Be Good to Your Lungs - Tips on How to Improve Air Quality

It's been a long, hot summer and the air quality in Peachtree Corners and throughout the metro Atlanta has been adversely affected with increased ground-level ozone levels.

Clean Air Campaign, a non-profit organization designed to help improve Atlanta's air quality, issues Smog Alerts when the ground-level ozone levels reach an unhealthy level.

Today it reported that as of Wednesday, the number of consecutive Smog Alerts rose to 27, which was 12 more days than this time last year.

One of the major contributors is automobile exhaust emissions. The Clean Air group, working in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Transportation, offers ways to help reduce Atlanta's smog.

• Carpool: The Clean Air Campaign helps commuters find partners for their commute to save money and enjoy a stress-free commute

• Vanpool: Kick back and relax while you enjoy company with friends during your drive to work

• Transit: Using transit for part or all of your commute means you're reducing air pollution and traffic. It can also save you money.  

• Telework: Avoid traffic and increase your productivity by 10-20 percent by working from home. The Clean Air Campaign can talk to your employer about telework benefits and the help start at telework program at your office.

• Bike or Walk: Nearly 25 percent of our trips are less than one mile, switch up your commute and try a healthier option.

• Rearrange your work schedule: Adjust your commute and drive to work at off-peak times to avoid sitting in traffic and polluting the air. You can also try working a compressed work week to avoid driving to work one day a week

But when you do have to drive your car, remember an idling engine is adding to the air-pollution problem.

According to Clean Air Campaign's website each day, Americans waste approximately 3.8 million gallons of gasoline by voluntarily idling their cars, and an engine that idles for 10 minutes yields 90 grams of pollutants like carbon dioxide.

Find more facts and ways to help improve our air quality on the Clean Air Campaign's website.