Take action on the Bay Area's behalf -- and your own. Here are some ways you can protect yourself and others from pollution that can cause or aggravate asthma.

• Reduce indoor pollution at home. Don't smoke, especially around children. Use a vacuum cleaner with a High Efficiency Particulate Arresting (HEPA) filter. If you use a gas stove, run the exhaust fan to clear indoor air. Use traps instead of pesticides to control roaches, as pesticides may aggravate asthma. Wash bedding in hot water to get rid of dust mites.
  
  
• Check air-quality ratings, and keep children indoors on afternoons when the air is rated poor (including during high ozone alerts). You'll find air-quality and ozone information at Spare The Air.
  
  
• Drive less. Choose alternatives to driving (public transit, biking, walking, carpooling), and bundle your errands into fewer trips.
  
  
• Urge your state legislators to encourage the California Department of Health Services to develop an asthma tracking and prevention system. See NRDC's Earth Action Center for contact information.
  
  
• Learn more: Visit the RAMP website, provided by a coalition of asthma organizations.
  
  
• You'll find lots more Bay Area green-living tips in our Green Gate Green Guides. And to keep informed and take action on the latest issues affecting the Bay Area and the rest of California, join NRDC's California Activist Network.

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