People in Indiana Asked to Turn Off Their Lights

Residents across northwestern and southeastern Indiana are advised to turn off their lights amid an air quality alert triggered by elevated ozone levels.
Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) officials have announced the alert, which is in place through Friday. The National Weather Service (NWS) broadcast the message, encouraging the public to help. Conserving energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which in turn can help prevent worsening the ozone readings.
“Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation. Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip. Avoid refueling your vehicle or using gasoline-powered lawn equipment until after 7pm,” the NWS alert said. “Turn off your engine when idling for more than 30 seconds. Conserve energy by turning off lights or setting the air conditioner to 75 degrees or above.”
“Warm temperatures, low humidity and light winds will create conditions that are favorable for ozone development that reaches the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (USG) range in these areas,” an IDEM spokesperson told Newsweek. “A low pressure system will begin to move east across the lower Great Lakes on Friday and direct the warm front southward and increase humidity.”
Warmer temperatures can increase ozone levels, and Indiana weather has been hot and dry this week. Air quality also can be affected by pollution, such as wildfire smoke.
“Active children and adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma should limit prolonged outdoor exposure,” the alert said.
According to a webpage by AirNow, a coalition of the U.S. government and tribal agencies that monitors air quality, it becomes unhealthy for sensitive groups when the Air Quality Index (AQI) is measured from 101 to 150. The general public is less likely to experience effects at these levels.
As of Thursday afternoon, most IDEM air quality monitoring stations detected good air quality, with an AQI of less than 50, across Indiana. There were several locations that detected air quality to be moderate, which occurs when the index reads from 51 to 100.
Air quality is deemed acceptable at moderate levels, according to AirNow.
“However, there may be a risk for some people, particularly those who are unusually sensitive to air pollution,” the AirNow website said.
When it comes to taking action, turning off the lights might be more doable for some residents than keeping the air conditioner at a warmer temperature, particularly for those sensitive to heat.
The Department of Energy (DOE) suggests keeping the AC at 78 degrees or higher during summer months to conserve energy. However, the World Health Organization has found that there is no risk to human health if indoor temperatures are kept from 64 degrees to 75 degrees. AC temperatures should be even lower at night, with the National Sleep Foundation suggesting temperatures from 60 degrees to 67 degrees for optimal sleep.
An air quality alert was also issued for Southern California, where residents were advised to remain indoors due to wildfire smoke.