It’s “Knozone season” in Central Indiana. As we approach the warmer summer months, you can get in the know about how to reduce ground-level ozone and improve air quality.
Knozone is an initiative of the City of Indianapolis Office of Sustainability to make Central Indiana one of the Midwest’s most sustainable, livable regions through education and resources for local residents.
What is ozone?
Ozone is a highly reactive gas in the atmosphere that is both natural and manmade. The ozone layer, approximately 6 through 30 miles above the Earth’s surface, protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun. However, when ozone develops at ground level, it can have negative impacts on air quality and human health. Ground-level ozone is created primarily from the reaction of manmade air pollutants with heat and sunlight, and is therefore more prevalent in the summer. It is the primary contributor to smog.
How can you help reduce ground-level ozone?
Air pollution can affect your health and the environment. Here are a few steps you can take to make a positive difference:
- Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation
- Turn off your vehicle engine when idling for more than 30 seconds
- Avoid drive-through lanes
- Combine errands into one trip
- Wait until after 7 p.m. to refuel your vehicle or use gasoline-powered lawn equipment to cut
down on evaporation emissions
If you want to be in the know about when ground-level ozone is present in Central Indiana, you can sign up for Knozone Air Quality Action Day alerts at www.knozone.com.
For more tips on improving air quality, visit https://airnow.gov/.
