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Leading and involving the Southland community in managing our natural resources of air, water, land and coast in order to protect and enhance the lifestyle and well-being of current and future generations.

What You Can Do

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What can I do to keep the Air clean?

What we do in our own homes, such as our choice of home heating appliance and how we get rid of household rubbish, can influence urban air pollution. Below is a brief outline of simple things that you can do at home to help reduce the amount of air pollution where you live.

Home heating and Indoor Air

You can reduce the amount of air pollution created by heating your home, and the costs of home heating by ensuring that your home is well insulated. Insulation is important for keeping your home warm, reducing the amount of heat you need and saving money.

Insulation methods include using roof insulation, thick curtains, draft excluders, and hot-water cylinder wraps. Or you can even insulate yourself by wearing warmer clothes instead of lighting a fire! Keep your doors closed and well sealed, especially between living areas and garages. Not only does this help with heating, but it also improves the quality of indoor air as harmful gases can escape from cars even when they are not running.

Many clean options for home heating are available. Where possible choose low-polluting methods such as flued gas heaters, electric heaters, solar heating or heat pumps.

Avoid using un-flued gas heaters because they cause condensation and dampness, and emit gases such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. If you do use them make sure the room is ventilated. If you have any health problems, such as headaches or dizziness, stop using the heater immediately and have it checked.

More information on insulation and energy conservation is available on the Energy-Wise website.

Remember, home fires are a major source of pollution in many areas (see sources of pollution in the tables) so avoid using them as much as possible. Being inside does not protect you from air pollution because indoor levels are often about the same as those outdoors. Here are more ideas for ensuring your woodburner operates more efficiently to reduce the amount of air pollution that it emits.

DIY in the Garden and at Home

Many activities in and around our homes can affect air quality, such as mowing the lawns, burning rubbish or painting the house. It is important that we think about how these activities could affect the health of ourselves and others and the environment.

Reducing Vehicle Pollution

Emissions from vehicles and traffic is a major source of urban air pollution in towns and cities.

The type of transportation you use and how you use it can have a significant effect on the amount of air pollution you are responsible for generating. Motor vehicles produce large quantities of urban air pollution that can significantly affect your health. So if you can, avoid using your car, particularly for short journeys, and try an alternative such as walking, biking, or using public transport.

Every mode of transport has advantages and disadvantages. For example, walking or biking can be inconvenient if you want to travel a long distance. However the benefits include:

• Keeping fit
• Saving money – it's cheaper than driving
• Exposing you to less pollution than being in a car
• Producing much less pollution than a car, making it better for both the environment and your health

Why not see if you can cut back the total number of journeys you make in your car each week by using some of these alternatives? If you must use your car, see our tips for driving, maintaining and buying motor vehicles.

For more information on vehicle pollution see Air Issues and Transport Issues.

Where to From Here

It is clear from our recent studies that during winter, the air quality in Invercargill and Gore does not currently meet the Government’s air quality standard for PM10. With further studies, we could expect that more towns in Southland may be added to the list.

The ambient standards for air do not specify how they should be achieved. That role lies with Regional Councils, who are responsible for managing air quality in their regions. We are not yet clear how we will achieve that standard in Southland. A lack of information on the extent and magnitude of PM10 levels in the majority of Southland towns, and little detail on the types and numbers of solid fuel burning appliances, means that we have yet to define the size of the issue, let alone clearly identify possible solutions. One of our immediate priorities will be to gather the information necessary to make well informed decisions.

At the national level, the Ministry for the Environment is to lead a project investigating how more families can be encouraged to make home energy efficiency improvements and install cleaner heating sources. The Ministry will gather information from other countries dealing with the same problem, commission new research and develop a national policy on the issue. While the project is still in its early stages, it could potentially include a national incentive scheme to encourage households to choose low emission heating.

We clearly have some way to go in understanding and managing our air quality. Nevertheless, achieving the new standards should bring about considerable health benefits for Southlanders.

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Related information

Other sections that may interest you:

• Air Quality Plan
• Applying for a Burning Consent
• Monitoring Report Cards