The City of Camrose is committed to maintaining our air quality and ensuring future generations have clean air to breathe.
We belong to the Alberta Capital Airshed that helps "provide easily accessible, high-quality data, and expertise vital to develop comprehensive air quality management plans – clean air solutions that keep our air clean. This helps ensure we live in a safe and healthy environment with clean air." (capitalairshed.ca)
There is also work being done in the community to monitor air quality. There are several air quality sensors in the City. The air quality data monitored by these stations can be found here. You can view Camrose specific data by zooming in the map to Camrose. The Air Quality Health Index for Camrose is available here.
Additionally, students are adding to the conversation, which you can see by watching this webinar with Dr. Greg King (U of A Augustana Campus) and students from his AUENV 421 class. This webinar discusses the potential of citizen science, the experience using air quality sensors. and the the significance of this research to the local Camrose area.
While vehicle use is an essential component of our society and our economy, emissions from vehicles significantly contribute to air pollution levels throughout the province. This is particularly true in densely populated or urban areas. Approximately 12% of Albertans live within 250 m of a major thoroughfare with associated higher motor vehicle emission-related air pollution levels, according to a 2019 air pollution study conducted by the University of Toronto.
According to research conducted by the Clean Air Strategic Alliance, during COVID-19 public health restrictions, the volume of morning commuters dropped approximately 45%, which resulted in improved outdoor air quality. This result was observed in a variety of jurisdictions throughout the world.
We want to reduce idling in the community of Camrose. We know that it can get very cold and very hot during the year in our region, however, we ask that you do not unnecessarily idle to warm and cool your vehicle. With today's computer-controlled engines, even on cold winter days no more than two to three minutes of idling is usually enough warm-up time before starting to drive. Please consult your owner's manual or your vehicle service advisor if you would like a recommendation specific to your vehicle or climatic conditions.
TRL, a subsidiary of the Transport Research Foundation, found that idling for a 30 second period produces nearly twice as much pollution as switching off then restarting the engine. Additionally, a person standing next to an idling vehicle will experience air pollution levels 10 times higher than average air pollution levels.
Idling Action London conducted a citizen science experiment that found “in-vehicle pollution levels can be very high when in stationary traffic and recommends that the greatest opportunity to significantly reduce drivers’ (and passengers’) exposure to air pollution due to idling would be to encourage drivers to switch off their engines when stopped in traffic, such as at junctions or traffic lights.” (Research — Idling Action)
Air pollution, including the pollutants such as CO2, NO, NO2, and NOx, produced by vehicular traffic, has been shown to have both short and long-term negative health effects. The most at risk are individuals with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease, the elderly or very young, and individuals with other chronic illnesses. Because of these risk groups, we need to focus on reducing vehicle emissions in school zones, near hospitals, and in areas where children participate in activities, such as playgrounds and sports fields.
Where can I learn more? Education Resources:
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