Smog advisory issued: McMaster spares the air
McMaster is doing its part to fight the war on smog.
During smog days, Physical Plant puts away lawnmowers and tree trimmers, in an effort to cut down on pollution.
The Ministry of the Environment and Energy has issued a smog advisory for the Hamilton region today.
Machines with two-stroke motors, generally found in lawn and garden equipment, are avoided on smog days, says physical plant service coordinator Len Van Hoffen.
Two-stroke engines produce a lot of pollution, he says. In two-stroke engines, oil mixes with gasoline, resulting in the combustion of oil. This can lead to machines emitting clouds of oily smoke, according to Marshall Brain's How Stuff Works. Conversely, four-stroke motors, commonly found in cars and trucks, do not mix these fuels.
On smog days, physical plant staff are assigned to other tasks, such as garbage pick-up and campus clean-up, Van Hoffen says.
During a smog alert, there are a number of actions one can take to help spare the air.
Air Quality Ontario advises:
- leave the car at home – walk, cycle, carpool or take public transit
- tele-conference instead of driving to meetings
- limit car trips by doing all errands at once, and do not let the engine idle
- keep car well tuned, check tire pressure and drive at moderate speeds
A smog advisory means that there is a strong likelihood that there may be poor air quality within the next 24 hours due to ground-level ozone and particulate matter.
