Emily's Global Climate Change Scrapbook

Solutions to Ground-Level Ozone

National Efforts

1. The EPA has set regulations for the amount of ozone that can be in the atmosphere for a certain period of time and for the chemicals that makeup ozone.

2. The EPA also issued the Clean Air Interstate Rule, which creates a cap and trade system for the emission of Nitrogen Dioxide and Sulfur Dioxide for industries and power plants in the eastern U.S.

3. The Highway Diesel Rule was set to begin reducing the emissions of public buses by the year 2007. This act should reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides by 2.7 million tons per year.

4. States or counties can announce Ozone Action Days to alert citizens to days that have a high risk for the formation of ozone, so that they can take action to decrease these risks.

Individual Efforts

There are many actions that the individual can take to reduce ozone-producing emissions.

1. Avoid the use of gas-powered lawn equipment, especially on warmer days. Use manual equipment when possible.

2. Vehicles emit many of the constituents needed for the formation of ozone. So drive less, do not leave your car sitting idle, and check your maintenance regularly.

3. Use environmentally friendly paints and other products that don't contain VOCs.

4. Turn yard waste into compost.

5. Conserve energy and turn air conditioners to higher settings.