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What's the Air Like?
Air quality affects how you live and breathe. Like the weather, it can change from day-to-day, or even hour-to-hour. Knowing what the current and forecasted air quality conditions are will allow you to plan your outdoor recreational and physical activities. There are three ways to keep up with air quality conditions.
- Find it on this website, from the "Current Air Quality" icon at the top of our webpages.
- Call the 24-hour Air Quality Hotline, which is updated hourly, at 477-2571.
- Sign up for our free e-mail notification and we'll email you daily conditions.
 Mow Down Air Pollution - On hot days, hold off using gas-powered lawn equipment until evening, to keep ozone forming emissions out of the air during the heat of the day.
Consider switching to manual or electric yard and garden tools. They work just as well as gas—but without the exhaust, maintenance and repairs.
Many yard and garden tools require gas, which often means storing gas. Be sure that gasoline is stored in a tightly-closed container, in a cool, dark place. Also, handle gasoline carefully to ensure there are no spills.
Compost - Start a compost bin for your food scraps and yard and garden clippings. Use compost in your garden to keep water in the soil, (which means less watering and less chemical fertilizer, decreasing polluted runoff). For more information on composting, click here.
Reduce, Reuse & Recycle!
Reduce - buy in bulk, remove yourself from junk mail lists. (www.newdream.org; http://www.optoutprescreen.com/), and take your own bags to the store. Reuse plastic bags, containers and spray bottles. Recycle magazines, newspapers, batteries, glass, cans and plastic. For more information on what can be recycled in the Spokane-area, click here.
Keep Your Home Cool - If you have air conditioning, set your thermostat higher, around 78 to conserve electricity. Program the thermostat to turn the AC off when you’re not at home. Close blinds during the day to keep sunlight from heating your home. EPA offers tips to save money while keeping cool during summer.
 Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs - CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) typically use one fourth of the amount of energy as equivalent incandescent bulbs, and last 7-10 times as long. Replacing all of your incandescent bulbs with CFLs is one of the easiest ways to conserve energy and save money in your home.
Be sure to properly dispose of used CFLs; they should not be thrown away in your trash or in your recycle bin. Call the recycling hotline for disposal options, 625-6800.
Be Green with Appliances
- Set Water Heater to 120- 130 degrees. Turn your water heater off at the breaker (for an electric tank) or set to “Vacation” (for a gas tank) when you will be gone for a day or more.
Keep refrigerator at 38 degrees and freezer between 0 and 10 degrees. Clean the coils once/month with a long-handled bristle brush or vacuum (unplug first).
Wash full loads of laundry with cold water – washing clothes in hot water costs about 20 to 40 cents per load and does not sterilize. Line dry clothing whenever possible.
Make sure dishwasher has a full load before using & air-dry the dishes by propping the door open.
Green Cleaning! - We do not have to suddenly rid our houses of all cleaners to be non-toxic immediately. However, if you implement one or two green cleaning recipes into your daily routine, it can make your home a much healthier place for less money.
 Heat with wood? - Spring and summer is the time to get your wood ready for the heating season. Firewood should be properly seasoned before burning it. Seasoned (dried) wood gives more heat and less smoke. Wood should be cut, split, stacked and dried at least 8-12 months prior to using. For more cleaner burning tips, click here.
Know About Asbestos Before Remodeling
Asbestos-containing products can be found in over 3,000 different building products. Regardless of the age of your home, be sure to learn more about asbestos and how to protect yourself and others. Click here for information on asbestos rules in Spokane.
Test for Radon - The Spokane-area is considered a "hot bed" for radon levels. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (smoking is #1) Testing kits are easy and inexpensive. For details, click here.
More on Indoor Air Quality - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a comprehensive webpage dedicated to indoor air issues. Another source for more information about indoor air, allergens and asthma, is the American Lung Association of Washington
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