Simple Steps Better Air

The RAQC's Mow Down Pollution program has a new website! Same URL, new look:

➡ www.mowdownpollution.org

On it you can find:
🍃Information on local mower trade-in events, like the one coming up on August 15th, for Longmont Residents! (advance registration required)
✅ Metal recycling information, for where you can safely recycle an old gas-powered piece of lawn equipment.
💲 Details on the benefits of going electric with your lawn and garden equipment in the Colorado Front Range! Did we mention there's a 30% point-of-sale discount through 2029 at participating retailers?

This year, Simple Steps. Better Air. has partnered with Rocky Mountain PBS to get the word out about the simple steps we can all take to keep our air clean and our skies healthy in summertime!

These novel educational videos — for kids and adults alike — feature Scout, a spirited American pika who is friends with Rocky Mountain PBS and hangs out at the Buell Public Media Center in Colorado. Energetic and hungry for both snacks and knowledge, Scout is driven by an inquisitive love of Colorado’s mountains, rivers, and native species – including all his human friends.

Keep an eye out for Scout on TV or the PBS Passport app, while watching your favorite shows!

Or, take a peek at the video from our playlist, on our YouTube (link in comments, and in our latest blog on our website)!

Join Simple Steps. Better Air. at Air Quality Day at Civic Center EATS!

August 19, 2026 from 11am to 2pm, next to Civic Center Park.

Purchase lunch at one of the many local food trucks available and learn about summer air quality in the Colorado Front Range.

https://simplestepsbetterair.org/air-quality-day-at-civic-center-eats/

We’ll be joined by our local air quality partners Love My Air Denver, and retail partners ACE Hardware and Trek, who help electrify various equipment, through the RAQC’s Engines Off Mobile Grants program and Mow Down Pollution program.

How you get to EATS matters — and you could win! When you walk, bike, or bus, you’re helping reduce summer ground-level ozone pollution. And on Air Quality Day, you can score a prize if you walk, bike, or bus to Bannock Street next to Civic Center Park! Stop by our table on August 19 and tell us how you got to EATS, to spin our wheel to win giveaways from Simple Steps. Better Air. and ACE Hardware.

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Depending on what kind of home cooling system you use, there may be different ways to breathe easier indoors during the summer months.

Read our latest blog to learn about how heat pumps handle air quality issues, and how to take advantage of Colorado heat pump tax credits and Power Ahead Colorado’s new heat pump rebates in the Denver metro region.

https://simplestepsbetterair.org/swamp-coolers-and-wildfire-smoke-your-colorado-indoor-air-quality-questions-answered/

Are you signed up for our summer ozone alerts? This week we'll be sharing timely info about both smoke and ozone in the Front Range.

Sign up here: https://simplestepsbetterair.org/sign-up/

Today's alert: Ground-level ozone may reach levels unhealthy for sensitive groups tomorrow, August 4th, 2026.

In addition, increasing wildfire smoke across the Front Range will result in elevated levels of fine particle pollution that will be unhealthy for sensitive groups, today, August 3rd and through tomorrow, August 4th.

Concerned about the impacts of ozone pollution and wildfire smoke on your health? On days with a "multiple pollutants" alert, all Front Range residents should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion, such as lengthy or intense exercise. This is especially important for people with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children. 

Learn more about what to do when smoke and ozone overlap.
https://simplestepsbetterair.org/when-wildfire-smoke-and-summer-ozone-overlap/

Want to get outside? Check the AQI first.
https://www.airnow.gov/

When indoors, run an air purifier with a HEPA and carbon filter to reduce particle pollution from smoke in your home, office, or school.
https://simplestepsbetterair.org/how-to-improve-your-indoor-air-quality/

Breathe easier: High-quality, well-fitting masks — such as KN95s and N95s — can filter out particle pollution from wildfire smoke both indoors and outside. (Masks do not filter out ground-level ozone.)

Already taking simple steps and signed up for alerts, but want to know more about Front Range air quality and the work of the Regional Air Quality Council?

Sign up for the RAQC's monthly Air Monitor newsletter!

Here's some of what we covered in July:
😶‍🌫️ What to know about keeping your indoor air clean with swamp coolers, window AC, ozone, and wildfire smoke
📘 An update on developing our Blueprint for clean air
🏆 How to win a prize at Air Quality Day at Civic Center EATS on August 19th!
📆 Information on an upcoming gas-powered lawn equipment trade-in event

Sign up for our monthly Air Monitor E-Newsletter here: https://raqc.org/email-signup/

Catch up on our recent newsletter from July 30th here: https://conta.cc/4wyhFC5

Signup for Email Updates - Current Page - RAQC By submitting this form, you are granting: Regional Air Quality Council, 1445 Market Street, Ste. 260, Denver, Colorado, 80202, United States,

This month, we’ve had many questions about if swamp coolers and window AC units bring ozone or wildfire smoke into your homes.

So we've got answers! Here are a few things you should know about how your cooling system might be bringing ozone or wildfire smoke indoors, and what you can do about it.

Swamp coolers and wildfire smoke? Your Colorado indoor air quality questions, answered - Simple Steps. Better Air. Depending on what kind of home cooling system you use, there may be different ways to breathe easier indoors during the summer months.

Live in Colorado, and wondering what the differences are between different types of air pollution, like wildfire smoke and ground-level ozone? And how to manage them, to protect your health?

We've updated our explainer! Check out our blog to learn more.

https://simplestepsbetterair.org/when-wildfire-smoke-and-summer-ozone-overlap/

simplestepsbetterair.org

Our latest blog is celebrating on June 26th!

The Regional Air Quality Council’s popular Engines Off Mobile Grants program has partnered with more than 90 Front Range food trucks to support their electrification efforts.

By trading in diesel generators for electric, these food trucks have reduced emissions that contribute to summer ozone formation, plus they’ve created healthier environments for their employees and customers alike. It’s a win-win for these small businesses and the communities where they dish out their wares!

How can you find an electrified food truck on your own? Just listen for … nothing but the sound of cooking and people ordering.

These trucks’ batteries quietly run throughout service and beyond, and with no stink, they’re becoming popular at event spaces and breweries — which are increasingly offering plug-in options, as patrons prefer a quieter, exhaust-free experience.

Here's three ideas in the Front Range, to get you started:

Why you should eat out at one of Colorado’s electrified food trucks - Simple Steps. Better Air. Breathe easier this summer when out at events, by finding a food truck in the Front Range that has electrified their operations! Check out our recommendations.

Curious as to why summer ozone is such a big deal in the Front Range?

Whether you’re a parent, teacher, neighbor, or local leader, the Simple Steps. Better Air. website has an easy-to-read FAQ page that’s perfect for learning and sharing with your community to stay informed and healthy during ozone season.

Why this matters for our communities:

Ozone forms on hot, sunny days, exactly when kids are playing and people are exercising. And, ozone can make it harder for people with asthma or lung conditions to breathe. But small changes daily from many people can reduce emissions that contribute to ozone pollution!

Help spread awareness in your community, for better air that supports a healthier future for everyone.

https://simplestepsbetterair.org/faq/