Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District (APCD) staff distributed 400 air purifiers to residents of Old Town Goleta Saturday, as part of APCD’s Clean Air Rooms Program.
The air purifiers were distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, limited to one per household, and proof of address was required to participate.
Air purifiers help keep indoor air clean — creating a “clean air room” — when wildfire smoke is affecting air quality,
Eligible residents of Old Town Goleta — as defined by this State of California map — who weren’t able to attend Saturday’s event can now fill out an online application to have a free air purifier shipped directly to their home.
Those who submit an online application will have to provide proof of address, and the devices remain limited to one per address, including addresses that participated in the Saturday event.
The air purifiers available via the online application process will likewise be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, while supplies last. That online application is available here.
Saturday’s event also saw community members participate in 52 free test drives of electric cars. Organized by the Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP) and co-sponsored by the Central Coast Clean Cities Coalition (a program administered by APCD) and the Community Environmental Council, the test-drive event allowed people to see and drive a variety of electric cars from local dealerships and learn about DCAP incentives.
DCAP provides up to $12,000 toward the purchase or lease of a new or used electric- or plug-in hybrid vehicle for income-qualified participants, with priority given to residents of low-income or disadvantaged communities.
APCD partnered with the city of Goleta to plan for and host Saturday’s event at the Goleta Community Center in Old Town.
“Saturday was a great day for clean air and a feeling of community,” said Aeron Arlin Genet, APCD’s executive director. “Like all of the APCD staff who helped out at the event, I enjoyed seeing the excitement over the electric cars, and it was great to see so many Old Town families pick up an air purifier.
“I encourage any Old Town resident who couldn’t come by on Saturday to fill out the online form for a free air purifier, while supplies last.”
Air purifiers can be purchased at local stores or online retailers, and come in various makes and models, suitable for different room sizes. An air purifier for a small bedroom typically costs around $100.
If you are considering purchasing an air purifier, here are some features to look for:
• Certified by California Air Resources Board for sale in the California: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/list-carb-certified-air-cleaning-devices
• HEPA-rated
• Energy-Star-rated
• A light indicator for filter replacement
• Effective for the size of the room where you intend to use the device
• Quiet operation – about 45 decibels or less
APCD has a webpage dedicated to information about setting up your own “clean air room,” with bilingual infographics and videos that focus on 1) how to choose and use an air purifier; 2) how to create a do-it-yourself (DIY) air filtration device that works similarly at a lesser cost; and 3) how to minimize common sources of indoor air pollution during wildfires.
APCD provides many resources on its website for checking and understanding Santa Barbara County air quality conditions. APCD also provides a rolling 24 hours’ worth of air quality readings for every monitoring station in the county, as well as daily forecasts: www.OurAir.org/todays-air-quality.