We’ve got a new name, a new look, a new website, some new surprises in the air – and dare we say it, some new swagger in our steps.
Welcome to Little Steps Cleaner Air.
We still want to make a big impact. With our new name, though, our mission is crystal clear.
We are evolving with the times – the conversation around air quality has changed over the last few months. We have more evidence than ever that our actions make a difference.
However, the core of the campaign remains the same: our community has an air quality problem, and all residents have the power to fix it. Even children can help: that’s why we created fun activities, resources and other tools all focused around the science of air quality, all on our new website.
On warm days, the Omaha metro is sometimes close to or exceeds EPA guidelines on healthy levels of ground-level ozone. Even with fewer cars on our roads during the pandemic, there have been 14 moderate or unhealthy air quality days in our area since March. While ozone is an important component of our atmosphere and protects us from harmful ultraviolet rays, it is dangerous to breathe down on the ground.
Ground-level ozone is caused by emissions from vehicles, pollution from industrial plants and evaporated gases from chemicals, among other things. Little steps like driving less, walking more, taking public transportation, switching to electric engines and filling up with biofuels can all decrease the amount of ground-level ozone, thereby improving our air quality.
To illustrate the ease of making these small changes, we are installing a new series of temporary, vinyl footsteps on sidewalks and trails around the community. Inspired by the Burma Shave outdoor advertising campaign, the footsteps give examples of these little steps, plus air quality information and other inspiring poems imprinted on them.
Are you with us? Good! Take the pledge to commit to improving our air quality. Let’s show the strength of our numbers and take action to reduce ground-level ozone together.
We hope with this fresh new approach and all the little steps we’re taking that we’ll make a positive impact on our air quality and all of us can breathe a little easier.
About Little Steps Cleaner Air
Little Steps Cleaner Air is a public awareness campaign aimed at inspiring people in our community to take steps to improve our air quality. When everyone makes small habit changes, we can all breathe a little easier. The campaign is managed by Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA) and funded by grants from the Federal Highway Administration and the Nebraska Environmental Trust. Learn more at littlestepscleanerair.com