The Climate Agenda: Let's talk about those ozone alerts
Ozone warnings are a regular occurrence during Tucson's summer months ... But what do they mean and what should you do? ... Trash talk at the supes meeting.
When you hear the word “ozone,” you probably think about the protective layer of the earth’s stratosphere that absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
We learned in school about the ozone layer and the damage it sustained due to manufactured chemicals. For many of us, that’s where our education ended. But another type of ozone takes center stage during Tucson’s hot, summer months, when “Ozone Action Days” are a regular occurrence.
Ground-level ozone is the “bad” ozone that forms closer to the earth. It’s not usually emitted directly, but instead is formed from chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds exposed to sunlight.
Pima County Department of Environmental Quality’s Karen Wilhelmsen said she compares the process to baking a cake: Pollutants bake under the heat in the sun, causing a chemical reaction that creates ground-level ozone.
“Ozone protects us from the sun’s ultraviolet radiation up there, but down here, when we breathe it, it’s really harmful,” she said.
For people with lung issues or ozone sensitivity, higher levels of ground-level ozone can lead to shortness of breath, coughing, throat irritation, wheezing and discomfort while breathing. And ozone sensitivity doesn’t discriminate. People with respiratory diseases, children and even active adults can all be affected.
You may have noticed the ozone warnings that pop up on your phone’s weather app, similar to excessive heat warnings. We get a lot of those, so it can be easy to breeze past the warnings. But a glitch in the system last month caused Caitlin to sit up and take notice.
On Memorial Day, Caitlin was running errands across town and decided to check on the temperature while waiting on her order during a midday iced tea stop. That ozone warning popped up, but she noticed the end date wasn’t Tuesday or even Wednesday, but June 17. A full three weeks later.
We have some crazy weather in Tucson, so weather warnings aren’t at all uncommon, but one that lasts longer than a day or two definitely is, so we reached out to the PDEQ to inquire.
The good news is, the long-running ozone alert was an error in the National Weather Service’s system and ozone alerts never last that long, said Wilhelmsen. The glitch was fixed and the warning disappeared from the weather app within a few days.
But the not-so-good news is that since the start of May, there have already been three ozone action days, and as the summer goes on, more are surely on the way (last year, there were six.)
PDEQ monitors air pollution (including ozone) in the region at 16 different air quality monitoring sites and provides real-time levels online. Residents can sign up for air pollution action day advisories to receive email alerts whenever a certain pollutant rises to a dangerous level.
Pima County’s Air Quality Index is based on the system established by the Environmental Protection Agency, which uses numbers and colors to help make it easy for the public to understand daily air pollution levels.
When it comes to ozone, levels between 0 and 50 are good and color-coded green. Most of our days are in the green category, according to Wilhelmsen, but on several days a year, Tucson drifts over into the moderate category (a measurement of between 51 to 100,) which is indicated by the color yellow.
Even yellow days can be problematic for people who are extra sensitive to air pollution, Wilhelmsen said, but when that number rises above 100, it shifts into the orange category with levels that can be dangerous for people with health issues.
The county’s ozone action alerts are sent out when the Air Quality Index for ozone hits about 90, to give people with sensitivities time to take precautions before it shifts into the orange category, Wilhelmsen said.
“They’re (also) sent out to help people think ahead and consider taking an alternate mode of transportation,” Wilhelmsen said. “The biggest source of air pollution in Pima County is driving cars and trucks, so if people could drive less, that would be helpful.”
If not driving during ozone action days isn’t an option, there are still steps people can take to help make a difference, like combining errands into a single trip instead of making multiple trips, Wilhelmsen said. And of course, shifting to carpooling, public transit, bicycling or walking is also helpful, she said.
There are other ways to help cut down on the pollution a person’s vehicle emits, including keeping the engine tuned and tires properly inflated, and waiting to fill up the gas tank in the evening, when it's cooler and less sunny.
PDEQ recommends that people who are sensitive to ozone limit their time outside between noon and 6 p.m. on ozone action days, saying that intense physical activity causes heavier breathing and allows ozone to penetrate deeper into the lungs.
Wilhelmsen likened ground-level ozone exposure to a sunburn to the lungs, saying that ozone can damage lung tissue and make it difficult to breathe.
Cloudy or overcast weather results in lower ozone levels, with less sunlight coming in, and breezy weather also helps to disperse ground-level ozone before it can build up.
But the most dangerous days when it comes to ground-level ozone are those that are sunny, bright and still. Those are the days when people might want to think twice before using their car to run a single errand and avoid using gas-powered landscape equipment, which also can lead to an increase in ozone levels.
“We have a high population of people who are older and a decent amount of children and people with respiratory and heart disease,” Wilhelmsen said. “When you choose to drive less, you’re looking out for their health.”
Got out of hand: A man said the Pima County Board of Supervisors should go before a firing squad at call to the public, the Arizona Daily Star’s Charles Borla reports. The man, Doyle Taraba, accused Democratic supervisors of treason, but failed to provide additional context. Supervisor Sylvia Lee asked County Administrator Jan Lesher and the Pima County Attorney's Office to "get an opinion" on Taraba’s statements, saying she "felt very threatened."
Money madness: Over at Tucson City Hall, protesters railed against the city council for not including more money for affordable housing in the city budget, Arizona Public Media’s Sophia Hammer reports. Advocates for two local aid groups said the budget doesn’t adequately support housing and homelessness initiatives compared to how much money it provides to police, while another group argued that the police need more funding to address homelessness and maintain public safety.
