Air Info Now: Activities

Activities

Online Games

Do I need the Flash Player?: You will need to have the Macromedia^® Flash^TM Player, version 5 or higher, installed to play the online games. We'll check to see if you have it, and the correct version, when you click on the game links. If not, we will direct you to the Macromedia download site where it can be installed for free.

A recipe for Ozone: Build ozone molecules from sunlight, oxygen, and vehicular/industrial emissions. Ground-level ozone (as opposed to the natural-occurring protective ozone layer) is a major component of smog... start building ozone.
CO Buildup City: Is an inversion layer trapping the pollution in CO City? Control the growth of CO city and the time of day, investigate air mixing and air temperature to see how pollution can get trapped... try it.

Lung Attack: Pollute these lungs and see what happens... take a deep breath.

What makes it BROWN? (pdf-file): Particulate matter is present in the air even though it might seem invisible.
Construct and deploy particulate pollution detectors.
The connection between convection and inversion. (pdf-file): Make smog in a shoebox or aquarium. See convection currents and temperature inversion layers.
Getting a handle on greenhouse gases. (pdf-file): Monitor your family energy consumption, calculate the amount of CO2 produced, and discover how changes in consumption can change the amount of pollution released.

Actions You Can Take to Reduce Air Pollution

50 Ways to Clean the Air

Drive less! ~ Telecommute or work a compressed week (4 10's or 9 80's) ~ Maintain your car; it'll last longer ~ Call the PDEQ Smoking Vehicle Hotline at (520) 622-5700 to report the Arizona license plate number of excessively polluting vehicles ~ When barbecuing, use an electric or chimney-type charcoal starter instead of lighter fluid ~ Support local clean air initiatives by letting your elected officials know how you feel about air pollution ~ Conserve electricity - electrical generation is a source of air pollution ~ Join a carpool - call 884-RIDE for free information on how to start a carpool ~ Bike or walk to nearby destinations ~ Save $1,000 a year by riding Sun Tran - call Sun Tran at 792-9222 ~ Rotate your tires ~ Combine your errands into one trip - a cold engine decreases efficiency by as much as 80% ~ Keep your air filter clean and get regular tune-ups - a neglected car can reduce gas mileage by 20% ~ Use a propane grill when barbequing ~ Make sure your tires are properly inflated - you can save $130 a year in gasoline costs ~ Trade your car in for a newer model - newer cars are more efficient and pollute less ~ Prevent fires ~ Don't "top off" your gas tank - by stopping at the click, you will reduce fumes that contribute to ground-level ozone pollution ~ Use your fireplace less ~ Avoid idling - in general, turning off and starting an engine uses less gasoline than letting it idle for more than 30 seconds ~ Turn the car off while waiting in line at railroad crossings and drive-thru windows ~ Clean the condenser coils on your refrigerator every few months - you can reduce electricity consumption 6% or more ~ Walk, ride bikes, roller blade, skateboard instead of driving ~ Make sure your car's air conditioner is working properly - leaky air conditioners in cars are the single greatest source of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), a greenhouse gas ~ Plant a tree ~ Insulate your home to use less energy ~ Use electric or manual lawn and garden equipment instead of gas-powered equipment ~ Read and learn about air pollution ~ Use latex paint to reduce fumes and clean it up with water ~ Reduce, Reuse, then Recycle ~ Buy and use recycled products ~ Use brushes or rollers for painting instead of sprays ~ Conserve energy ~ Keep dust down when digging or moving earth ~ Buy and use products in their non-aerosol form - propellants used in aerosol cans contribute to pollution ~ Garden organically ~ Select products with less packaging - packaging consumes energy when it's made, generates harmful volatile organic compounds when it's printed, produces carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide when it's burned, and generates greenhouse gases when thrown away in a landfill ~ Plant low-maintenance landscaping ~ Stay on paved roads whenever possible - driving on dirt roads raises dust which contributes to haze and airborne particulate matter ~ Caulk and weather strip doors and windows ~ Use fans to help cool - they use less energy than coolers and air conditioners ~ Take leftover and unwanted paints, automotive fluids and household chemicals to the Tucson/Pima County Household Hazardous Waste Program for proper disposal and recycling - call 888-6947 to learn more about it ~ Go solar for home and water heating - it reduces the need to burn fossil fuel ~ Use cold water instead of hot whenever possible - you'll use less energy ~ Know how air pollution affects your health ~ Watch for Air pollution Information in the newspaper and on television ~ Turn the lights out when you leave the room ~ Compost - you'll use less chemicals in your garden ~ Look for durability in products you buy and use, not just lower price ~ Share this information with others.