Be Air Aware
City of Fort Collins Air Quality Programs
Residential Environmental Program Series
March 25, 2015
1
Melissa Hovey, Sr. Environmental Planner [email protected]
Mary Pat Aardrup, Indoor Air Quality Coordinator [email protected]
Selina Lujan, Healthy Homes Assistant Coordinator [email protected]
Presentation Agenda
1.Outdoor Air Quality Program
2.Indoor Air Quality Program
3.Healthy Homes Program
2
In what age range are you?
Under 18
19-34
35-49
50-65
66+
Prefer not to answer
50%
25%
11% 11%
4%
Pr
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er
no
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to
66
+
50
-6
5
35
-4
9
19
-3
4
er
18
0%
Un
d
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
Do you rent or own your home?
A. Rent condo or
apartment
B. Rent home
C. Own home
D. Own rental property
E. Prefer not to answer
79%
Re
nt
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4%
11%
7%
How familiar are you with the
presentation topic?
A. I know very little
B. I have some
understanding
C. I have a good
understanding
D. I consider myself an
expert
55%
31%
10%
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Outdoor Air Quality
• Background
– What causes air pollution in Fort Collins?
– What pollutants are of concern here?
• What you can do
– Immediate actions
– Planning future actions
• How the City can help
– Programs, rebates, incentives
6
Outdoor Air Quality
• What is the air quality like in Fort Collins?
Overall…..Good!
photo: Northern Colorado Clean Cities
most of the time…
7
Outdoor Air Quality
Atmospheric
Topographic
Anthropogenic
Natural
conditions and events that cause a few days per year of
poor air quality
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Air Pollutants
Regulated Air Pollutants
Hazardous Air
Pollutants
CO
Carbon monoxide
Volatile organic compounds Benzene
NO2 Nitrogen dioxide
Diesel emissions
Mercury
PM10 Particulate matter (10 microns) Hydrogen sulfide
Formaldehyde
PM2.5 Particulate matter (2.5 microns) Ammonia
Trichloroethylene
SO2
Sulfur dioxide
Toluene
O3
Ozone
Radon
Pb
Lead
Asbestos
Criteria Air Pollutants
Misc.
Greenhouse Gases
Carbon dioxide
Methane
Nitrous oxide
Sulfur hexafluoride
Hydrofluorocarbons
Perfluorocarbons
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Air Pollution Sources
10
Ozone
– What is it?
– Why do we care about it?
– What can we do about it?
11
Is Ozone good or bad?
61%
25%
11%
4%
ur
e
No
ts
er
Ne
ith
th
Bo
d
0%
Ba
Good
Bad
Both
Neither
Not sure
Go
od
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
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Ozone
Correct Answer: C. Both
Ozone: Good up high. Bad nearby.
13
Ozone = Smog
14
Ozone
15
Fort Collins is located
within an
ozone
non-attainment area.
16
Question
Do you think warming up your car on a cold morning by
idling it for a few minutes is a good idea?
92%
A. Yes
B. No
C. Not Sure
ur
e
o
4%
N
ot
S
N
Ye
s
4%
17
18
Ozone
• What can you do about ozone
1. Minimize fossil fuel combustion
- electricity use
- natural gas use
- gasoline/diesel use
2. Minimize VOC use
- solvents, paints, cleaners
- gasoline
19
Particulate Matter
– What is it?
– Why do we care about it?
– What can we do about it?
20
Particulate Matter
• What is particulate matter?
Mixture of very small solid particles and liquid droplets
suspended in the air.
Made up of soil, dust, pollen, mold, metals,
organic chemicals, nitrates, sulfates, smoke
21
Wildfire smoke
Construction dust
Fire pits
The “Brown Cloud”
Wood burning
Leaf blowing
22
Particulate Matter
23
Particulate Matter
• Why we care about it
– Health effects
– Ecosystem effects
– Visibility
– Safety
– Aesthetics
24
Particulate Matter
25
Particulate Matter
• What can you do about particulate matter
1. Minimize fossil fuel combustion
2. Minimize wood burning
3. Control “dusty” activities
26
Greenhouse Gases
– What are they?
– Why do we care about them?
– What can we do about it?
