We’ve all seen the “air quality alerts” during the summer months, but air quality is truly a year-round issue for the Birmingham metro area.
Today we’re starting a weekly series called Envirosense and we’re giving you tips on how to do your share to help the environment, and help your wallet at the same time.
Did you know the number-one contributor to pollution in the air is our vehicles? When we sit in traffic, when we’re waiting for the kids to come out of school while the car’s running… all of these small actions add up to air pollution.
Danny “Ozone” Patterson is here today to talk about small changes we can all make that will help clean up the air, and save you money.
Maintaining your vehicle is one of the most important things you can do to help air quality.
1. How do i know if my vehicle is polluting the air?
• Check engine light
2. What could be wrong with my car?
• Catalytic converter, check your car’s warranty
• Oxygen sensor
• Egr valve
3. What’s next? What if i’m dreading that costly repair?
• Through the al partners for clean air, money is available to help you with repairs up to $500. You pay 20%.
4. How do i take part in this program? How do i sign up?
• You can go online to alabamacleanair.org
and you’ll find the location nearest you where free emissions testing is going on. If your car has a problem, they’ll write you a voucher on the spot and you can get it repaired.
5. After my car is repaired, what’s next?
• You can bring your car back to one of the locations where the free testing is going on, and they’ll conduct another test to make sure your care is in clean, running order and passes air quality tests.
