Air Quality is seriously threatened on Code Red days. In the Baltimore area, 250 tons of ozone-forming compounds are released into the air every day. High levels of ground-level ozone are a particular concern for the elderly, people with asthma, and anyone who's working, playing, or exercising outdoors - especially children.

Clean Air Partners
We all need to pitch in. You can make a big impact with small changes in your daily routine. Over 250 organizations are also teaming up to help. BGE, government agencies, health advocacy groups, and concerned businesses have formed Clean Air Partners to educate you on ways you can help reduce ground-level ozone in the Baltimore/Washington area.

Visit their Web site at www.cleanairpartners.net for daily air quality updates. Or call the Maryland Department of the Environment, Air Quality Update at 410-631-3247.

Air Quality Index

Health Warning
Ground-level ozone can cause lung damage, breathing difficulties, coughing, and chest pain. Should air quality exceed the federal health standard, a Code Red Health Advisory will be issued advising the following precautions:

• Children should reduce outdoor activities.
• Healthy individuals should limit strenuous outdoor work or exercise.
• Individuals with respiratory and heart ailments, emphysema, asthma, or chronic bronchitis should limit their outdoor activities. If breathing becomes difficult, move indoors.

Prevention Tips
About 60-70% of pollutants that cause ground-level ozone are created from vehicles, lawnmowers, other garden equipment, and common household products. In order to prevent high levels of ozone from forming, residents are strongly urged to:

• Limit driving and, when possible, combine errands.
• Use area bus and rail lines, or share a ride to work.
• Avoid mowing lawns with gasoline-powered mowers.
• Refuel vehicles after dusk.