BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The San Joaquin Valley Air District has some tips to help improve air quality in your community.
- Kern County's air quality is known for not being very good.
- But there are ways to help limit air pollution, which is a major factor when it comes to air quality.
- How much do you know about air pollution? Visit this link to the 23ABC Instagram post, where you can put your knowledge to the test!
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It’s Earth Day, and Heather Heinks with the Valley Air District says Spring is one of the best times to celebrate.
“Springtime… is a favorite time of year for us, simply because we find that we’re kind of in that inbetween mild area for air quality as well.”
And with Summer not too far away, Heinks says now is a great time to make some changes.
How much do you know about air pollution? Visit the 23ABC Instagram post below, where you can put your knowledge to the test!
According to the American Lung Association, Bakersfield is ranked the number one worst for annual particle pollution for 2024– this, out of 204 metropolitan areas.
But why is Bakersfield ranked this high?
“... We’re basically a valley, like a bowl,” says Heinks. “And there’s meteorology that acts like a lid and mountains around us. And when the weather is kind of tight over top and the mountains obviously aren’t moving, it holds everything in place. That means the pollution we generate on the ground here in the Valley stays with us.”
Particulate matter, or PM, is one of the factors the Valley Air District monitors when determining the size of particles in the air. There’s pm 2.5 and pm 10– both are measured in micrometers.
Think of a single strand of hair from your head. That would be about 30 times bigger than the largest pm 2.5 fine particle.
“The reason smoke is so scary is because of PM 2.5,” says Heinks. “Anything that combusts… will produce those flying particles… you breathe them in so easily that you can take them in through your lungs and into your bloodstream and it has a very adverse impact on your health. So we caution the public to avoid exposure to particulate matter.”
What are some ways the community could help reduce air pollution?
Heinks suggests making some upgrades.
One may involve your yard.
Gas-powered lawn mowers create a much larger amount of pollution compared to other options in the market.
“... One old gas powered mower running for an hour produces the same amount of emissions as 12 conventional vehicles,” said Heinks. “Can you imagine 12 cars driving down the road for just that one little mower.”
Heinks warns against car idling, which is when the vehicle is running while the car is not moving. For example, if you’re parked or waiting at a traffic light.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, you can calculate how much gas is used by an idling vehicle by multiplying the total minutes idling by the gallon per minute.
Using this math, a LDGV sedan that idles for 15 minutes would use 0.08 gallons of gasoline in that time frame.
While this number sounds small, think about it this way–
If someone idles for 15 minutes a day, in a year, that will be 29.2 gallons of gas.
Let’s say you paid $3.50 per gallon (which is more than a dollar under the current average in Bakersfield).
But at $3.50 per gallon, that would be $102– all for staying in one place.
“... Don’t sit outside the school for 30 minutes ahead of pick up time, because… you’re producing 'nox' out of your tailpipe. And that 'nox' is what bakes in the summer sun to become ozone,” said Heinks.
What are some ways you could help limit air pollution in Kern County?
- Plan a carpool or take public transportation.
- Talk a walk or ride a bike.
- If you have a gas-powered vehicle from 2006 or older, consider replacing it with an electric or hybrid vehicle.
- If you’re in the car waiting for the final school bell, turn the car off and save gas.
- Trade out your fireplace for an electric heat pump or natural gas insert.
Some of these changes may sound a bit expensive. But the San Joaquin Valley Air District offers grants to help you make these environmentally friendly changes.
Visit this link to view the grants offered by the San Joaquin Valley Air District.
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