'Spare the Air Day' Issued in Bay Area as High Levels of Air Pollution are Predicted

Bay Area district officials declared the second consecutive "Spare the Air Day" for the region as temperatures are expected to rise this week, which is likely to increase levels of air pollution and smog.

Officials issued a Spare the Air alert on Sunday, and followed suit again on Monday because of the drastic rise in temperatures in the Bay Area. A mixture of high temperatures and low winds is expected to exacerbate unhealthy levels of ozone pollution if there's an excessive release of motor vehicle exhaust.

The Spare the Air program is administered by the Outreach and Incentives Division of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. The Air District is responsible for monitoring air quality in the nine Bay Area counties, using the U.S. EPA's color color-coded Air Quality Index (AQI) to then provide a daily forecast on air quality. The AQI aims to provide an easy-to-understand portrait of daily air pollution levels.

On Monday, temperatures in the nine counties are expected to span from the high 70s in coastal areas and up to 103 degrees for inland areas. Commuters who travel in and out of the area's major cities - San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose - were asked to drive less and figure out a more environmentally friendly way to get to and from work.

"To avoid unhealthy air quality and congestion on Bay Area roads, it's crucial that commuters find a better way to work than driving alone," said Jack Broadbent, the Chief Executive Officer/Air Pollution Control Officer of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), in this CBS San Francisco News article.

Most notably, the BAAQMD suggested that employees utilize the Bay Area Commuter Benefits Program, which aims to promote the use of alternative commute modes, reduce motor vehicle travel, and improve air quality. Employers with 50-plus employees are required to provide commuter benefits to their workers in order to better manage the area's daily commuter traffic. The program offers employers with four benefit options for which they must register by September 30, 2014.

Spare the Air is looking to fully immerse itself within everyday life, asking Bay Area residents to call their (800) number to find out when alerts will be issued. They're also encouraged to download the Spare the Air app as well as keep up with the programs Facebook and Twitter accounts.

As the environment begins to change and the population continues to increase, it's important that initiatives such as Spare the Air help notify people of alternative travel options to better the air quality by reducing air pollution.