What is HAL?
Healthy Air Living is an initiative that provides education and opportunities to make personal or professional changes that will result in big improvements in our air quality.
The goal is to encourage Valley residents, businesses and schools to make lasting changes in the way they live their lives, so that our air quality is positively affected.
Why HAL?
Healthy Air Living not only cleans up our Valley air, but it also gives us a better quality of life through better health! The same choices we make to reduce emissions also improve our individual health.
For example, riding a bike prevents the emissions that driving your car would have put into the air, and it also gets your body moving, which is good for your personal fitness.
Healthy Air Living aims to reduce emissions that pollute our air through a variety of ways including:
- Reducing the number of vehicle miles traveled through the Valley each day
- Reducing emissions from equipment and processes
- Reducing emissions during times when air quality is poor
- Encouraging higher energy efficiency and the development of cleaner energy sources
What you can do
Make a change, get involved, spread the word and live a Healthy Air Life! By making one simple change, you can help clean up our air.
It all starts with a list of ideas and ways you can change your day-to-day living to make an impact, such as:
- Avoid using your wood-burning fireplace and instead install a cleaner-burning stove or insert. Visit valleyair.org/burncleaner
- Purchase and use an electric lawn mower. Visit valleyair.org/lawnmowers
- Get an electric car for commuting. Visit valleyair.org/DriveCleanInTheSanJoaquin/rebate
- Call 1-800-SMOG INFO or visit valleyair.org/CBYB before using your wood-burning fireplace to see if wood burning is allowed that day
- If you choose to burn, use manufactured wood logs or clean, dry seasoned wood
- Never burn trash
- Avoid using a leaf blower
- Avoid using a charcoal barbecue
- Check the tire pressure on your vehicle
- Carpool to work as often as possible
- Ride your bicycle to work at least 1-3 days per week
- Take public transit to work at least 1-3 days per week
- Walk to work at least 1-3 days per week
- Purchase an electric scooter for transportation
- Walk your child to school or team up with other parents to ride-share
- Avoid drive-thru's
- Link your trips to minimize your car use
- Bring your lunch to work to avoid an extra trip
- Support your employer and /or organization as they try air-friendly activities
How we can help
Healthy Air Living will give you the resources you need to incorporate clean-air strategies into your life and work environment, as well as connect you to other people who want to help the Valley breathe healthier air.
Be a Healthy Air Hero!
San Joaquin Valley children, their parents and teachers, are invited to request a copy of the new Healthy Air Heroes educational activity kit. The kit includes a pencil, crayons, stickers and a toy and features an activity book that is geared for kids in grades K-6. Designed to explain the struggles the Valley faces with air pollution, the activity book depicts four everyday common animals as Healthy Air Heroes that explain how Valley children can help make the air in our Valley cleaner and healthier.
Real-Time Air Advisory Network
Receive real-time air-quality data directly from the nearest air monitor to help you evaluate air quality and determine the right time for outdoor activities. RAAN also provides Real-Time Outdoor Activity Risk (ROAR) guidelines based on five different air-quality levels.
Grants and Incentives
These highly successful programs are voluntary and reduce emissions, favorably impacting air quality in the Valley.