Today is Clean Air Day!

By the Air Pollution Control District

Santa Barbara County Air PollutionControl District (APCD) encourages Santa Barbara County residents to participate in California Clean Air Day on October 5. California Clean AirDay is both a statewide effort and a local opportunity to learn more about our air quality, celebrate successes, and join together for continued progress.

This year, APCD has worked with other regional partners in helping plan Clean Air Day events in Santa Barbara County and Ventura County, as well as to honor the legacy of the late Ventura County Supervisor, Carmen Ramirez. You can see a full list of previous and upcoming regional CleanAir Day events — many of which were funded through Clean Air Day microgrants — on our website: www.OurAir.org/092222-cleanairday-events/.

Santa Barbara County’s air quality has improved significantly over the last several decades. When APCD was formed more than 50 years ago, our county faced many air quality challenges and violations of ozone standards. Ozone, also known as smog, forms when pollutants mix during hot, sunny conditions. Over the last 20 years alone, the number of high-ozone days per year has gone from a high of 42 to a handful or less. You can see a visual representation of this drastic improvement with this infographic. This progress has resulted from the combined efforts of Santa Barbara County residents, businesses, APCD’s Boards and advisory bodies, and state and federal agencies.

“Clean Air Day is great time to celebrate everything we have done throughout Santa Barbara County to significantly improve air quality over time. With the help of all the local partners, tremendous strides have been made to reduce levels of smog-forming pollution,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, APCD Director. “However, we still have more to do. Every time you’re able to make clean-air choices, you can help reduce emissions that contribute to local air pollution and global climate change.”

This year, APCD encourages Santa Barbara County residents to take three steps for Clean Air Day:

Take the Clean Air Day pledge. Approximately 1.8 million California residents took the pledge in 2021. The pledge reminds us of the power of small, collective actions that we can incorporate into our day-to-day lives. APCD signed the pledge for organizations and encourages:
- Individuals to take the pledge
- Students to take the pledge
Learn more about going electric:
- For your car: Did you celebrate National Drive Electric Week last week? If you weren’t able to attend any of the regional events, a free webinar on October 6 will provide additional information. Details about that webinar — as well as the latest rebates and incentives to bring down the cost of an electric vehicle — are available on our website: www.OurAir.org/092222-ndew/.
- For your landscaping equipment: Just as with cars and trucks, electric versions of landscaping equipment are cleaner alternatives. In the coming months, APCD will launch an incentive program for commercial landscaping companies to switch to electric equipment. Sign up to receive notifications about that program on our website: www.OurAir.org/subscribe.
Prepare for wildfire smoke. Other areas of California and the western United States have experienced unhealthy air quality due to extreme wildfire smoke conditions this year. Santa Barbara County is lucky to have not experienced significant impacts this year, but we know that fire season is still underway. Here are some things you can do to prepare for future impacts:
- Sign up to receive bilingual air quality alerts issued by APCD and Santa Barbara County Public Health – via text and/or email: For the most part, Santa Barbara County enjoys good-to-moderate air quality conditions. Sign up to receive alerts when air quality conditions turn unhealthy, such as during wildfires. www.OurAir.org/subscribe.
- Check APCD’s website for hourly air quality conditions and daily forecasts, in English and Spanish: Being up-to-date on air quality conditions will help you and your loved ones protect your health and plan activities accordingly. This is especially important for individuals with heart and lung conditions, seniors, and children. www.OurAir.org/todays-air-quality.
- Learn how to create a “clean air room” at home by purchasing a HEPA air purifier or creating a DIY version: A “clean air room” is an excellent tool to keep your indoor air quality safe and clean when you need to stay inside during wildfire smoke conditions. www.OurAir.org/clean-air-rooms.