invisible gas with the funny name is all about the upper atmosphere, it can create perilous health conditions right here on the ground. Ozone is nothing more than a mutated form of the oxygen that keeps us alive. Instead of the regular two atoms in its molecule, it has three. In nature, the action of the sun’s radiation is why, but it’s complicated.
Nine counties have been classi-
fied by the U. S. Environmental Protec- tion Agency (EPA) as having unhealthy concentrations of ozone: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall and Tarrant.
Breathing air that contains ozone can reduce lung function and increase respiratory symptoms, aggravating asthma and other respiratory conditions. Ozone exposure also has been associ- ated with increased susceptibility to respiratory infections, medication use by asthmatics, doctor visits and emer- gency department visits and hospital admissions. It may also contribute to premature death, especially in people with heart and lung disease. High ozone
CLEAN AIR TIP
Ozone Season is No Joking Matter O
zone season in North Texas officially began on April 15, and while many think that the
levels can also harm sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.
Inhaling ground-level ozone is es- pecially dangerous for people that have asthma or respiratory problems, and they may experience increased frequency of asthma attacks and health care needs. Young children may also be at risk for developmental problems associated with ozone exposure. Asthma rates have more than doubled over the last 20 years. People without respiratory problems or asthma can also experience health effects from ozone exposure such as coughing, throat irritation, pain, burning or discomfort when taking a deep breath, chest tightening and shortness of breath. There is an Air Quality Index that
the government uses for reporting daily air quality levels. It’s color-coded to indicate how polluted the air is and how to protect your health. Green: good, no action necessary; Yellow: moder- ate, unusually sensitive people should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion; Orange; unhealthy for sensitive groups, active children/adults and people with respiratory disease or asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exertion; Red: unhealthy, active children/adults and
North Texans help reduce ozone-forming emissions when they:
• Use mass transit like DART, The T or DCTA.
• Carpool or vanpool. • Combine trips. • Limit or avoid idling. • Obey the speed limit. • Bicycle or walk instead of drive.
• report smoking vehicles.
• Consider clean fuels and technology.
• Tell others about the importance of improving air quality. • Maintain vehicles by getting them inspected, keeping tires properly inflated and changing filters regularly.
people with respiratory disease or asthma should avoid prolonged outdoor exer- tion; everyone else, especially children, should limit outdoor exertion; Purple: very unhealthy, active children/adults and people with respiratory disease or asthma should avoid all prolonged out- door exertion; everyone else, especially children, should limit prolonged outdoor exertion. Nowadays, gas-burning vehicles cause half of all ozone-forming emis- sions. Other manmade emissions sources include cement and power plants, baker- ies, paint shops, dry cleaners, vegetation and forest fires. The North Central Texas Council of
Governments and Regional Transporta- tion Council have developed a list of the most ozone-producing activities for our region’s air quality, and these are things that the public has at least some control over. The list includes driving gas-guzzlers, cold starts, hard accelera- tions, high speeds, low speeds, excessive idling, diesel engines and vehicle miles traveled. It’s simple: lots of cars equal lots of ozone.
For more information, visit
AIRNow.gov. See ad on back cover.
28 Dallas Metroplex
www.NADallas.com
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