27
What is your primary mode of transportation??:
62%
14%
14%
10%
sh
ar
e
0%
Ca
r
alk
0%
W
s
0%
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Diesel truck or car
Gas truck or car
Electric vehicle
Hybrid vehicle
Bicycle
Bus
Walk
Car share
Di
e
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
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Greenhouse Gases
GHGs are gases that allow sunlight to pass through the
atmosphere but absorb and trap the heat that is
reflected off the earth’s surface.
•
•
•
•
Water vapor
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Methane (CH4)
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
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Greenhouse Gases
• GHGs up by 25% since industrial
revolution
• Imbalance in carbon cycle
• Rising temp. produces change in
weather, sea level, land use
30
Greenhouse Gases
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32
Greenhouse Gases
Fort Collins GHG Emissions and Reduction Goals
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Climate Action Plan
What we can do about it:
• Buildings
• Transportation
• Energy Supply
• Waste Reduction
• Innovation
Visit www.fcgov.com/climateprotection for more information
34
Action
• What you can do TODAY:
– Practice “Eco-driving”
– Contain solvents, paints, gas
– Minimize energy use
– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
– Buy local
35
Action
• What you can do this year:
–
–
–
–
–
Walk or ride your bike more
Start composting
Upgrade or replace woodstove or fire pit
Convert gas powered equipment to manual or electric
Get a Home Efficiency Audit and Healthy Homes Assessment
36
Action
• What you can do over the next 5-10 years:
– Make your next car purchase an electric
or alternative fuel vehicle
– Retrofit your home for energy efficiency and energy
production
– Make conscientious purchasing decisions
37
Thank you!
For more information: www.fcgov.com/airquality
Melissa Hovey [email protected] 970-221-6813
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2015 REPs Programs
Climate Protection: Every Action Counts
March 4, Prairie Sage Rooms 1 & 2
A Cooler Future: Easy Like Water
April 15, Twinberry Auditorium
$5 Million and Change
March 11, Prairie Sage Rooms 1 & 2
Unwatered Landscapes and Crevice
Gardening
April 22, Twinberry Auditorium
Be Air Aware
March 25, Twinberry Auditorium
Go Solar
April 1, Twinberry Auditorium
Wildscaping: Beyond the Basics
April 8, Prairie Sage Rooms 1 & 2
The Art and Science of Composting
May 6, Prairie Sage Rooms 1 & 2
The Year in the Life of a Dry Garden
May 13, Twinberry Auditorium
Your Home Energy Roadmap
May 20, Prairie Sage Rooms 1 & 2
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Radon Program
What is Radon?
•
Invisible, odorless gas
•
Created during the natural decay of radium in the
soil
•
Negative pressure inside the home pulls radon in
through cracks and openings
•
Has nothing to do with age, quality or upkeep of
the home
40
Radon Program
Why is Radon a Concern?
• Second leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking
• Detected with a simple test
• Fixed through well established venting techniques
• Recommended mitigation of radon levels are 4 pico Curies per
Liter 4 pCi/L
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Radon Program
What are Fort Collins’ Radon Levels?
• Thousands of homes have been tested in Fort Collins
• 70% of FC homes have radon levels greater than 4 pCi/L
• Test kits available tonight at the Senior Center $5.00 for short
term tests - $18.00 for long term tests.
• The Healthy Homes program will provide a free radon test kit
during a home health assessment of your home
42
Have you tested your home for radon??
60%
A. Yes
B. No
No
Ye
s
40%
43
Have you mitigated for radon?
60%
No
40%
Ye
s
A. Yes
B. No
44
After learning about radon, how likely are you to test for
radon?
33%
33%
33%
y
el
ik
No
tl
So
m
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ha
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ike
ly
L ik
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A. Likely
B. Somewhat likely
C. Not likely
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Healthy Homes Program
Mission: To improve the health of Fort Collins
residents - with a focus on biological pollutants,
chemical contaminants and safety hazards in the
home through personalized education.
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Healthy Homes Program
Program Premise
• Program began in June 2011
• 1in 4 homes in Fort Collins report they have a family member
with a respiratory ailment
• The entire state of Colorado is located in Zone 1- the highest
potential for dangerous levels of radon
• The majority of Americans spend 90% of their time indoors.
Indoor air quality can be up to 5 times worse than outdoor air.
