Clean Air Testing to Begin



Learning to Drive the Prius

After a slight delay due to technical difficulties the Clean Air Testing Project  began last night and will continue every night for 3 weeks.  A specially equipped Toyota Prius will be driven by a team of volunteers between Cranbrook and Kimberley. They will follow the same route at approximately the same time every evening.  The vehicle is equipped with a portable nephelometer which will take air quality readings for particulate matter in the air every 15 seconds.  This should provide us with more information about the quality of air in Cranbrook, Kimberley and area.  While our air quality is excellent in the summer it tends to be quite poor in the winter partially due to inefficient wood burning stoves.  Poor air quality has a real effect on the health of many people, including children and seniors. The government is trying to encourage people to upgrade their stoves to  more high efficient models which greatly reduce the wood smoke released into the environment. Results of the testing should be available sometime this summer and we will let you know the results.  To learn more about the Wood Stove Exchange Program please go here http://www.wildsight.ca/kimcran/woodstove or here http://www.cranbrook.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=251:city-to-participate-in-2010-east-kootenay-woodstove-exchange-program&catid=58:2010-news&Itemid=547