Spare the Air on Wednesday

The Bay Area Air Management Quality District issued for Wednesday its second Spare the Air smog alert in less than a week, urging residents to use public transit, carpools or bike or walk to work.

“Air quality is expected to be unhealthy again in the Bay Area,” said Jack Broadbent, the district’s executive officer, in a statement. “Hot temperatures and tailpipe exhaust contribute to unhealthy smog, so it is important that we all reduce our driving every day and take precautions to protect our health.”

Unlike some previous Spare the Air days, there is no free transit Wednesday and there is no wood burning ban in place. The district encourages residents to drive less and reduce their energy use every day so pollution levels are lower, preventing health alerts when temperatures are high.

Motor vehicle exhaust, gasoline vapors, industrial emissions and household chemicals contain volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides that combine with oxygen in the presence of heat and sunlight to form ground-level ozone. Breathing ozone can cause throat irritation, congestion and chest pain. It can trigger asthma, inflame the lining of the lungs and worsen bronchitis and emphysema.

Here’s a list of simple things the public can do to make clean air choices every day:

• Bike to work or around town

• Take public transit

• Work at home or telecommute

• Carpool and link your errands to reduce driving

• Avoid using gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers

• Reduce household energy use

• Don’t use lighter fluid on the barbecue

• Avoid using aerosol spray cleaners, paints and hairspray