Moon Valley Nurseries Helping The Environment One Christmas Tree At A Time

Help clean up the air in the Southwest

It is estimated that about 42 million leisure travelers spent time in the southwest, resulting in billions of dollars in revenue. While tourism is good for the states, it also brings pollution from cars, planes, buses and other gasoline powered outlets.
During the winter, the Department s of Air Quality may issue High Pollution Advisories based upon the U.S EPA Air Quality Index. This index categorizes pollution levels with respect to their potential health impacts, and health concerns associated with each classification.
A High Pollution Advisory (HPA) is issued when the highest concentrations of ozone or PM levels may exceed the federal health standard. At this point, pollution levels are reaching unhealthy levels for everyone, not just people with respiratory problems.


The Brown Cloud

For the most part, the ‘Brown Cloud’ that you see hovering over the valley consists of tiny particles of carbon and nitrogen dioxide gas. These substances are deposited into the air mostly from burning fossil fuels. Cars, construction-related dust, power plants, gas powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers, and more contribute to the cloud daily.
At night, an inversion layer forms over the Valley. As with any desert, the air closer to the ground cools faster than the air above. What happens to this cool air? It then moves in on top of the warm air westward from the surrounding mountains. As a result, the air trapped closer to the ground in the Valley, the air containing the majority of the pollutants in the area then spreads. “As the desert floor heats up during the day, the particulates rise forming a visible haze that expands as the day progresses. Throughout the day, air shifts in the Valley cause variances in the Brown Cloud. From mid-day on, the cloud is pushed to the east. With every sunset, the cycle starts all over again”.

What Can You Do?

According to the EPA one of the top 5 things that will help reduce high pollution is to recycle. This Christmas season make an environmentally sound choice by selecting a real Christmas tree from Moon Valley Nurseries.
Real Christmas trees are a recyclable resource. Artificial trees consist of plastics and metals that aren't biodegradable. When disposed of artificial trees will never deteriorate. Their effects on our environment are evident and will remain for countless generations.

For more information, visit
www.epa.gov/visibility