The Spare the Air program was established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in order to reduce air pollution and to alert the public when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy.

During the summer, ozone pollution, or smog, can become a health problem in the Bay Area. Residents are urged to walk, bike, carpool, or take transit instead of driving alone, not just during Spare the Air Alerts, but regularly in order to reduce overall pollution.

During the winter, concentrations of particulate matter, or soot, can reach unhealthy levels. Between November and the end of February, the Air District will issue a Winter Spare the Air Alert which prohibits burning wood, firelogs or pellets in fireplaces, woodstoves, or outdoor fire pits, when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy.

To learn more about simple actions you can take to prevent air pollution and to sign up for email notification of Spare the Air Alerts, visit www.sparetheair.org. Information is also available in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog and Vietnamese at www.sparetheairnow.org.