Soon the days will grow longer and hotter, and summer in San Antonio means Ozone Season. Citizens need to be more air aware during the warmer months in our region so that they can protect their health and help reduce air pollution. Ozone Season runs from April 1 through October 31.

To kick off the season, we invite families of the region to San Pedro Park (regional/city map) on April 9, 2005 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Click here for event activity map.

A few activities at the event are:

• Car Care Alley

- Learn how to perform basic maintenance checks in record time and receive your free Car Care 101 booklet. Courtesy of Texas Independent Automotive Association (TIAA).



• Emissions Checks and Gas Cap Checks - See how clean your vehicle runs by running it through a free tailpipe test. A gas cap that leaks could be wasting fuel. At the Air Quality Health Fair, you can have your gas cap checked for leaks for free. Checking your gas cap will help keep the gas in the tank and the money in your pocket.





• VIA's Drive Clean Across Texas bus and Buster - At the event, you can try loading and unloading your bike on the Drive Clean Across Texas bus. Bike racks can now be found on all VIA buses.
  
  

• Free bike tune-ups from Bike City
  
  

• Hybrid Vehicle, Alternate Fuel Vehicle, and Electronic Vehicle Displays




• Free Tree Giveaway - City Public Service (CPS) will give away 500 trees. Visit www.alamoforestpartnership.org for more information about trees.
  
  

• Activities for Kids - By participating in the scavenger hunt, kids will visit the different exhibitors at the event. There will also be activity tables for kite making, face painting, and beanbag toss, and more. Prizes are awarded for selected activities.
  
  

• AND MUCH MORE!

• Commute Solutions–Our mission is to find a better way to get you where you need to go each day: to work or to school, with more time for play! Commute Solutions provides matching services for alternative commute programs, such as carpooling. Visit the Commute Solutions table to sign up for a carpool matchlist request and to sign up to join the Air Quality Health Alert notification list.





• Solid Waste/Resource Recovery–AACOG looks at solid waste as a resource to be reduced, reused, or recycled to the fullest extent possible, leaving only a small residue for landfill disposition. AACOG staff attend events to promote these issues. Visit the Solid Waste/Resource Recovery table to learn about reducing waste in your home.





• Texas Independent Automotive Association (TIAA) –Provides business solutions and benefits for Independent Automotive Shop Owners. Members abide by specific automotive standards to ensure customers receive quality auto repair. TIAA is currently working in conjunction with schools, training facilities, and other automotive organizations to provide an effective tool for aspiring technicians to utilize in preparing for a new career in the automotive industry. Visit TIAA at Car Care Alley to learn about keeping your vehicle properly tuned.





• City Public Service (CPS)–CPS is the nation's largest municipally owned energy company providing both natural gas and electric service. Their mission is to produce and deliver competitive energy products and services to meet the changing expectations of our customers. Visit the CPS table to receive your free tree.





• Drive Clean Across Texas–Drive Clean Across Texas is the nation's first statewide public outreach and public education campaign designed to improve air quality. The goal is to boost awareness and change attitudes about air pollution, and to ultimately inspire changes in driving behavior that will help clean up the air in Texas. The Texas Department of Transportation, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Federal Highway Administration jointly sponsor the campaign. Visit the Drive Clean Across Texas table and learn about their K-12 curriculum.





• VIA Metropolitan Transit–VIA aims to provide first class public transportation services that are safe, dependable, and cost effective, thereby enhancing the environment and quality of life in our community. Visit VIA and Buster The Bus at their Drive Clean Across Texas bus display.





• San Antonio Water System (SAWS)–SAWS is a public utility owned by the city of San Antonio. SAWS provides educational materials and programs to the community. The main goal of SAWS education has always been to provide a mechanism to educate and preserve the local watersheds and to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility. Visit the SAWS table to learn how to better conserve and use our water.





• San Antonio Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO)–The MPO was created by federal law to provide local input for urban transportation planning and allocating federal transportation funds to cities with populations of greater than 50,000. The MPO provides comprehensive, coordinated and continuous ("3C") transportation planning for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods consistent with the region's overall economic, social and environmental goals. Visit the MPO table to learn about biking and hiking in San Antonio.





• Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) –The mission of the Texas Department of Transportation is to provide safe, effective and efficient movement of people and goods. TxDOT promotes a higher quality of life through partnerships with the citizens of Texas and all branches of government by being receptive, responsible and cooperative. Visit the TxDOT to learn how they aim to provide comfortable, safe, durable, cost-effective, and environmentally sensitive and aesthetically appealing transportation systems that work together.





• South Texas Asthma Coalition–The mission of the South Texas Asthma Coalition is to improve the health of individuals with asthma through intervention, education and research. The Coalition pursues this mission by supporting and coordinating the efforts of its members to improve the health of individuals with asthma through raising public awareness of asthma and through outreach and education to: 1) the community, 2) physicians, and 3) others in the healthcare field. Visit the South Texas Asthma Coalition table to receive your free asthma screening.





• American Lung Association of Texas–The American Lung Association of Texas (ALAT) assists families and children with asthma management and care, is an active advocate for clean indoor and outdoor air, and is considered the leading organization in Texas providing smoking prevention and “quit smoking” programs for young people. Visit the ALAT table to learn more about air quality and your health.





• City of San Antonio–What does Styrofoam, fish, and plastic bottles have in common? They can all be found in the river! Visit the City of San Antonio table to learn more about storm water runoff and water pollution.





• Keep San Antonio Beautiful (KSAB)–KSAB focuses on the areas of litter prevention, solid waste education, and public service activities. Visit the KSAB table to learn about recycling in San Antonio.





• Bike City–Warmer weather is a great motivation to get active, and bring your bike out from its winter hibernation. Visit the Bike City table and receive a free tune-up.





• Solar San Antonio–Solar San Antonio is a nonprofit advocacy and resource center for renewable and sustainable energy applications. Visit the Solar San Antonio table to learn more about sustainable energy sources for San Antonio.





• Metropolitan Partnership for Energy (MPE)–The MPE works to increase San Antonio’s energy efficiency and sustainability by providing the region with energy leadership, education and expertise. Visit the MPE table to learn more about energy efficiency.





• San Antonio River Authority (SARA)–SARA protects and preserves our shared water resources. Visit the SARA table to learn more about keeping our rivers clean.





• Solar Cooker–Solar Cooker promotes use of sunshine (a clean, free, and unlimited resource) for cooking. Visit the Solar Cooker table, weather permitting, to view a demonstration of how to cook with the sun.





• Toyota Town Dealers–Toyota Town Dealers of San Antonio will be displaying hybrid and fuel efficient vehicles, such as the Prius and the Corolla, for the fair. Visit the Toyota Town Dealers table to learn more about alternative fuel vehicles and energy efficiency vehicles.