As the weather warms up, more ground-level ozone is created. Ground-level ozone occurs when emissions from vehicles and other sources interact with the sun’s energy. Breathing in ozone can aggravate lung conditions such as asthma or bronchitis. The best thing you can do to improve the air we breathe is to reduce your personal vehicle trips. Fortunately, the warmer weather makes it much easier to use active transportation (biking or walking) to get to your destination.
May 16-20 is National Bike to Work Week. Using active transportation not only saves on fuel costs, but promotes a healthier lifestyle. Encourage your children to bike or walk to school this week. Physical activity before classes start has been shown to increase focus and academic performance.
For the entire month of May, Live Healthy Iowa is celebrating “Go The Distance May”. Go the Distance May highlights the importance of physical activity in a healthy lifestyle; encouraging schools and youth organizations to engage students in 30 minutes of continuous activity. The best way to get kids active is to set an example. Get up and move with your kids to let them know health is important to you!
Looking for ideas to get moving locally? The Quad Cities now has its own website dedicated to trails for all kinds of activities: biking, walking, hiking, and more. Visit QCTrails.org to discover new adventures right in your back yard. You can simply browse the trails or you can log in and earn rewards for exploring our community and become a Quad Cities Trail Master.
Whether you’re heading to work, out for exercise, to the bike trails, or just enjoying the day, teaming up with transit extends the distance you can travel and multiplies your options. All Quad Cities public transit buses are equipped with a bicycle rack that can accommodate two bicycles, with a total weight limit of up to 75 lbs. No special permit is required for this free service.
Give active transportation a try for a healthier community and a healthier you! If you are with a group, business or local government consider pledging your efforts to reduce emissions and join the Bi-State Region Clean Air Partnership. The Partnership pledge gives you a number of ways to reduce emissions and improve air quality for all. Go to: www.BiStateCAP.org for more information. "It all adds up to cleaner air"!
# # # END # # #