Treasurer talk: Come watch a debate, moderated by Curt, between the two Democratic candidates for Pima County Treasurer on Saturday. Sami Hamed and Brian Johnson are vying to be the Democratic candidate to face Republican Chris Ackerley in the November general election. You can get tickets at the Democrats of Greater Tucson website.
Heading to court: The first lawsuit has been filed against HCR 2060, the SB1070 redux ballot measure Republican lawmakers put on the ballot for November, KJZZ’s Wayne Schutsky reports. The lawsuit was filed by the progressive group Living United for Change in Arizona and Assistant House Minority Leader Oscar De Los Santos, a Democrat from Laveen. They say it violates the constitution and embraces a “hodgepodge of disparate subjects.”
Decision fallout: President Joe Biden’s executive order on asylum this week could lead to 700 daily expulsions of Mexican migrants in the Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, the Star’s Emily Bregel reports. A memo from Mexican consulate officials said “repatriations” of migrants in Arizona to four Mexican border towns were expected to begin Tuesday at midnight.
Tired of it all: Some local voters may sit out this year’s election, the Arizona Luminaria’s Yana Kunichoff reports. A 2023 Pew Research Center poll found that more people have unfavorable than favorable views of both the Republican and Democratic parties, with only 4% of U.S. adults surveyed saying the political system is working extremely well.
If you’d like your group’s event featured in a future edition of the Climate Agenda, please send details to caitlin@tucsonagenda.com.
Water harvesting goes virtual
The Watershed Management Group is offering their harvesting workshops online three more times this month, with all classes satisfying Tucson Water’s rebate educational requirement. The first class is on Tuesday from 4:30 to 7 p.m., when attendees will learn about rainwater harvesting (passive and active) and how to qualify and apply for Tucson Water’s Rainwater Harvesting Incentives Rebate Program. Instructors will provide tips on how to save municipal water while supporting a productive oasis and will include a virtual tour of the water harvesting features at the group’s Living Lab. If you can’t attend this session, there’s a second class offered on Thursday, June 20. Find details and sign up here.
The group is also offering a virtual greywater harvesting workshop on Tuesday, June 18 from 5 to 7 p.m., where attendees will learn how to use their washing machine’s water supply for irrigation. The class also meets the educational requirement for Tucson Water, and walks people through the process of applying for the rebate. Learn more and register here.
Meet the birds of Mission Garden
Mission Garden (946 W. Mission Lane) is hosting its monthly bird-spotting event on Thursday from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Attendees will meet at the front gate for a guided tour with one of the garden’s expert birders where they’ll learn to identify common calls and songs of seasonal and resident birds. The garden is a good place for beginning and intermediate birders to learn about many of the birds that are common in Tucson, including roadrunners, hummingbirds and more. The event is free and advance registration is not necessary. Learn more here.
Tasting tapas at Tucson Village Farm
Join Cocoa & Lavender’s David Scott Allen at Tucson Village Farm (2201 E. Roger Rd.) on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. for a farm-to-table cooking class with locally-sourced ingredients. The class will be held indoors (hooray for air conditioning) and the menu includes Salmorejo (a Spanish soup,) Papas Arrugadas (salt-crusted potatoes with dipping sauce) and Tortilla Española (an egg, potato and onion frittata.) Each attendee will get to sample all three recipes and all proceeds from the class benefit the 4-H Healthy Living Ambassador Program. Space is limited. Learn more and sign up here.
Buffelgrass beatdown at Tucson Mountain Park
Join the Sonoran Desert Weedewackers next Saturday, June 15, from 6 to 10 a.m., to battle the buffelgrass in Tucson Mountain Park. Volunteers should come prepared to hike off trail to reach the work area. Snacks and drinks will be provided, and if it’s particularly hot, the event may end early. Details on the specific meeting location within the park will be sent out by email a few days ahead of time. Volunteers should bring water, a backpack, sunscreen and snacks and wear sturdy shoes, long pants and sun protection. Tools will be provided. Find details and register here.
Learn about traditional O’odham agriculture
Mission Garden (946 W. Mission Lane) is continuing its monthly tradition of talks and demonstrations about O’odham agriculture next Saturday, June 15, from 8 to 10 a.m. at the garden’s placita (near the kitchen.) Maegan Lopez, from the garden and Ajo’s Center for Sustainable Agriculture, will talk about traditions associated with Native American crops and how crops brought by Europeans were integrated into O’odham agriculture. The event is free, but donations help the garden grow. Advance registration is not required. Learn more here.
Get your hands dirty at Tucson Village Farm
Tucson Village Farm is hosting its monthly service day next Saturday, June 15, from 7 to 10 a.m. Volunteers will meet at the big farm (2201 E. Roger Rd.) and should bring a hat and water bottle and wear closed-toed shoes. Attendees will help with weed control through cardboard and mulching pathways, tend to the farm’s summer crops and learn about seed saving. Find out more and sign up here.
Upcoming meetings
Tucson-Pima County Bicycle Advisory Committee - Wednesday, June 19 at 6 p.m.
City of Tucson Complete Streets Coordinating Council - Wednesday, June 26 at 5:30 p.m.
City of Tucson Commission on Climate, Energy and Sustainability - Thursday, June 27 at 3:30 p.m.
City of Tucson Citizens’ Water Advisory Committee - Wednesday, July 3 at 8 a.m.