What Can I Do to Help Reduce Air Pollution?

Every time we drive to school, use our heater or air conditioner, clean our windows, or even style our hair, we make choices that affect air pollution. These steps, as well as many others, are things we all can do to help reduce air pollution.

• Conserve energy – remember to turn off lights, computers, and electric appliances when not in use.
• Use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances.
• Participate in your local utility’s energy conservation programs.
• Limit driving by carpooling, using public transportation, biking and walking.
• Combine errands for fewer trips.
• Keep your automobile well tuned and maintained. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on routine maintenance, such as changing the oil and filters, and checking tire pressure and wheel alignment.
• Avoid excessive idling of your automobile.
• Use electric or hand-powered lawn care equipment.
• Be careful not to spill gasoline when filling up your car or gasoline powered lawn and garden equipment.
• Run dishwashers and clothes washers only when full.
• Choose environmentally friendly cleaners.
• Use water-based or solvent free paints whenever possible and buy products that say “low VOC”.
• Seal containers of household cleaners, workshop chemicals and solvents, and garden chemicals to prevent volatile organic compounds from evaporating into the air.
• Purchase and use low-polluting outboard marine engines and personal watercraft (4-stroke and direct fuel injection 2-stroke outboard marine engines).
• Advocate for emission reductions from power plants and more stringent national vehicle emission standards.

• Environmental Pollution Control – Water, Air and Land

  “This entire planet is our home. We are the only species that systematically destroy our own habitat.”- Marianne Williamson

  “One person alone cannot save the planet’s biodiversity, but each individual’s effort to encourage nature’s wealth must not be underestimated.”- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

  • Stop smoking or at least follow the “No Smoking” sign.
  • Use unleaded gasoline in your cars.
  • Keep your car properly maintained to keep it in good running condition to avoid smoke emissions.
  • Share a ride or engage in car pooling.
  • Instead of using your cars, choose to walk or ride a bicycle whenever possible. With this eco-friendly practice, you will also be healthier and happier by staying fit.
  • Never use open fires to dispose of wastes.
  • Adopt the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. Inorganic materials such as metals, glass and plastic; also organic materials like paper, can be reclaimed and recycled. This takes into account that the proven solution to the problem of proper waste management (especially in third world countries) is proper disposal (in waste bins for collection and not in the street where it could fall into drains), waste segregation and collection, and recycling.
  • Start composting brown leaves in your yard and green scraps from your kitchen. It will reduce waste while improving your yard and garden soils.
  • Reconnect with nature. Live green by using green power supplied abundantly and freely by wind and the sun. Hang your laundry to dry to minimize use of gas or electricity from your dryers. Enjoy fresh air from open windows to lessen the use of air conditioning system.
  • Patronize local foods and goods. In this manner, transporting goods and foods prepared with GMOs which uses fuel from conventional energy sources will be minimized.
  • Use eco-friendly or biodegradable materials instead of plastic which are made up of highly toxic substances injurious to your health.
  • Create your green space. Value your garden. Plant more trees and put indoor plants in your homes. They clean the air, provide oxygen and beautify your surroundings. Thus, care for them and by protecting them, especially the big trees around and in the forest, you protect yourself and your family, too.
  • Have a proper waste disposal system especially for toxic wastes
  • Take very good care of your pets and their wastes.
  • Never throw, run or drain or dispose into the water, air, or land any substance in solid, liquid or gaseous form that shall cause pollution.
  • Do not cause loud noises and unwanted sounds to avoid noise pollution.
  • Do not litter in public places. Anti-litter campaigns can educate the populace.
  • Industries should use fuel with lower sulphur content.
  • Industries should monitor their air emissions regularly and take measures to ensure compliance with the prescribed emission standards.
  • Industries should strictly follow applicable government regulations on pollution control.
  • Organic waste should be dumped in places far from residential areas.
  • Say a big “NO” to GMOs or genetically modified organisms. Genetically engineered crops are not only bad for the environment since they require massive amount of fungicides, pesticides, and herbicides; but GMO altered foods are also health risks and negatively impact farmers’ livelihood.