Prepping for the inversion

Most of us along the Wasatch Front are familiar with the winter weather inversion. With temperatures dropping, the inversion is upon us. While we are familiar with the inversion, how much do you really know about why it happens and its effects?

SLC Green posted a blog breaking down the inversion- why it happens, how to spot it coming, and how you can help reduce its impact and longevity.

The blog offers these tips for individuals:

-Drive less! Aiming for more car free days is one of the most impactful activities we can do to help improve our air quality. Take the bus, bike, walk, or work from home if you have the option! Check out this link to see if you’re eligible for a Hive Pass, Salt Lake City’s discounted transit pass.

-Be idle free! Vehicle exhaust makes up nearly half of the air pollution on the Wasatch Front during a winter day– that’s huge! But many of us must still drive at least some of the time. So when you do drive, drive smarter to save pollution. Limit your idling to two minutes, or not at all. Learn more about Salt Lake City’s Idle Free Ordinance.

-Skip the wood burning! Burning wood contributes to particle pollution, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and other hazardous compounds. These pollutants not only harm our outdoor environment, they also contribute to indoor air pollution. If you can’t skip it all together, avoid wood burning on bad air days and during inversions, and consider building a DIY air purifier, or buying one to protect your indoor air!”

-Go electric! Switching to electric appliances, heating/cooling systems, and vehicles is a direct way to reduce air pollution.

-Sign up for air quality alerts! One of the best things you can do is be informed- the Division of Air Quality sends alerts through their apps for iOS or Android so you can be up to date on the situation surrounding our air.

Check out their blog to read more and see what the city is working on to help clean the air.