You probably know that ozone created by vehicles contributes to air pollution. Even a little bit can create a problem. At the same time, a small change can have a big impact. For example, just maintaining your car properly and keeping your tires inflated to the right pressure can reduce emissions by half! Taking mass transit, car pooling or sharing a ride to work even once a week contributes significantly to reducing traffic congestion and pollution.

And the savings really add up: in 1999, the Texas Transportation Institute estimated that congestion costs U.S. drivers 4.5 billion hours of delay, 6.8 billion gallons of wasted fuel and $78 billion in wasted time and fuel every year! And congestion is no longer just a big city problem: we spend five times as long stalled in traffic in small and medium-sized cities than in 1982, and this figure is growing at a far faster rate than in larger cities.

There are many things you can do every day to help improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. Small, easy steps such as trip chaining, maintaining your car, refueling in the evening and choosing alternative modes of transportation, are all ways you can contribute to the It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air initiative. Want even more ideas on how you can make a difference? Check out our 10 Simple Steps to Improving Air Quality tips.

Find out more visit www.italladdsup.gov

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