One of the most important steps to reduce air pollution is to follow the laws and regulations that are in place to protect the air we breathe. In the United States, the Clean Air Act (CAA) is a landmark piece of legislation that has led to significant environmental and public health benefits across the country¹. The CAA requires states and EPA to set air quality standards for several hazardous air pollutants reported in the Air Quality Index (AQI), requires states to have a plan to address air pollution and emissions reduction, and also addresses problems such as acid rain, ozone holes, and greenhouse gas pollution¹.

Another way to reduce air pollution is to take action at the individual and community level. There are many things you can do in your daily life to reduce your contribution to air pollution. For example, you can:

• Choose a cleaner commute – share a ride to work or use public transportation².
• Combine errands and reduce trips. Walk to errands when possible².
• Avoid excessive idling of your automobile².
• Refuel your car in the evening when it’s cooler².
• Conserve electricity and set air conditioners no lower than 78 degrees².
• Defer lawn and gardening chores that use gasoline-powered equipment, or wait until evening².
• Burn less coal or switch to cleaner sources of energy such as solar or wind power³.
• Reduce or eliminate fireplace and wood stove use³.
• Avoid burning leaves, trash, and other materials³.
• Avoid using gas-powered lawn and garden equipment³.

These are just some examples of actions you can take to reduce air pollution. You can also learn more about air quality action planning by visiting this website⁴, which provides a template and video training modules for developing an effective plan for addressing a specific air-pollution problem.

I hope this information was helpful for you. If you have any questions or feedback, please let us know.