Find SLO Car Free!

• Burn only "seasoned" and dry firewood.
• Don't burn: garbage, plastics, Styrofoam, rubber, waste solvent, paint, oil, treated wood, particle board, plywood, driftwood, coal and charcoal, and colored or glossy paper. They can produce noxious, corrosive smoke and fumes which may be toxic to your family and pets.
• Build a small, HOT fire first to preheat the firebox and chimney.
• Maintain your fire properly and refuel while the coals are still hot.
• Watch for smoke signals. If you see smoke out of your chimney, adjust your dampers or air inlets to let in more air. The darker the smoke, the more pollutants it contains.
• Once you are done with the fire, ensure it is put out completely. A smoldering pile of ash is a major contributor to indoor and outdoor air pollution. 
• Make sure to inspect and upkeep your chimney once a year. 

 Have a safe holiday season!

On November 17, 2011, Tim Fuhs accepted the Rodney Swartzendruber Award at the 2011 California Air Pollution Control Officers Association Enforcement Manager's Annual Conference. The Rodney Swartzendruber Award was created in honor of an inspector who gave his life in the line of duty, and is presented to a nominated individual who displays exemplary dedication and performance as an inspector in the pursuit of clean air. Tim was recognized for his work at the Air Pollution Control District for the past 20 years and his highly professional investigator skills on complex violation cases. 

Each holiday season, residential energy consumption increases while thousands of paper and plastic shopping bags end up in landfills. Both activities contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution due to the increased energy used to process waste and illuminate those merry light bulbs. Here are a few helpful tips to reduce waste, cut energy bills and preserve our clean air:

• Reduce the number of bags you consume and throw away by bringing reusable bags for holiday gift shopping. 
• Use energy efficient / LED lights and turn off or unplug holiday lights during the day. Doing so will not only save energy, but will also help your lights last longer.
• Plan your shopping in advance. Consolidating your shopping trips saves fuel and aggravation.
• Buy rechargeable batteries to accompany your electronic gifts and consider giving a battery charger as well. 
• Give gifts that don't require much packaging, such as event tickets. 
• Send electronic greeting cards to reduce paper waste.
• Recycle your tree instead of sending it to a landfill or buy a potted tree and plant it after the holidays. Check with your community solid waste department to find out if they collect and mulch trees. 
• Instead of wrapping gifts for kids, hide the presents, plant clues to where they're hidden and make the kids' search into a treasure hunt.
• Reduce "Food Miles" and buy food products that are locally grown or produced. 
• Encourage your out of town friends and relatives to travel here without their cars. SLOCarFree.org offers great discounts on Amtrak, hotels, restaurants, activities and more to help you travel green and keep some green in your wallet.

 

 

On Wednesday, November 16, the APCD Board took action and approved Rule 1001 to implement dust control requirements on coastal dunes where vehicle activity occurs. Over 30 interested individuals provided public comment on the proposed rule and the Board deliberated the issue for several hours. With the pass of Rule 1001, State Parks will begin to develop the Monitoring Site Selection Plan and the Particulate Matter Reduction Plan that are due to the APCD in the first half of 2012.