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Pollution from care tailpipes and other chemical in the air creates harmful ozone.  It’s a real health hazard and people like us are the one’s creating it! Collin, Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties are on ozone probation What can you do to help? Plant a tree Take a bus Take the train Walk, skate or bike to places Carpool Don’t sit in drive-thru lines Ozone is a colorless gas, it cannot be detected by looking at the air.  The brown or white haze that hangs over a city is not ozone it is other pollutants combined with water. Trees are an important part of our environment. They provide shade for our homes, streets and animals. Trees and their roots protect the soil and keep our city beautiful.  A tree “breathes” carbon dioxide and exhales oxygen. They also remove pollutants from the air and give us fresh oxygen to breathe.  What is Ozone? Ozone in the upper atmosphere is necessary to block harmful ultraviolet radiation. At ground level, ozone is a common air pollutant for plants and people. People with asthma or allergies can fell the affects of air pollution. A hot and still day ¯ when the sun beats down ¯ is when the most dangerous kind of ozone pollution can form. Ozone forecasts are made for each day of the ozone season (May ¯ October). Each forecast is a simple “yes” or “no” prediction for the question, “Will ozone levels reach or go over a target level?” If the answer is “yes” , a high ozone warning is issued. The warnings are color coded to indicate the severity of pollution   Level Orange Unhealthy for sensitive groups Level Red Unhealthy Level Purple Very unhealthy