The regional air district announced the start of Spare the Air Days for days when air is particularly unhealthy.
According to an announcement:
The Monterey Bay Air Resources District will begin announcing wintertime Spare the Air alerts for Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties. The Air District will send out notifications by 3 p.m. on days when conditions warrant a Spare the Air alert. While the alerts will routinely apply to San Lorenzo Valley in Santa Cruz County, there may be times when the Air District will provide an alert for areas in Monterey and San Benito counties.
The Air District is implementing this voluntary program as a means to address unhealthful air quality conditions that routinely occur in the San Lorenzo Valley. Public awareness and response is critical to lower pollution levels during stagnant winter conditions. If air quality conditions do not improve, the Air District will take steps towards a mandatory program.
The Air District requests that news services include the Spare the Air alerts as part of weather and news broadcasts, using the orange logo. During a Spare the Air alert, the Air District will ask residents to choose an alternative home heating source such as electricity, propane, natural gas, or pellets. The program will run from November through February.
