and the streets we drive less crowded.

To read more about It All Adds Up, click here. In the meantime, here are a few things you can start doing right now to help protect our air:

Trip chain more often. It's easy! Chances are, you're already doing it, combining your errands into one trip. It helps you get things done, and it helps reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. When you first start a car after it has been sitting for more than an hour, it pollutes up to five times more than when the engine's warm.

Take the bus or car pool. Even if you do it just once or twice a week, you'll reduce traffic congestion and pollution and save money. The average driver spends about 56 cents per mile including ownership and maintenance.

Have fun! Ride your bike or take a walk. It's a great way to travel, and it can help you and the air get into condition. Vehicles on the road create more than 25 percent of all air pollution nationwide. For short trips to work or short trips like local shopping or going to school, biking or walking may make great sense.

Care for your car. Regular maintenance and tune-ups, changing the oil and checking tire inflation can improve gas mileage, extend your car's life and increase its resale value. It can also reduce traffic congestion due to preventable breakdowns, and it could reduce your car's emissions by more than half. 

Get fuel when it's cool. Refueling during cooler periods of the day or in the evening can prevent gas fumes from heating up and creating ozone. And that can help reduce ozone alert days. 

Don't top off the tank. It releases gas fumes into the air and cancels the benefits of the pump's anti-pollution devices. So stopping short of a full tank is safer and reduces pollution. 

Telecommute. Work at home sometimes. You'll save time and money and reduce emissions and traffic congestion.

Know before you go. The Arizona Department of Transportation has a Web site where you can check traffic conditions on the Valley’s freeways. Click here to visit it now.