Millions of people in Texas have been told to avoid driving in certain cities to help fight high ozone pollution. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) issued several Ozone Action Day alerts for Wednesday of this week.
One of the alerts covers the Houston, Galveston, and Brazoria areas, where the National Weather Service (NWS) says, “atmospheric conditions are expected to be favorable for producing high levels of ozone pollution.” A reduction in driving has been proposed to eliminate the problem.
Residents Are Asked Not To Drive
Members of the community have been asked to stop driving just for the day and instead find different modes of transportation, such as walking or cycling.
The TCEQ published the following statement: “You can help prevent ozone pollution by sharing a ride, walking, riding a bicycle, taking your lunch to work, avoiding drive-through lanes, conserving energy, and keeping your vehicle properly tuned.”
Action Listed Elsewhere in Texas
The Ozone Action Day also issued a separate action on Wednesday for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
The TCEQ stated some of the reasons for the alert on their website. Ozone, or smog, is formed in the atmosphere and that “summer days in Texas can be conducive for ozone formation as high-pressure systems dominate local weather patterns, giving [the state] clear skies and stagnant winds.”
The Concern of Ozone
The TCEQ website also states that, “Ozone mainly forms in the highest concentrations on warm, sunny days with light wind speeds and low relative humidity which allows more of the pollutant to form and accumulate.”
Some of the major causes of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are from vehicle exhaust and gasoline vapors. The chemical reaction between these compounds causes ground-level ozone when hit by sunlight.
What Is Ground-Level Ozone?
The group also mentions that ground-level ozone can be more harmful than ozone or smog located higher in the atmosphere.
“Ground-level ozone is of particular importance because it is a respiratory toxic agent that can cause acute respiratory health effects when people breathe high concentrations of it over several hours. These effects include decreased lung function and pain with deep breaths, and aggravated asthma symptoms.”
Rising Heat Is to Blame
One of the major causes of the Earth’s ozone is the rapidly rising temperatures. As the heat index increases, more light burns through the outer atmosphere to reach the surface of Earth.
The result then has a circular effect; the rising temperatures increase the hole in the ozone and then increase the temperatures even more of Earth. Warmer temperatures make life more unbearable and unlivable on Earth and in the oceans, where marine life often die at elevated temperatures.
How Do Ozone Action Days Get Decided?
Meteorologists, people who track and study the weather, are actually in charge of designating ozone action days.
The Ozone Forecast Season begins on April 1 and ends on October 31 for Austin, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Victoria.
Louisiana Is Also Affected
Some areas in Louisiana are also affected by Ozone Advisory Day because of the state’s Air Quality Index. It indicates that that the ozone will be at an elevated level, which can be damaging for certain groups.
“Active children and adults, the elderly, and people with respiratory diseases such as asthma should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion,” the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality said.
How Does Driving Reduce Ozone?
One of the fastest ways to reduce ozone in the atmosphere is to reduce daily driving in specific regions. Driving less reduces the number of vehicles using the road, which reduces the air pollution that each vehicle emits.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns in the summer of 2020 and 2021, meteorologists and climate specialists were able to track an immediate improvement in air quality due to the lack of cars on the roads. In some areas, the level of nitrogen oxide and other particulates caused by car exhaust was reduced by more than 60 percent.
Governmental Action To Reduce Vehicle Pollution
Although hotly contested and deemed somewhat unfavorably by voters, the Biden administration announced that the country would be changing the air pollution standards on heavy-duty vehicles.
The new law would create a limit on the amount of large vehicles that can emit pollution. In the future, many long-haul trucks will need to be hybrid or electric. The aim is to begin a drastic but helpful curb in the amount of vehicle emissions harming the environment.
How Does the Weather Increase Ozone Levels?
The National Weather Service notes that on certain summer days, the weather can dramatically increase the amount of pollution trapped in the atmosphere.
Changes in heat, low winds, and stagnant weather can all contribute to increased ozone levels. Avoiding driving for a day can drastically improve pollution levels.
Residents Asked To Stop Other Behaviours As Well
On top of avoiding driving for a few days, residents of Houston and Fort Worth have also been asked to curb a few other normal actions as well.
The NWS has asked residents in the area to conserve energy by setting air conditioners to a slightly higher temperature and limiting the use of gasoline-powered equipment, such as barbecues and lawnmowers.
