Gurus of Green take over the HabiStore on November 14
by Robin Johnson

Green Living Fair
Saturday, November 14, 2009
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
HabiStore at the SW corner of Ajo and Palo Verde

Celebrate Green Living on Saturday, November 14th at the HabiStore at 3840 S. Palo Verde at Ajo from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. —rain or shine.  During the Green Living Fair, visit with the gurus of green, as close to twenty different exhibitors will be there to share information on the many ways to go green and save greenbacks at your home. Every choice you make can change the world, so come learn about the many choices available to live in a more sustainable manor.

Local experts in home energy savings, recycling, resource conservation, gardening, composting, green building/remodeling, alternative fuels, bicycling, waste reduction, rain water harvesting, solar power, and more will be at the HabiStore to offer tips to go green and save money. Exhibitors include: Easter Seals – Vermiculture (worm bins) and urban ranching (goats),  Freecycle, HabiStore, Habitat for Humanity, Home Depot, Mrs. Green Goes Main Stream radio show, Community Food Bank, Pima Association of Governments Clean Cities Program, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality, the Pima County Green Building Program, RISE Equipment Recycling Center, World Care, Cartridge World, Southern Arizona Rain Gutters, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, Tucson Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development, The Solar Store, Tucson Organic Gardeners, and Tucson Electric Power.

Attendees are encouraged to bring donations to the HabiStore (just about anything except clothing), bring those old electronics and ink and laser cartridges for free recycling, and a couple of cans of food for the Community Food Bank.  Please note: there will be a $15.00 charge to recycle non-working TVs (no larger than 32”) and working TVs are gladly accepted at the HabiStore.

Haven’t been to the HabiStore? Donations to the HabiStore fund the Habitat Tucson mission of eliminating poverty housing within our community. This is a great way to be Green in One Stop! Bring your donations, stop by the booths to learn about going green, and shop for those light fixtures and paint brushes (just to name a few items) at the HabiStore!  For more information call Robin at Pima County Department of Environmental Quality at 740-3349 or Terry at the HabiStore at 889-7200.

You can also email Robin at Robin.Johnson@deq.pima.gov .

Check out the website at www.deq.pima.gov for tips, ideas, and pollution prevention and environmental information.

Click to enlarge (PDF).

Increase in "Healthy" Air Quality Days Remains a Mystery

This summer, Tucson area residents had more days when the air quality was rated in the good range for ground-level ozone pollution when compared to the six previous summers, Pima County Department of Environmental Quality (PDEQ) reports.  A variety of factors were researched by PDEQ staff to explain the decrease in number of days with moderate ozone pollution, including temperatures, rainfall, solar radiation, cloud cover, gasoline & diesel sales, relative humidity, and wind speed. However, none of these normally influential variables seemed to have a direct causal relationship to the lower ozone levels this summer.

“It is interesting that other cities across the country also experienced lower ozone levels during the summer of 2009,” said Beth Gorman, Sr. Program Manager with Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.  “Ozone is a very complex air pollutant that is formed only when a certain ratio of ingredients is introduced into the air at right time of day and under just the right atmospheric conditions,” she continued. “And if one part of that formula is off, than the air pollutant will not form.” “It is possible that the economy had an influence on ozone levels — if business is slow, then it is likely that related emissions are also down which could reduce the formation of ground-level ozone,” Gorman said. PDEQ does not have the resources to perform an emissions inventory at this time which would help quantify the amounts of various pollutants emitted into the air and provide a more definitive explanation for the lower ozone levels this summer.

Ozone was low, but one day during the summer of 2009, particulate matter pollution was very high. “That was the morning in July when the mountains completely disappeared,” said Gorman. On July 22, a dust storm originating near Casa Grande brought a huge cloud of dust into the Tucson area. That day, PDEQ air quality monitors recorded the highest readings in the history of monitoring that size of particulate air pollution.  There was no mystery as to what caused that air quality issue, stated Gorman.

Car Care: Save Resources

Last month was National Car Care Month, but individuals can still conserve fuel, save money, and spare the air by trying a few handy tips. Pima County Department of Environmental Quality encourages good vehicle maintenance and offers some driving tips that will help your budget as gasoline costs continue to rise. Millions of dollars worth of gasoline are wasted each day in the United States, due to simple neglect by vehicle owners. Easy preventative actions such as tightening gas caps, properly inflating tires, replacing worn spark plugs and dirty air filters, and driving thoughtfully will help save fuel and reduce air pollution.

 “With the majority of our air pollution being caused by motor vehicle use, anything we can do to reduce the amount of gasoline we burn will not only save us money, but also keep our air healthy to breathe,” said Beth Gorman of Pima County Department of Environmental Quality.

Vehicle Maintenance

Inflate tires properly- under-inflated tires can cost a mile or two per gallon of gasoline used, due to increased rolling resistance. So, instead of getting 20 miles to the gallon, you would only get 18 or 19.

Replace worn spark plugs – dirty spark plugs cause misfires which waste fuel.

Replace clogged air filter – dirty air filters can decrease gas mileage by 10 percent.

Replace faulty vehicle gas cap – leaking gas caps allow gasoline to evaporate from your tank wasting gasoline and contributing to air pollution. And make sure your gas cap is tightened after each use. Nationally, gas cap problems waste 147,000,000 gallons of gasoline per year through vaporization, which contributes to air pollution.  

Driving Tips

Avoid idling – sitting idle gets zero miles per gallon and wastes gasoline! Letting the vehicle warm up for a minute and driving slowly at first is all it needs. Fumes from idling vehicles can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases.

Drive sensibly – aggressive driving and rapid acceleration can lower gas mileage by as much as 33 percent on highway and 5 percent on city streets.

Observe speed limits – gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 m.p.h. 

Use the cruise – cruise control on the highway helps maintain a constant speed, which will save you gas.

Commuting and Planning Trips

Combine errands – several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm.

Stagger work hours – by staggering your work hours (for example, 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.) to avoid peak rush hours you will spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel.

Pick and choose – if you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible.

Pack light – a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent, so place items in trunk or rear of vehicle whenever possible. An extra 100 lbs. in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1-2 percent.

Carpool a time or two each week – cut your weekday gasoline bill and save wear and tear on your car by sharing the ride.

Try transit – reduce driving stress, save money, catch up on reading, and meet new friends by driving to a Park & Ride lot and taking the bus from there. New express routes are gaining popularity as a great way to get to work relaxed. Or combine exercise with your commute by trying a brisk walk or bike ride to the nearest bus stop. All Sun Tran buses have bike racks.

Many of these tips are compiled from the National Car Care Council and the U.S. Department of Energy. For additional information on preventing pollution visit www.deq.pima.gov.

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