The American Lung Association’s 2008 State of the Air Report found that about one-third of people in the U.S. live an an area with unhealthful levels of ground-level ozone pollution. Ozone pollution, which forms when emissions from vehicles, yard care equipment, and other sources react with heat and sunlight, can cause health problems for kids and adults suffering from asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.
Viewer Tip: You can help protect air quality at home by taking simple steps to reduce backyard emissions. Make sure that lawn mowers and other gas-powered equipment are functioning properly, and use the correct fuel-oil mixture in two-stroke equipment for maximum efficiency. Try to mow during cooler parts of the day – early morning or evening – when ozone pollution is less likely to form. And, if you have a small job, consider using hand-powered tools such as push mowers and hand clippers to eliminate emissions completely!
(Source: The American Lung Association. 2008. “State of the Air.” http://www.stateoftheair.org/; U.S. EPA Office of Mobile Sources. “Your Yard andClean Air.” http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/19-yard.pdf.)