If you’re feeling the effects of the winter inversion in our area, I have a few tips to share with you that will help you feel better and keep your family safe.
First, let’s recap what the winter inversion is. You see, air quality is often best in the wintertime when the weather works to clean the air, trapping ozone and other pollutants in precipitation or blowing them off with sharp, gusty winds. As the inversion goes on, this trapped air begins to stagnate, and the concentration of fine particle pollutants in the air, emitted by the consumption of fossil fuels in vehicles, power plants, and factories, increases. An extended period of inversion sometimes results in the formation of a brownish fog.
The first thing you can do to minimize the effects of the winter inversion is visit www.air.utah.gov to check the air quality in your area on any given day.
Second, if you’re like me and you prefer to exercise outside, try doing it during hours with low traffic activity. You can also exercise in high-altitude areas above the fog.
There are several tips you can try that will also help the environment at large, including:
- Not burning trash
- Recycling
- Carpooling
- Turning off your car when you’re waiting to pick up your kids from school
Lastly, if you can physically feel the air affecting you in your day-to-day life, invest in an air purifier for your household. My family did this, and although it was expensive, it’s made a big difference for us.
If you have any more questions about this topic, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be glad to help you.
