Code Orange Returns Today

The Georgia Clean Air Campaign has issued a code orange smog alert for the metro Atlanta area, including Gwinnett, for Friday, Aug. 12. 

A code orange advisory means children, people who are sensitive to ozone, and people with heart or lung disease should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during the late afternoon or early evening when ozone concentrations are highest.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) has five color-coded levels: green or good (AQI 0 to 50), yellow or moderate (AQI 51 to 100), orange or unhealthy for sensitive groups (AQI 101-150), red or unhealthy  (AQI 151 to 200) and purple or very unhealthy (AQI 201 to 300).

The Clean Air Campaign issues smog alerts on days when the concentrations of either ozone or particle pollution -- or both -- are expected to reach unhealthy levels.

To help improve air quality, The Clean Air Campaign recommends the following steps to keep more cars off the road thereby reducing the amount of smog-forming vehicle emissions that contribute to poor air quality:

• Commuters can carpool, vanpool, walk, cycle, ride transit or telework.

• Parents can walk with children to school, look into riding the school bus or make sure children's school participate in the Clean Air School program.

• Businesses can encourage alternative commute options, offer incentives to use clean commutes and get free consulting services for doing this from The Clean Air Campaign.