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48
BREAK
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Healthy Homes Program
Assessments
• Two part assessment
– Discussion/interview
– Walk through assessment
• Duration: 1 ½ - 2 hours
• Residents are given 3-5 LOW cost or NO cost recommendations
• Currently, we have a 82.9% compliance rate
• Follow-up calls at one week, two and six month intervals to track
behavior change
50
Healthy Homes Program
Tools
• Moisture Meter
• Infrared Camera
• Carbon Monoxide Detector
• Temperature Humidity Gage
51
Healthy Homes Program
Principles of a Healthy Home
52
Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Dry
• Mold – Bathrooms, windows, washing machines
• Drainage – downspouts, gutters
• Leaks
53
Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Clean
• Mats and shoes off
• Storing food properly
• Reduce clutter
• HEPA vacuum
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Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Well Ventilated
• Check filters and intake vents
• Open doors and windows when possible
• Ventilate bathrooms and kitchens
• HEPA air filters can help reduce particle
levels indoors
55
Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Contaminant Free
• Remove pesticides, gas and oil
•
Test your home for radon
• Use all natural Healthy Homes cleaning products
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Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Safe
• Eliminate products in the home that indicate hazard, danger or
poison.
• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and keep fire
extinguishers on hand.
• Fire Escape Plan
57
Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Well Maintained
• Inspect, clean and repair your home
routinely utilizing home maintenance check
list
• Pay special attention to furnace, air
conditioners and water heaters
• Take care of minor repairs and problems
before they become large problems
58
Healthy Homes Program
Keep It: Pest Free
• Don’t provide food, water and shelter
• Seal cracks and openings throughout the home
• Store food in pest resistant containers
• Don’t provide homes or hiding places for critters-DECLUTTER!
• Use sticky traps and baits in closed containers or least toxic
pesticides
59
Of the 300 + home in Fort Collins who have had
a Healthy Homes assessment, what is the
percentage of participants who have taken
steps to improve their indoor air quality?
95%
A. 30 %
B. 48%
C. 82%
82
%
0%
48
%
30
%
5%
60
After tonight’s presentation, how likely are you
to remove your shoes at the door?
55%
A. Likely
B. Somewhat likely
C. Not likely
41%
y
el
ik
No
tl
So
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ike
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5%
61
After tonight’s presentation, how likely are you
to use non-toxic cleaning products?
57%
A. Likely
B. Somewhat likely
C. Not likely
38%
y
el
ik
No
tl
So
m
ew
ha
tl
ike
L ik
el
ly
y
5%
62
After tonight’s presentation, how likely are you
to check the viability of your CO and smoke
detectors?
81%
ik
el
y
10%
So
m
ew
ha
tl
ike
L ik
el
ly
y
10%
No
tl
A. Likely
B. Somewhat likely
C. Not likely
63
After tonight’s presentation, how likely are you
to ventilate your home by opening windows and
using bathroom and kitchen fans? 95%
A. Likely
B. Somewhat likely
C. Not likely
No
tl
ik
el
y
0%
So
m
ew
ha
tl
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L ik
el
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5%
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Healthy Homes Program
Master Home Educators
• Comprehensive 20-hour training held each April
• Conducted by industry professionals
• 78 certified Master Home Educators
• Training in behavior change, persuasion skills, biological
pollutants, chemical contaminants, and asthma education
“The Master Home Educators pointed out very useful things
that we were unaware could have such a huge impact on
indoor air quality.” -S. Tomlinson
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Preparing Your Sanctuary
• Increase preparedness for extreme weather events
– power outages, dangerous temperatures,
increased CO, and reduced ventilation
• Increased Nitrogen Dioxide – cooking and heating
• Increased uses of formaldehyde – new building
materials, household chemicals & pesticides further
exposes residents to indoor pollutants.
66
What is your intention to make changes or
share information from the presentation?
68%
27%
5%
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A. I do not plan to make
any changes
B. I plan to make
changes
C. I will not make
changes but will
share what I learned
D. I plan to make
changes and share
what I learned
How much did you learn
from the presentation?
A. I didn’t learn
anything new
B. I’m leaving with a
few tips and tools
C. I learned a great
deal about the topic
52%
48%
...
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Thank You !
For More Information:
[email protected] /970-221-6813
[email protected] /970-416-2832
[email protected]/970-224-6129
Fcgov.com/airquality
Fcgov.com/healthyhomes
69