I'm Collin, OSCAR's new Climate and Health Strategist. I work with community leaders, health experts, and scientists to inform policy and programs that protect our health and our future. I get to think about how we use energy and how that affects air quality, health, and daily life here in Boulder County (and on Earth!).

It’s not your imagination, climate change is happening now — and that’s very apparent in summer. We’re experiencing higher temperatures, more wildfires, and worse air quality. 

Air quality is impacted not only by visible wildfire smoke but by invisible ozone that can burn our lungs on hot, sunny afternoons. Like many Boulder County residents, I love my outdoor exercise — but I’ve learned to check the air quality before heading out for a hike or a bike ride. I check AirNow, a site that shows data from regulatory monitors across Colorado and provides air quality forecasts that help me plan my time outside. When wildfires are active, AirNow's Fire and Smoke Map displays where smoke pollution is showing up on sensors near me. 

Air quality experts continue to improve these tools so we’ll keep you up to date with recommendations that will help you protect yourself and your family from climate-influenced air pollution. Summer in Colorado is spectacular and taking care of yourself and staying informed can help you make the most of it as we work together to act on climate change.

— Collin

Ever wonder why your neighbor’s car looks like it might be plugged in? Because it is!

Charging an electric car at home is the newest way to fuel up a car. Driving electric allows you to ditch antiquated and inconvenient gas stations. Instead, when you get home simply use the cable that came with your car to plug it into a regular three-prong outlet and you’ll be ready to roll the next morning. Or you can upgrade to a faster electric car charger for your home, like the one Boulder County is giving away to support clean transportation in our community! Enter the giveaway and learn more about charging at home—the leading-edge way to fuel up your car.

While you wait for the giveaway results, visit your local dealership and test-drive an electric car and see for yourself how advanced this technology truly is.

Enter the giveaway now!

Restore Colorado is a public-private collaboration between Boulder County, Zero Foodprint, Mad Agriculture, and other local governments that mobilizes Coloradans around agricultural climate solutions. Participating restaurants collect a few cents per meal to fund regenerative farming projects in our community that improve soil quality and sequester carbon.

Visit a participating restaurant and mention Restore Colorado when ordering or checking out to receive a coupon for a FREE bag of compost redeemable at ACE Hardware stores by June 30, 2021.

Participating Boulder County restaurants include: CB Culinary, Dry Storage, Fresh Thymes, Nude Foods, Organic Sandwich Company, River and Woods, Subway (all 5 Boulder locations), Whistling Boar, and Wonder Press.

For a full list of participating restaurants visit Zero Foodprint.

This monthly webinar series explores how we can create an economy in service of an equitable, livable, and sustainable world. The Boulder Forum on Economy, Climate and Community features international leaders in the fields of energy systems, circular economy, ecosystems, and biodiversity. The forum is designed to be relevant to community members, businesses and local leaders, as well as regional and national policy makers and change makers.

The next session is on June 18 at 12 p.m. MDT and will feature New York City Climate Strategist Lolita Jackson. Register here.

Fertilizers on lawns. Pet waste in yards. Trash on the streets. Stormwater runoff from rain carries litter, pesticides, fertilizers, and other pollutants from our homes and businesses to local waterways without receiving treatment.

Learn what you can do at home to protect Boulder County's watershed by visiting the Keep It Clean Partnership.

“We often think of the Rocky Mountains as a crisp, clean environment, but the truth is that those same mountains can trap air pollutants, including air pollutants from outside the county, up against the foothills," says Bill Hayes, Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) Air Quality Coordinator. "Knowing when air quality is bad — and what to do when it is — can help you protect your health.”

Public health officials recommend checking visibility as a first step to determine air quality conditions. If visibility is over 10 miles, the air quality is good for particulates. If visibility is 5 - 10 miles, the air quality is acceptable. Visibility below 5 miles is concerning and outdoor activity should be limited.

However, ozone levels can be in the unhealthy range even on clear days. Ozone on its own is invisible and is produced when volatile organic compounds (VOCs) mix with combustion emissions in the presence of sunlight. Breathing high levels of ozone can harm the respiratory system. Boulder County's VOCs predominantly come from oil and gas operations to the northeast and combustion byproducts from vehicles. These pollutants often get trapped against the mountains where they receive sunlight that spurs the chemical reaction that produces ozone. Ozone used to be thought of as a summer problem, but ozone season is starting earlier and ending later due to climate change.

BCPH officials recommend the following resources to monitor air quality:

• Sign-up for daily Air Quality Alerts from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. These emails provide current health advisories and air quality forecasts. Subscribe here.
• Visit airnow.gov. Enter a zip code to see the Air Quality Index (AQI) in that area. The AQI provides a simple snapshot of air quality by combining data from both ozone and particulate monitors.
• Visit PurpleAir, which displays data from low cost sensors that individuals can purchase. These monitors are not 100% accurate and there is no assurance that they are appropriately located or maintained. Look at the averages of a number of monitors in your area rather than a single monitor reading.
• Visit BouldAir.com. BCPH operates a monitoring station at the Boulder Reservoir that measures methane and ozone precursors. This website displays near real-time data from the Boulder Reservoir monitoring station along with data from monitoring stations in Longmont and Broomfield.

BCPH officials recommend taking the following precautions on days with poor air quality:

• Stay indoors and limit strenuous activity on high ozone days. Ozone levels typically increase as the day goes on. Exercise early in the day when high ozone is forecast and avoid strenuous outdoor activity in the late afternoon and evening. Exercising when ozone levels are high will do your body more harm than skipping a workout.
• Avoid outdoor physical activities on days with wildfire smoke. If you can see it, smell it, or taste it – you shouldn’t breathe it. Face coverings worn to reduce the spread of COVID-19 do little to prevent breathing in the fine particles and harmful chemicals transported by wildfire smoke.
• In homes with central air systems, install the highest rated manufacturer-recommended air filters and replace filters regularly.
• In homes without central air systems, consider installing a portable filtration unit. BCPH recommends HEPA filter models.