Breathe a Sigh of Relief –
For the new Air Aware online tool brought to you by the Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable
Quesnel BC – Spring is in the air, and soon everyone in Quesnel will be able to breathe a little easier with the help of the new online tool brought to you by the Quesnel Air Quality Roundtable.
Air Aware will notify people through email a couple days before an inversion will be taking place in Quesnel. Inversions are weather events that trap harmful PM 2.5 (particulate matter/air pollution) in our valley, making air quality during the inversion a health concern.
Once we know an inversion is coming, we can make certain choices for the few days leading up to and the few days during the high-risk period. This will help to minimize our contribution to poor air quality in our city.
Choices individuals are being asked to make when the Air Aware is posted:
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Rely on alternative heating sources to minimize wood smoke in the air.
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Commute to work by car-pooling, taking the bus, or telecommuting (working from home).
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Choose not to have campfires or burn yard waste.
Choices industry is being asked to make when the Air Aware is posted:
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Minimize travel in log yard to reduce dust transmission.
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Enforce idle-free vehicles at the worksite.
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Keep roads free from mud to minimize dust.
If we all take little steps toward making the air we breathe cleaner, the cumulative impact will be huge!
The Air Aware is free of charge and available to anyone with an email address. There are a few ways to sign up. You can email us at bces@telus.net, visit our Facebook page, or find us at www.quesnelairshed.org/. If you sign up before May 30, your name will be entered to win a great gift basket full of lots of great prizes including a $170.00 True Heppa Air Filter. For more information, please call 250-992-5833.