The Environmental Protection Agency has partnered with AirNow in support of an air quality awareness initiative and promotion of their Air Quality Flag Program. Special Districts are now eligible to receive FREE flags through the program. Interested districts need to submit their flag requests by April 1 by simply emailing the request to perez.idalia@epa.gov.
Air Quality Awareness Week (AQAW) is May 2-6
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is a color-coded index that uses numbers to communicate how polluted the air currently is or how polluted it is forecast to become. The Air Quality Flag Program uses colored flags that correspond to the AQI colors. Libraries, community service districts and parks and recreation districts with sports complexes and community centers, fire stations, health centers and other organizations raise these colored flags each day based on forecasted air quality.
This visual indicator of air quality alerts community members about changing air quality conditions so people can take action to reduce their exposure. Outreach, education, and implementation guides and templates in English and Spanish are available on the AirNow website. See others in your community already participating in the program on the Flag Program Story Map.
Even if you don’t have a flag pole, there are ways you can participate in the program. Participants can make creative displays that use the AQI colors to communicate the local air quality. Examples of what other participants have done can be seen in the Air Quality Flag Program newsletters.
Participants can also choose to have electronic displays with Virtual Flags or install the Air Quality Flag Program widget on websites for easy access to air quality information instead of flying flags.
CSDA will be promoting Air Quality Awareness Week on our social media. If your district plans events for AQAW2022 you’d like us to share, please tag us on your social media posts! We are on Facebook and Instagram as @csdadistricts.
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