As summer winds down, the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership and Citizens for Modern Transit’s joint “No Red Day” campaign has officially wrapped with nearly 500 sign-ups for free Metro Adventure Day Passes. The campaign aimed to prevent a “red” air quality day from happening by encouraging area residents to take transit instead of driving, especially during peak ozone season when heat and emissions can combine to create unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution.
Thanks to strong community engagement and creative outreach efforts, campaign organizers and participants played an important role in helping the region avoid any red air quality days this season. However, the return of warmer weather late last week and into this week has brought with it five additional orange air quality days, a reminder that poor air quality can persist even outside the traditional forecasting window, underscoring transit matters throughout the year.
Ozone pollution remains a concern for everyone, especially children, seniors and those with respiratory conditions. Even as the campaign concludes, the need to reduce emissions continues. Choosing transit over personal vehicles – even if just occasionally – can make a meaningful impact on air quality. Taking MetroLink or MetroBus to get to school, work, appointments, sports and entertainment venues, and everywhere else you need to go helps keep emissions down and air quality in healthier ranges.
Planning ahead for high ozone days by checking the daily air quality forecast and encouraging others to make the switch to try transit are simple but powerful steps we can all take. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue doing our part for cleaner air – because every ride counts.
To learn more about the summerlong campaign efforts, visit NoRedDay.com.
